Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
Nature of the Program
The School of Theatre & Dance and the School of Music offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Musical Theatre with the goal to train students for successful careers in musical and stage performance in the competitive entertainment industry. Over the four-year course of study, musical theatre majors will take classes in acting, voice, dance, choreography, theatre history, stage production, music theory, musical theatre literature, and other special topics.
Freshmen and sophomore students receive four to six hours of acting instruction per week as well as beginning work in music, voice and dance. In the sophomore year, students receive an additional four hours per week in stage movement and in voice and speech. These first two years of performance study coincide with a rigorous and wide-ranging liberal arts course work.
Musical Theatre Studio
The junior and senior years for the BFA in Musical Theatre are known as the Musical Theatre Studio and continue the student’s work in voice, dance and acting with twenty hours a week dedicated to actor training.
This conservatory-style training within an academic setting allows the Musical Theatre Studio faculty to elevate and intensify the training with a select group of students (see Student Assessment below). The students in Musical Theatre Studio will also have opportunities to train with faculty within our Studio Acting Program with potential classes in Meisner training, Shakespeare, Comedic Styles and Auditioning.
The BFA students in the Musical Theatre Studio along with our MFA Acting students and the BFA students in the Studio Acting Program are the core of the School’s casting pool. Students will have the opportunity to perform in one to two major musical or opera productions along with four to five other main stage offerings as well as 10-12 workshop and second stage opportunities per year.
Student Assessment
Routine assessment is vital to the continued growth and success of the BFA in Musical Theatre. This assessment includes and occurs with daily in-class critiques, faculty reviews, end-of-semester evaluations as well as rehearsals and public performances. These types of assessment, both formal and informal, monitor the development of the BFA student’s technique and process development, their artistic growth and commitment, and application of the craft and study of Musical Theatre to the other liberal arts.
Examples of student assessment and progress within the BFA in Musical Theatre include:
- Audition for entry into the program.
- Requirements for auditioning and specific dates for our Audition/Portfolio Days may be found on the College of Creative Arts and Media website.
- Auditions for credit-bearing performance opportunities (THET 200/300/400):
- Musical Theatre majors will participate in a number of opportunities designed to incorporate classroom and process skills into a public performance.
- At the completion of each of these productions, the students will receive an evaluation of their participation.
- End-of-sophomore year assessment for continuation in the BFA in Musical Theatre and advancement to the Musical Theatre Studio.
- After two years of actor training and study, there is an assessment process for students to move on to the Musical Theatre Studio and their junior year of study. This process allows the Musical Theatre faculty to ascertain a student’s potential for professional development as an actor. This assessment includes review of a student’s GPA, credit hours, an essay of professional goals, attendance, class participation as well as an audition of material and genres covered within the first two years of study.
- Students seen as having professional potential and a good academic standing will proceed into their junior year and the Musical Theatre Studio.
- Students seen within this assessment as not having professional potential or with academic issues are not invited to continue to the Musical Theatre Studio. These students may be advised to consider different degree programs within or outside the School of Theatre & Dance. They may also be advised to continue their studies in Theatre and Acting, improve their academic standing and re-audition for the Musical Theatre Studio in the following year.
- End-of-semester jury reviews for continuation in the program:
- At the end of each semester, each Musical Theatre Studio student will take part in an evaluation that consists of a discussion of the student’s progress in the areas of talent, trainability, demeanor, professional discipline and potential as well as the demonstrated acquisition of the identified learning goals.
- These evaluations serve to monitor and record the student’s progress toward the completion of the degree.
- The reviews will be administered by the Area Coordinator for Performance and shall include participation and feedback from theatre, music, and dance faculty.
- Evaluation of the students in the Musical Theatre Studio include voice juries (a requirement in the curriculum for Voice) and consultation with the Dance faculty on student proficiency.
- Written evaluations will be used to indicate areas of strength and weakness. The written evaluation will be shared with each student, and a copy will be placed in the student’s advising file to be used as part of the on-going assessment of the student’s progress in the program.
- At the discretion of the Area Coordinator for Performance, students who do not successfully pass the evaluation will be either put on probationary status or removed from the program.
Admissions for 2025-2026
Students must meet all WVU Undergraduate Admissions entrance requirements. Prior to admission into the BFA Musical Theatre program, applicants must successfully pass an audition to assess their talent level and potential for success in the major. These auditions assess the proficiency levels in the areas of acting, dance, and vocal performance.
- The School of Theatre & Dance in conjunction with the School of Music will administer auditions each semester for entrance into the program.
- Applicants must schedule their audition directly with the School of Theatre & Dance. Typically, auditions will be held in November and early spring semester in the Canady Creative Arts Center. Additional virtual auditions may also be scheduled.
- Audition information can be found on the College's website or by contacting the CCAM Office of Recruitment at (304) 293-4339.
Major Code: 3712
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 41 | |
| Musical Theatre Major Requirements | 80 | |
| Total Hours | 121 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 | 25 | |
| THET 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
| General Electives | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 41 | |
Musical Theatre Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| History/Literature Courses | ||
| THET 100 | First-Year Practicum | 1 |
| THET 120 | History of Musical Theatre (Fulfills GEF 8) | 3 |
| THET 301 | History of Western Theatre (Fulfills GEF 8) | 3 |
| THET 365 | Western Theatre History 2: Enlightenment to Contemporary (Fulfills Writing and Communication Skills Requirement) | 3 |
| Production | 7 | |
| Theatre Makeup | ||
| Select 1 of the following pairs: | ||
| Stagecraft and Stagecraft Lab | ||
| Costuming and Costuming Lab | ||
| Theatre Performance | ||
| THET 144S | Fundamentals of Acting | 3 |
| THET 240S | Fundamental Vocal Technique 1 | 2 |
| THET 242S | Fundamentals of Movement | 2 |
| THET 244 | Intermediate Acting | 3 |
| THET 348S | Studio Scene Study 1 | 1 |
| THET 348S | Studio Scene Study 1 | 1 |
| THET 447S | Studio Scene Study 2 | 1 |
| THET 447S | Studio Scene Study 2 | 1 |
| Studio Courses | ||
| THET 355S | Musical Theatre Studio | 3 |
| THET 355S | Musical Theatre Studio | 3 |
| THET 455S | Advanced Musical Theatre Studio | 3 |
| THET 455S | Advanced Musical Theatre Studio | 3 |
| Dance | 10 | |
| Fundamentals of Ballet | ||
| Fundamentals of Jazz | ||
| Fundamentals of Tap | ||
| Dance Styles for Musical Theatre | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Intermediate Ballet | ||
| Intermediate Modern | ||
| Intermediate Jazz | ||
| Intermediate Tap | ||
| Music Performance | 18 | |
| Voice Class 2 | ||
| Theory for Music Theatre 1 | ||
| Theory for Music Theatre 2 | ||
| Applied Music: Voice (Repeated twice for 2 hours each) | ||
| Applied Music: Voice (Repeated twice for 2 hours each) | ||
| Applied Music: Voice (Repeated twice for 2 hours each) | ||
| Practicum | 4 | |
| Production Practicum (Repeated twice for a total of 2 credits) | ||
| Advanced Production Practicum (Repeated twice for a total of 2 credits) | ||
| Capstone | ||
| THET 401 | Capstone Experience | 3 |
| or THET 450S | The Complete Performer | |
| DANC Electives | 2 | |
| Total Hours | 80 | |
- *
Courses listed as the secondary option are by permission only.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| THET 191 | 2 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| DANC 110S | 2 | DANC 130S | 2 |
| MUSC 139S | 1 | MUSC 139S | 1 |
| MUSC 166 | 2 | MUSC 167 | 2 |
| THET 100 | 1 | THET 144S | 3 |
| THET 103 & THET 104 | 4 | GEF 3 | 3 |
| DANC Electives | 2 | ||
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | MUSC 226 | 2 |
| DANC 140S | 2 | THET 120 (GEF 8) | 3 |
| MUSC 226 | 2 | THET 200 | 1 |
| THET 200 | 1 | THET 221 | 3 |
| THET 242S | 2 | THET 240S | 2 |
| THET 244 | 3 | THET 301 (GEF 8) | 3 |
| GEF 4 | 3 | GEF 5 | 3 |
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| DANC 255S | 1 | DANC 210S | 2 |
| MUSC 326 | 2 | MUSC 326 | 2 |
| THET 348S | 1 | THET 348S | 1 |
| THET 355S | 3 | THET 355S | 3 |
| THET 365 | 3 | THET 400 | 1 |
| GEF 2B Science | 4 | Electives | 6 |
| GEF 7 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| DANC 255S | 1 | MUSC 426 | 2 |
| MUSC 426 | 2 | THET 401 or 450S | 3 |
| THET 400 | 1 | THET 447S | 1 |
| THET 447S | 1 | THET 455S | 3 |
| THET 455S | 3 | Electives | 5 |
| GEF 8 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Total credit hours: 121 | |||
Area of Emphasis
Dance Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum of nine hours must be at the 300-level or higher. | ||
| Core Courses | ||
| DANC 260S | Fundamentals of Choreography | 3 |
| DANC 370 | Dance History | 3 |
| Dance Technique Courses | 8 | |
| Select four of the following: | ||
| Intermediate Ballet | ||
| Intermediate/Advanced Ballet | ||
| Fundamentals of Modern Dance Technique | ||
| Intermediate Modern | ||
| Advanced Modern | ||
| Intermediate Jazz | ||
| Intermediate Tap | ||
| Dance Elective Courses | 4-6 | |
Select from the following: | ||
| Dance Criticism | ||
| World Dance | ||
| Dance Practicum | ||
| Advanced Choreography | ||
| Choreography Practicum | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Modern Repertory (Or any other Repertory class at the 400-level) | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Major Learning Outcomes
Musical Theatre
Common Body of Knowledge and Skills for B.F.A. Theatre students
Students must acquire:
Technical skills requisite for artistic self-expression in at least one major area of production (for example, acting, design/technology, playwriting, musical theatre) and those skills must be progressively developed to the highest level appropriate to the particular area of concentration.
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An overview understanding of the major aspects, techniques, and directions in the area of concentration.
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Fundamental, comprehensive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation, interpretation, performance, and production.
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Fundamental, conceptual understanding of the expressive possibilities of theatre.
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Knowledge and skills sufficient to work in both collaborative and individual roles in matters of theatre interpretation.
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Growth in artistry, technical skills, collaborative competence, and knowledge of repertory through regular performance and production experiences. Students must have such experiences throughout the degree program.
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Repertory. Students must acquire:
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Familiarity with theatre literature of various historical periods, cultural sources, and modes of presentation.
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Experience with specific repertories and comparative standards of production quality through performance, academic study, and attendance at productions.
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Theoretical and Historical Studies
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Students must acquire:
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The ability to analyze plays perceptively and to evaluate them critically.
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An understanding of the common elements and vocabulary of theatre and of the interaction of these elements, and be able to employ this knowledge in analysis, including analyses of their productions.
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The ability to place works of theatre in historical and stylistic contexts and have some understanding of the cultural milieu in which they were created.
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The ability to develop and defend informed judgments about theatre.
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Technology. Students must acquire a working knowledge of technologies and equipment applicable to their area(s) of specialization.
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Synthesis. While synthesis is a lifetime process, by the end of undergraduate studies students should be able to work independently on a variety of professional problems by combining, as appropriate to the issue, their capabilities in performance, repertory, theory, history, and technology, as well as other fields they have studied.
Upon completion of any B.F.A. professional undergraduate degree program:
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Students must demonstrate achievement of professional, entry-level competence in the area of specialization including significant technical mastery, the capability to produce work and solve professional problems independently, and a coherent set of artistic/intellectual goals that are evident in their work.
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Students must demonstrate their competence by developing a body of work for evaluation in the major area of study. A senior project or presentation in the major area is required in many concentrations, and strongly recommended for all others.
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Students must have the ability to communicate ideas, concepts, and requirements to theatre professionals and laypersons related to the practice of the major field. Such communication may involve oral, written, visual, and musical media.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre
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Essential Competencies, Experiences, and Opportunities (in addition to those stated for all B.F.A. degree programs above)
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Achievement of the highest possible level of performance as an actor-singer. Studies in acting shall continue throughout the entire degree program.
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Thorough development of skills in acting and skills in dance as appropriate to musical theatre.
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Thorough development in basic musical skills including voice performance, musicianship, and music theory. Studies in voice should continue throughout the degree program.
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Opportunities to develop a high level of skill in sight-singing.
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Opportunities for performance in workshops and full productions of musical theatre in a variety of formal and informal settings. Performance of a significant role in at least one full production during advanced study is regarded as an essential experience.
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Opportunities for developing repertory and techniques for auditions.
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