Frequently Asked Questions for Students

We offer a personalized learning environment with ample opportunities for undergraduate students to perform, create, design, direct, choreograph and grow. Two years in a row, a department production was selected as a Regional Finalist at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Also two years in a row, an undergraduate actor from SUU received the Regional Best in Acting Award and choreography created by an undergraduate student was selected for the Gala Concert at a Regional American College Dance Festival. The First Region VIII Finalist for Technical Theatre was an SUU undergraduate student.

In addition, our faculty and staff are all working professionals in their area of expertise. A recent national accreditation evaluator identified the following as a strength of our program: Talented, positive and hard-working faculty and staff who are diverse demographically and in terms of training, and who provide meaningful, individualized mentoring for the students.

We offer Bachelor Arts or Science degrees in both theatre and dance as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with emphases in classical acting, musical theatre, and design/technology. All programs embrace national standards in the studio, classroom, and the production laboratory. Visit our course offerings in the catalog to view a list of classes.
Yes, the department offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in Musical Theatre. This multidisciplinary degree is supported by our strong curricular offerings within the Theatre, Music and Dance programs.

You will design, create, and perform. The department annually produces main stage theatre productions, main stage dance productions, student produced productions and senior directing projects in addition to a variety of creative opportunities and Black Box theatre and dance events through our talented student organizations. The department actively participates in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, United States Institute for Theatre Technology, University/Resident Theatre Association, and the American College Dance Festival. Check out our calendar for production and audition information.

Our Theatre Arts graduates are employed in prestigious national programs and organizations such as the Yale School of Drama, Juilliard, the Arizona Theatre Company, Cirque du Soleil, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Broadway Touring Companies and the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.

Our recent Dance graduates have been accepted in prestigious MFA graduate programs such as the University of California-Irvine, the University of Utah, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Graduates have pursued careers in diverse areas from performance to dance therapy, history, and criticism. Both Theatre Arts and Dance Education graduates are teaching in school districts throughout the state and region and as far away as New York.

Yes. The Department offers Secondary Teaching Licensure in both Theatre Arts and Dance. Southern Utah University’s College of Education enrolls more than 1,500 students and has been nationally recognized by the most prestigious education accreditation agency in the country, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Working collaboratively with SUU’s accredited College of Education; the Department has trained and placed strong passionate teachers in the public school system across the nation.

Student’s training is enhanced by the support of the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival. Performance and technical apprenticeships with the festival give students the unusual and invaluable opportunity to study with accomplished guest artists and teachers from around the globe. In addition, many of the faculty and staff work as performers, designers and technicians for the festival as well.

The Department of Theatre Arts and Dance holds Scholarship Auditions in the spring of every year. Students may audition for scholarships in the areas of theatre, dance, and technical/design. Students must be accepted to Southern Utah University and be registered as a full time Theatre Arts or Dance Major to receive a departmental scholarship. For more information, visit Theatre Arts and Dance Scholarships page.

If you are interested in becoming a theatre major, you must first apply to Southern Utah University and second, register as a major with the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance. Dance majors must complete a placement audition. Candidates for the BFA Degree in Theatre will interview with faculty and undergo either an audition or portfolio review, depending on their desired emphasis area. Students may audition into the BFA program after completing their freshman year in Theatre Arts, or during their sophomore year, but not after beginning their junior year. Transfer students seeking a BFA degree will need to audition before placement into the program. Applications for admission to SUU are available from the Admissions Office. Highly motivated students may double major in two different disciplines. Please contact Stephen Wagner or Steven Swift, the Academic Advisors for the College of Performing & Visual Arts to register as a major.