Theatre is education for life. The communications, analytical and artistic skills learned as an Eckerd College Theatre major will benefit students in any field of endeavor. Students from our program have attended graduate school, joined professional theatres, and formed their own theatre companies.
Eckerd Theatre students develop skills in acting, directing, design and technical theatre. They acquire knowledge of plays, theatrical movements and innovators. They gain real world experience by completing internships, networking at professional theaters and conferences, and producing their own work. This eclectic training produces independent, adaptable, motivated and responsible creative thinkers - high in demand in every field of opportunity.
The academic requirements for Theatre majors are ten courses including the Theatre Capstone in the spring of the senior year.
The ten courses are as follows:
- Basic Acting or The Human Instrument
- Stagecraft
- Design Basics or Lighting and Sound Design
- Two sections of Theatre Production
- Performance and Design History
- Theatre Capstone
- Three theatre electives
A suggested sequence of courses is as follows:
First Years
- Basic Acting or The Human Instrument
- Stagecraft
- Theatre Production
Sophomores
- Theatre Production
- Design Basics or Lighting and Sound Design
- Theatre elective
Juniors
- Theatre elective
- Theatre elective
Seniors
- Performance and Design History
- Theatre Capstone
A minor in theatre requires five courses, of which at least two are at the 200 level or above. Three must be Eckerd College courses.
B.F.A. Degrees Offered in Partnership with Circle in the Square Theatre School
The B.F.A. degree program in Theatre and Musical Theatre offers qualified students the opportunity to combine a liberal arts education at Eckerd College with a two-year professional conservatory theatre training program at Circle in the Square Theatre School, located in the Broadway district of New York City.
The Theatre Discipline offers a 2 + 2 program through an articulation agreement with Circle in the Square Theatre School. This partnership results in a choice of one of two degrees granted by Eckerd College: either a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre or Musical Theatre.
STARTING AT ECKERD AND TRANSFERRING TO CIRCLE
Students who are accepted at Eckerd College and by audition to Circle in the Square Theatre School will spend their first and second years at Eckerd College and their third and fourth years at Circle in the Square Theatre School.
B.F.A. in Theatre or B.F.A. in Musical Theatre
Major requirements at Eckerd (either Acting or Musical Theatre):
- 1 Arts Area course
- 1 Social Science Area course
- 1 Natural Science or Quantitative Area course
- 1 Environmental Perspective course
- 1 Global Perspective course
- 1 Human Experience course
- 1 First Year Seminar course
- 1 Autumn Term course
- 1 Winter Term course
- 2 Language courses
- 1 Writing Intensive course
- 16 College Program Series Events
- 1 Theatre Discipline course every Fall and Spring Term
Major Requirements at Circle in the Square Theatre School
- 63 semester hours (18 courses) transfer credits: Full Years of study of Major Requirements on Acting Track or Musical Theatre Track.
- Students must complete separate admission requirements for Eckerd College and for Circle in the Square. Students must intervie
w and audition as part of the entrance requirements to Circle in the Square. - Students pursuing a B.F.A. degree will pay tuition/fees to the institution they are currently attending.
- Eckerd students will be placed on College Leave status while they complete courses at Circle in the Square.
- Successfully completed courses from Circle in the Square will be transcripted in as transfer courses with no grade/GPA value (they will not appear as Eckerd courses).
