- Click Here to View the Theatre & Dance Department's Handbook

The UWSP Department of Theatre & Dance offers one of the most extensive and diversified curricula of any private or public college or university in the upper Midwest. Admission to each of the degree programs is by audition and/or interview (see How To Apply).

Students may pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting, design and technology, or musical theatre. Each of these 78 credit pre-professional degree programs is an intensive, specialized study designed to fully prepare students for entry into the professional world upon graduation. Completion of the BFA degree can be achieved in four years unless the student wishes to double major or has an interrupted tenure at UWSP. Due to the uniquely designed course sequences and the frequency in which required courses are offered, transfer students may need to spend extra time at UWSP in order to complete the BFA degree program.

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees are also available in dance and theatre arts. Since the number of credits required for completion of a B.A. or B.S. degree is significantly less than for the BFA students may pursue another major or minor and still complete their degree requirements within four years. The 48 credit major in dance is dedicated to training dancers in a range of technical styles and physical abilities. Students graduating from the dance program work professionally as dancers, choreographers, and/or teachers. The B.A. and B.S. degree programs in theatre arts are made up of 44 credits designed to provide students with a generalized background. After completing a core of 26 credits covering a broad range of theatre subjects, students may use elective credits to begin exploring a particular area of interest. While many UWSP B.A./B.S. graduates seek employment in the professional theatre upon graduation, the degree is designed to prepare students for specialization at the graduate school level.

A 27 credit minor in dance is available to students who wish to continue to exercise their passion for these art forms while pursuing another major. Admission to the dance minor is by audition; admission to the theatre minor is by interview with the department chair.