Theatre Major: Sample 4-Year Plans

The plan listed below is designed to provide suggestions for sequencing your major courses, but there are also other ways to sequence most majors. This plan is meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. Please consult with your academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.

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Sample Four Year Plan: Theater (BA)

FALL - Semester 1

TRU 1XX: Self and Society Seminar
TRU 100: Truman Symposium
THEA 175: Freshman Theatre Seminar
THEA 277: Acting I
THEA 391—Stagecraft

or THEA 395—Basic Costuming

MATH 120 or Math as placed
THEA 399: Theatre Practice (1.0 credit)

SPRING - Semester 2

THEA 276: Stage Makeup
THEA 391—Stagecraft

or THEA 395—Basic Costuming

THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
ENG 190: Writing as Critical Thinking
MATH 120 or Math as placed
Dialogues coursework

FALL - Semester 3

THEA 371: Theatre History & Literature I*
THEA 393: Lighting Design

or THEA 310: Sound Design

THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
STAT 190: Basic Statistics
Elementary Foreign Language

SPRING - Semester 4

THEA 372: Theatre History & Literature II*
THEA 278 - Acting II, or THEA 478: Costume
Design, or THEA 480: Scene Design
THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Elementary II Foreign Language
Dialogues coursework

FALL - Semester 5

THEA 495: Senior Theatre Seminar
Theatre Elective(s)
THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Intermediate Foreign Language
JINS 3XX: Junior Interdisciplinary Seminar
Dialogues coursework

SPRING - Semester 6

THEA 491: Play Direction
Theatre Elective(s)
THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Intermediate II Foreign Language
Dialogues coursework

FALL - Semester 7

THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Theatre Elective
Dialogues coursework

SPRING - Semester 8

THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Theatre Elective(s)
Dialogues coursework


* THEA 371: Theatre History & Literature I and THEA 372: Theatre History & Literature II do not need to be taken in order

Theatre elective options include:
THEA 210 Stage Management for Theatre
THEA 301 Arts Administration
THEA 340: Voice & Movement for the Actor
THEA 359: Acting 3: Lyric Performance
THEA 360: Acting for Musical Theatre
THEA 374: Contemporary Trends in Theatre
THEA 420: Playwriting
THEA 480: Scene Design
THEA 478: Costume Design
THEA 481: Advanced Studies & Projects in Theatre

Dialogues Curriculum: The Dialogues Curriculum requires a certain number of courses/credit hours in the following Perspectives: Social, Arts and Humanities, STEM, Communications, and Statistics. The exact number of courses a student will be required to take during their undergraduate career varies individually according to the credit transferred in.

Department Chair: Please contact the Center for Academic Excellence with any updates to the plan above. Rev. 5-24-23

This is a sample course sequence to illustrate class offerings for this major. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for certifying completion of degree requirements based on requirements specified in Truman's Official Catalog.

All Sample Four-Year Plans

The plan listed below is designed to provide suggestions for sequencing your major courses, but there are also other ways to sequence most majors. This plan is meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. Please consult with your academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.

Download PDF

Sample Four-Year Plan: Theater (BA) and Musical Theatre Minor

FALL - Semester 1

TRU 1XX: Self and Society Seminar
TRU 100: Truman Symposium
THEA 175: Freshman Theatre Seminar
THEA 277: Acting I*
THEA 391—Stagecraft

or THEA 395—Basic Costuming

MATH 120 or Math as placed
THEA 399: Theatre Practice (1.0 credit)

SPRING - Semester 2

THEA 276: Stage Makeup
THEA 391—Stagecraft

or THEA 395—Basic Costuming

THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
ENG 190: Writing as Critical Thinking
MATH 120 or Math as placed
Voice (MUSI 142, 155, 156, or 157)*
Dialogues coursework

FALL - Semester 3

THEA 360: Acting for Musical Theatre
THEA 393: Lighting Design

or THEA 310: Sound Design

THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
STAT 190: Basic Statistics
Elementary Foreign Language

SPRING - Semester 4

A movement class (Dance - ES 156, 157,
214, 215, 256 or THEA 340 Voice and Movement for the Actor)
THEA 278 - Acting II or THEA 478: Costume
Design or THEA 480: Scene Design
THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Elementary II Foreign Language
Dialogues coursework

FALL - Semester 5

THEA 495: Senior Theatre Seminar
THEA 371: Theatre History & Literature I**
THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Intermediate Foreign Language
JINS 3XX: Junior Interdisciplinary Seminar
Theatre Elective(s)
Dialogues coursework

SPRING - Semester 6

THEA 372: Theatre History & Literature II**
THEA 491: Play Direction
THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Intermediate II Foreign Language
Theatre Elective(s)
Dialogues coursework

FALL - Semester 7

THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Theatre Elective
Dialogues coursework

SPRING - Semester 8

THEA 397-9: Theatre Practice
Theatre Elective(s)
Dialogues coursework


* Musical Theatre Minors must complete THEA 277 - Acting I and a voice class from the Music Department (MUSI 142, 155, 156, or 157) before declaring the minor.

** THEA 371: Theatre History & Literature I and THEA 372: Theatre History & Literature II do not need to be taken in order

Theatre elective options include:
THEA 2XX Stage Management for Theatre
THEA 301 Arts Administration
THEA 340: Voice & Movement for the Actor
THEA 359: Acting 3: Lyric Performance
THEA 360: Acting for Musical Theatre
THEA 374: Contemporary Trends in Theatre
THEA 420: Playwriting
THEA 480: Scene Design
THEA 478: Costume Design
THEA 481: Advanced Studies & Projects in Theatre

Musical Theatre Minor elective options include:
ES 154 - Ballroom Dancing
ES 156 - Beginning Tap Dancing
ES 157 - Beginning Jazz Dance
ES 214 - Elementary Ballet
ES 215 - Intermediate Ballet
ES 256 - Intermediate Tap Dancing
JINS 337 - Musical Theatre
MUSI 155 - Voice, Lower Division
MUSI 156 - Voice, Lower Division
MUSI 157 - Voice, Lower Division
MUSI 206 - Perspectives in Music: Hollywood and Broadway
MUSI 310 - Songwriting
THEA 276 - Stage Makeup
THEA 278 - Acting II: Advanced Scene Study
THEA 340 - Voice and Movement for the Actor
THEA 359 - Acting III: Lyric Performance

Dialogues Curriculum: The Dialogues Curriculum requires a certain number of courses/credit hours in the following Perspectives: Social, Arts and Humanities, STEM, Communications, and Statistics. The exact number of courses a student will be required to take during their undergraduate career varies individually according to the credit transferred in.

Department Chair: Please contact the Center for Academic Excellence with any updates to the plan above. 5-24-23

This is a sample course sequence to illustrate class offerings for this major. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for certifying completion of degree requirements based on requirements specified in Truman's Official Catalog.

All Sample Four-Year Plans

Theatre Major