Why Major in Theatre Education?
With Belmont's Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Theatre Education, you'll be prepared to compete and succeed in the continually evolving world of theatre education, giving you the flexibility and skillset needed to thrive in public and private education.
You'll take a strong cohort of education classes and a multi-disciplined cohort of theatre courses with knowledge and training in every aspect of theatre creation.
This curriculum leads to licensure by the Tennessee Department of Education, a requirement for all teachers in the state. License reciprocity is available in 47 other states.
You'll also have the opportunity to audition for Main Stage productions at Belmont, direct one-acts and short plays, design and work with Belmont’s traveling Children’s Theatre Company, The Belmont Repertory Company or RepCo!
What You'll Learn
- Creativity in the Classroom
- Elementary and Secondary Theatre Education Methods
- Teaching Diverse Learners
- Stage Movement
- Performance and Production Labs
- Theatre and Drama History
Career Possibilities
Belmont students who graduate with a B.F.A. in Theatre Education Emphasis are prepared to continue into graduate studies or seek employment as a theatre teacher in elementary and secondary education. Graduates also find employment in non-profit organizations in the arts working with outreach, education or management. Our graduates are employed across the United States.
Program Details
Curriculum
Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Theatre Education majors complete 128 hours of coursework over the course of their undergraduate career. This includes immersive production labs that allow our majors to experience all facets of theatre. Students cumulate their experience with student teaching on both the elementary and secondary levels in theatre.
- BELL Core Requirements: 38 Hours
- Theatre Core: 24 Hours
- Production Design Requirements: 54 Hours
- Theatre Elective Courses: 3 Hours
- General Electives: 9 Hours (minimum)
Courses You'll Take
EDU 2100, Foundations of Education
This course provides an overview of the historical and sociological development of the American education systems and instructs candidates to use advocacy for children, families and the profession to uncover unconscious bias and to critically analyze the myths that exist about American education.
EDU 2110, Educational Psychology
A study is made of the processes of education, including such topics as learning, motivation, human growth and development, individual differences, evaluation of achievement, personality and techniques of studying education.
EDU 3800, Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners in the Classroom
Overview of exceptionalities; introduction to pedagogical, curricular and social considerations involved in educating diverse learners in the classroom. The course has a practicum component.
EDU 2223, Human Development and Education
This course examines development from various theoretical perspectives and at stages relevant to all levels of formal education. A major focus is the educational implications that flow from each developmental perspective. Students will also examine the research relevant to the issues in human development.
TDR 3050, Creative Drama in the Classroom
This course is devoted to studying the traditional modes of creative dramatics and the use of drama as a supplemental teaching tool. A required class for students who plan to teach in the elementary/secondary school system.
TDR 3180, Elementary Theatre Education Methods
A course designed to acquaint the theatre specialist with the content, methodology and materials of an elementary school theatre curriculum. Required of all Theatre Education majors. Lab required involving classroom observations and introduction to creative drama for the classroom including puppetry, Mime, mask work and Improvisation.
TDR 3190, Secondary Theatre Education Methods
Provides instruction and field experiences, which enables art education pre-service teachers to organize and guide middle and high school students in developing appropriate conceptual understandings and production skills for Theatre. Other components of the course include middle school and adolescent student development, middle school and high school structure and culture, curriculum development and implementation and classroom management strategies.
Click on the links below to explore the variety of opportunities you have to engage with the theatre community.
The Belmont University Department of Theatre and Dance Department is a fully-accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).
Audition Requirements
The B.F.A. programs in the Department of Theatre and Dance require an audition or portfolio submission. The audition or portfolio submission determines admission into the Department of Theatre and Dance, which is separate from the University's admission decision.
After submitting the Belmont application for undergraduate admission, applicants to the Department of Theatre and Dance will receive an email prompting them to complete the Undergraduate Theatre Audition Registration Form in their BU4U account. They will choose their intended in-person audition date or the video audition option.
The Department of Theatre and Dance does not prescreen for any of its programs.
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Contact Us
College of Music & Performing Arts
Alex Kissinger
Admissions Coordinator
(615) 460.8116
Email Alex