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Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre

Students on Summer 2024, Fall 2024, or Spring 2025 requirements MUSTHTRBFA

Requirements

The major requires at least 87 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. Introductory Courses.
    1. Introduction to Theatre. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 100 Introduction to Theatre
    2. Acting I for Majors. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 121 Acting I for Majors: Introduction to Acting (majors should choose this course)
      • THTR-T 120 Acting I: Fundamentals of Acting
    3. Introduction to Musical Theatre. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 116 Introduction to Musical Theater
  2. IU Broadway Cabaret. Completion required in first four (4) semesters:
    1. Broadway Cabaret. One (1) course, three (3) repetitions
      • THTR-T 203 IU Broadway Cabaret
    2. Swing & Understudy Education. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 205
  3. Core Courses.
    1. Performance as Art and Design. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 125 Performance as Art and Design
    2. Acting II. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 220 Acting II: Scene Study
    3. Acting III. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 319 Acting III: Advanced Scene Study
    4. Voice and Speech. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 325 Voice and Speech
    5. Musical Theatre Studio. Four (4) courses:
      • Musical Theatre Studio I. One (1) course:
        • THTR-T 351 Musical Theatre Studio I: Acting the Song
      • Musical Theatre Studio II. One (1) course:
        • THTR-T 352 Musical Theatre Studio II: Scene Study
      • Musical Theatre Studio III. One (1) course:
        • THTR-T 353 Musical Theatre Studio III: Audition Technique
      • Musical Theatre Studio IV. One (1) course:
        • THTR-T 354 Musical Theatre Studio IV: Advanced Methods
    6. Working in the Profession. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 491 Working in the Profession
    7. Voice for Musical Theatre. Complete the following course each semester while in residence (minimum of four (4) credit hours and a maximum of eight (8) credit hours):
      • THTR-T 305 Voice for Musical Theatre
    8. Technical Theatre-Production Experience. Complete the following course two (2) times
      • THTR-T 168
    9. Technical Theatre-Laboratory Experience. Two (2) courses:
      • THTR-T 334 Costume Construction I
      • THTR-T 335 Stage Lighting Design
      • THTR-T 347 Introduction to Sound Design for the Theatre
      • THTR-T 350 Entertainment Technology and Production
    10. History of Theatre and Drama I. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 370 History of Theatre and Drama I
    11. History of Theatre and Drama II. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 371 History of Theatre and Drama II
    12. Senior Showcase. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 401 Musical Theatre Senior Showcase
  4. Music Requirements.
    1. Introduction to Music Theory. One (1) course:
      • MUS-Z 111 Introduction to Music Theory
      • MUS-Z 211 Music Theory II
    2. Introduction to Music Skills. One (1) course:
      • MUS-Z 112 Introduction to Music Skills
    3. American Musical. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 312 History of American Musical Theatre
      • MUS-Z 373 The American Musical
    4. Cultural Studies in Music. One (1) course:
      • AAAD-A 110 African American Choral Ensemble: Foundations and Practices
      • AAAD-A 112 Black Music of Two Worlds
      • AAAD-A 120 Soul Revue: Foundations and Practices
      • AAAD-A 290 Sociocultural Perspective of African American Music
      • AAAD-A 295 Survey of Hip Hop
      • AAAD-A 297 Popular Music of Black America
      • AAAD-A 388 Motown
      • FOLK-E 295 Survey of Hip Hop
      • HIST-A 383 Rock, Hip Hop, and Revolution: Popular Music in the Making of Modern America, 1940 to the Present
      • MUS-M 392 Art Musics of Non-Western World
      • MUS-M 397 Popular Music of Black America
      • MUS-Z 201 History of Rock and Roll Music
      • MUS-Z 202 History of Rock Music II
      • MUS-Z 204 Women Musicians
      • MUS-Z 213 Latin American and Latino Popular Music and Culture
      • MUS-Z 260 Music in American Society
      • MUS-Z 282 Music of Russia
      • MUS-Z 393 History of Jazz
      • MUS-Z 394 Survey of African American Music
      • MUS-Z 395 Contemporary Jazz and Soul Music
  5. Dance Requirements. 18 credit hours:
    1. Pilates for the Performing Artist. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 175 Pilates for the Performing Artist
    2. Musical Theatre Dance. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 117 Beginning Musical Theatre Dance
      • THTR-T 304 Advanced Musical Theatre Dance Styles
    3. Musical Theatre Dance Styles I. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 301 Musical Theatre Dance Styles I
    4. Musical Theatre Dance Styles II. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 302 Musical Theatre Dance Styles II
    5. Senior Musical Theatre Dance Audition. One (1) course:
      • THTR-T 403 Senior Musical Theatre Dance Audition
    6. Dance Electives. Additional courses as needed to reach 18 credit hours in Dance Requirements:
      • Ballet
        • MUS-J 100 Ballet Elective/Secondary
      • Musical Theatre Dance
        • THTR-T 204 Theatre Dance
        • THTR-T 304 Advanced Musical Theatre Dance Styles
      • Tap Dance
        • THTR-D 154 Beginning Tap Dance
        • THTR-D 254 Intermediate Tap Dance
        • THTR-D 354 Advanced Tap Dance
      • Jazz
        • MUS-J 210 Jazz Dance
        • THTR-D 156 Introduction to Jazz Dance Technique
        • THTR-D 256 Intermediate Jazz Dance
        • THTR-D 456 Advanced Jazz Dance
      • Modern Dance
        • THTR-D 155 Beginning Modern Dance
        • THTR-D 255 Intermediate Modern Dance
        • THTR-D 355 Advanced Modern Dance
        • THTR-T 202 Musical Theatre Dance Technique
        • THTR-T 410 Movement for the Theatre I
        • SPH-K 280 Basic Prev&care of Athl Inj
  6. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.

Major Area Courses
  • Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

    • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
    • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama (THTRBA)
  • Minor in Theatre and Drama (THTRMIN)

Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.