Theatre: Arts & Entertainment Technology, BFA
for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Theatre, Arts & Entertainment Technology Concentration
Level 21 reflects the design, technology and management disciplines in theatre arts. It has seven unique yet inter-related concentrations in: Arts + Entertainment Technology, Costume Design + Technology, Lighting Design + Technology, Scene Design, Scenic Technology, Sound Design + Technology, and Stage Management. Freshman and sophomore students learn the foundations of theatrical production with a focus on acquiring practical skills for application in advanced course work and in theatre productions. Junior and senior students participate in advanced study in their chosen discipline supported by one-on-one faculty mentoring of assigned projects. Students in this area are the designers, technicians, managers, artisans and crew for over a dozen theater, musical theater, dance and opera productions at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and work on these shows in various roles throughout their entire course of study.
for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Theatre, Arts & Entertainment Technology Concentration
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours required for graduation: 128 hours.
Twelve hours of 300 and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
fulfilled by THEA 304 | ||
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | 6-10 | |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required) | 0-15 | |
Core Requirements for all Theatre Majors
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FAA 101 | Arts at Illinois | 1 |
| THEA 100 | Practicum I | 2 |
| THEA 200 | Practicum II | 2 |
| THEA 121 | Theatre Foundations: Performance | 3 |
| THEA 122 | Theatre Foundations: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| THEA 123 | Theatre Foundations: Production | 3 |
| THEA 208 | 21st Century Dramaturgy | 3 |
| THEA 304 | Global Theatre Performance | 3 |
| THEA 364 | Topics in Theatre History | 3 |
| THEA 404 | Professional Career Development | 1 |
| Total Hours | 24 | |
Arts & Entertainment Technology Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | 32 | |
| THEA 100 | Practicum I (in addition to the THEA 100 credits required in the theatre core) | 1 |
| THEA 119 | BFA Production Seminar (repeated for 4 total hours) | 4 |
| THEA 126 | Stagecraft | 3 |
| THEA 153 | Introduction to Theatre Sound | 3 |
| THEA 220 | Survey of Theatrical Design | 3 |
| THEA 223 | Introduction to Stage Rigging | 3 |
| THEA 231 | Intro to Lighting Design | 3 |
| THEA 300 | Practicum III (repeated for 4 total hours) | 4 |
| THEA 400 | Practicum IV (repeated for 4 total hours) | 4 |
| THEA 495 | Capstone Project (repeated for 2 total hours) | 2 |
| THEA 496 | Professional Exploration (repeated for 2 total hours) | 2 |
| Choose 6 credits from the following courses: | 6 | |
| THEA 419 | Theatrical CAD Drafting | 2 |
| THEA 421 | Welding for the Stage | 4 |
| THEA 424 | Automation for the Stage | 3 |
| THEA 429 | Scenic Technology Topics | 2 |
| THEA 435 | Professional Lighting Systems | 2 |
| THEA 497 | Audio Engineering I | 3 |
| Choose 12 credits from the following courses: | 12 | |
| THEA 151 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstations | 3 |
| THEA 419 | Theatrical CAD Drafting (in addition to 6 cr requirement) | 2 |
| THEA 420 | Shop Practice | 4 |
| THEA 421 | Welding for the Stage (in addition to 6 cr requirement) | 4 |
| THEA 422 | Structures for the Stage | 3 |
| THEA 424 | Automation for the Stage (in addition to 6 cr requirement) | 3 |
| THEA 429 | Scenic Technology Topics (may be repeated for various topics) | 2 |
| THEA 430 | Technical Direction I | 3 |
| THEA 435 | Professional Lighting Systems (in addition to 6 cr requirement) | 2 |
| THEA 437 | Software for Lighting Design | 2 |
| THEA 461 | Introduction to Media Design | 3 |
| THEA 492 | Digital Rendering for Lighting | 3 |
| THEA 494 | Advanced Problem Solving for Lighting Designers | 3 |
| THEA 497 | Audio Engineering I (in addition to 6 cr requirement) | 3 |
| THEA 498 | Audio Engineering II | 3 |
| RST 460 | Event Management in Recreation, Sport and Tourism | 3 |
| RST 465 | Event Implementation and Evaluation in Recreation, Sport and Tourism | 3 |
| PHYS 102 | College Physics: E&M & Modern | 5 |
| PHYS 211 | University Physics: Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS 212 | University Physics: Elec & Mag | 4 |
| Total Credits for Arts and Entertainment Technology Concentration | 50 | |
General Non-Theatre Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Non-Theatre Electives | 9 | |
Summary of Credits for Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre, concentration in Arts & Entertainment Technology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Core Requirements for All Theatre Majors | 24 | |
| Arts & Entertainment Technology Concentration Requirements | 50 | |
| General Non-Theatre Electives | 9 | |
| Free Electives as needed to total 128 hours | ||
| Total Credits for BFA in Theatre, concentration in Arts & Entertainment Technology | 128 | |
for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Theatre, Arts & Entertainment Technology Concentration
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| THEA 100 | 1 | THEA 100 | 1 |
| THEA 121 | 3 | THEA 122 | 3 |
| THEA 126 | 3 | THEA 223 | 3 |
| Comp. I or Language Other than English (3rd level) | 4 | Comp. I or Language Other than English (3rd level) | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| FAA 101 | 1 | General Education course | 3 |
| 15 | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| THEA 200 | 1 | THEA 200 | 1 |
| THEA 123 | 3 | THEA 208 | 3 |
| THEA 153 | 3 | THEA 100 | 1 |
| THEA 220 | 3 | THEA 231 | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | ||
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| THEA 304 | 3 | THEA 364 | 3 |
| THEA 300 | 2 | THEA 300 | 2 |
| THEA 119 | 1 | THEA 119 | 1 |
| THEA 496 | 1 | AET 'choose 6 credits from' course | 3 |
| AET 'choose 6 credits from' course | 3 | General Non-Theatre Elective | 3 |
| AET 'choose 12 credits from' course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| AET 'choose 12 credits from' course | 3 | Free Elective course | 1 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| THEA 404 | 1 | THEA 400 | 2 |
| THEA 400 | 2 | THEA 119 | 1 |
| THEA 495 | 1 | THEA 495 | 1 |
| THEA 496 | 1 | General Non-Theatre Elective | 3 |
| THEA 119 | 1 | AET 'choose 12 credits from' course | 3 |
| General Non-Theatre Elective | 3 | AET 'choose 12 credits from' course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Hours 128 | |||
for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Theatre, Arts & Entertainment Technology Concentration
By the end of the program, students will be able to:
- Analyze, interpret, write critically and creatively, and discuss thoughtfully in the field of theatre, performance and other genres of live entertainment.
- Understand professional practices in project conception, technical design, construction, equipment specification, programming and show control and run protocols in the performing arts and live entertainment.
- Synthesize independently acquired knowledge through the successful execution of a capstone project.
- Demonstrate proficiency and practical application of learned methodologies including the ability to communicate ideas, articulate concepts and project requirements, and execute problem-solving strategies in order to successfully fulfill a skilled technology role in a stage production.
- Demonstrate necessary skills and knowledge including significant technical mastery to acquire an entry-level skilled technologist position in professional live entertainment.
for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Theatre, Arts & Entertainment Technology Concentration
Theatre
Theatre Department website
Theatre Department faculty
4-122 Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 500 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-2371
theatre@illinois.edu
College of Fine & Applied Arts
Admissions
Overview of the College of Fine & Applied Arts Admissions & Requirements
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Undergrad Admissions
admissions@illinois.edu