Theatre Studies

  • BA
  • Major
  • Teacher Certification
Student working on laptop, seated on a table in stage set.

Montclair State University’s B.A. in Theatre Studies offers a comprehensive and flexible theatre education within a broad liberal arts curriculum. As a Theatre Studies major, you will explore every aspect of theatre—from playwriting for stage and screen, dramaturgy and script analysis to stage management, directing, commercial and non-profit arts management, and production operations.

This program is designed to adapt to your individual goals. You’ll gain hands-on experience through the departmental production season as an assistant director, dramaturg or technician, while also developing collaborative projects on and off campus. Unique opportunities include the 4+1 program, which allows you to earn both a B.A. and an M.A. in just five years, and the P–12 Theatre Teacher Certification option, available exclusively to B.A. students. Teacher certification candidates complete the Teacher Education Program as a second major in Secondary Education, preparing for careers in the classroom as well as on stage. Majors are encouraged to explore interdisciplinary offerings and the program places particular focus on artists as citizens. Advanced undergraduates with a strong academic record are eligible to take courses in the MA Theatre Studies program.

With small classes, dedicated faculty, and proximity to New York City, the B.A. in Theatre Studies prepares you for diverse pathways in theatre, education and beyond.

students on stage, holding string to lay out a set

Program Highlights

  • Flexible curriculum with liberal arts foundation
  • Hands-on experience in theatre production and directing
  • Exclusive Teacher Certification and 4+1 M.A. option
  • Access to New York/New Jersey theatre opportunities

Create your theatre future at Montclair State today!

Explore Concentrations

Montclair’s Theatre Studies BA offers a General Concentration, as well as a Theatre Education Concentration

The Theatre Studies General Concentrations allows you to immerse yourself in all aspects of the business and practice of theatre. From center stage to backstage, playwriting to screenwriting, production to management, the BA in Theatre Studies is an elective-based program that allows you to chart an individualized path through areas of theatre or establish a general expertise in the field. The BA in Theatre Studies provides you with a broad-based knowledge of the theatre field and underscores the relationship between what happens on stage and what takes place in the world around us. A small common core of courses in dramatic literature, history and interdisciplinary performance emphasizes the link between page and stage, and theater and society. The program is flexible enough to allow for study abroad opportunities or pursue a graduate degree in Theatre Studies. 

See the curriculum.

Theatre Education Concentration with Teacher Certification in Theatre (Preschool – Grade 12) 

You can become a theatre teacher by pursuing a P-12 teacher certification in Theatre. The Concentration in Education makes use of the program’s innate flexibility to incorporate course work in theatre studies, liberal arts general education and pedagogy, and culminates in a professional semester of student teaching in order to meet the requirements of the Teacher Education Program at Montclair, the State of New Jersey Theatre Certification: P-12 Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) as well as the requirements for accreditation as specified in the National Association of Schools of Theatre accrediting standards. 

Information regarding the required professional sequence of courses and other important Program requirements, guidelines and procedures may be found on the Teacher Education Program website.

Unless otherwise noted, 120 credits of coursework is required for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, and a minimum 2.0 major GPA. 

See the curriculum.

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If you have any general questions regarding the application process and requirements, please contact Undergraduate Admissions.

Undergraduate Admissions Office

Whether you’re looking to begin an application, have questions about transferring to Montclair or trying to check your application status, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions is pleased to help you in any way we can.

Department of Theatre and Dance

The College of the Arts’ Department of Theatre and Dance has trained actors, dancers, production artists, educators and arts managers to create “magic” for the stage for more than 50 years.