Theatre (Theatre Studies) (BA)
Explore theatre through immersive study in global theatre history, critical analysis, and creative practice, including playwriting, directing, and dramaturgy to understand performance, culture, and storytelling.
Why choose this program?
Do you love theatre, storytelling, and creative ideas? Theatre Studies explores theatre from both creative and critical perspectives, helping you understand how performance shapes culture while building skills that prepare you for a wide range of careers.
Theatre Studies combines the study of drama, performance, and theatre history with opportunities to explore directing, dramaturgy, playwriting, and performance analysis. You'll examine theatre traditions from around the world while learning how stories reflect and influence society.
Through discussion, research, writing, and creative projects, you'll strengthen your communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills. Honours students also gain practical production experience by serving as a dramaturge or assistant director on a Fountain School production.
Whether you're interested in theatre, education, communications, arts management, or graduate studies, you'll graduate with a strong foundation in both creative and critical inquiry.
The Fountain School “gives its students a well-rounded look at all the hard work and creativity that occurs in each branch and how it comes together to make beautiful pieces of theatre."- Sophie Jacome, Class of '19
Careers
Graduates develop creative, analytical, research, and communication skills that prepare them for careers in education, arts organizations, communications, publishing, theatre, and many other fields.
Theatre Studies graduates pursue careers in directing, playwriting, arts administration, theatre management, education, communications, and media. The program also provides excellent preparation for graduate studies in theatre, drama, and related disciplines.
What you will learn
Develop a deeper understanding of theatre through history, literature, performance, and creative practice. You'll strengthen your skills in research, writing, communication, critical analysis, and creative collaboration.
Sample courses
- Watching Performance on Stage and Screen
- Dramaturgy
- Play Analysis for Directors
- Ancient and Medieval Theatre
- The Director in the Theatre
- Scriptwriting
- Modern Theatre
- Stars and Stardom on Stage and Screen
- Canadian Theatre Since 1968
- Puppets: Bringing Objects to Life
- Creative Responses to A Midsummer Night’'s Dream
Engage in creative research projects, class discussions, presentations, and writing while learning from experienced faculty and guest artists—with opportunities to complete an apprenticeship with a local theatre company.
Honours students complete their Honours Qualifying Project by working as a dramaturge or assistant director on a Fountain School production, connecting classroom learning with professional theatre practice.
Get paid work experience
Dal Arts students can apply for the FASS Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Pilot Program, which offers a one-semester paid work term where you put what you learn in the classroom into practice, build career-ready skills and gain experience in the workplace.
Learn beyond the classroom
Arts students can take their learning beyond the classroom through the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences’ experiential learning program.
Participate in internships, community-based projects, research opportunities, and career-focused experiences that help you apply what you learn, explore your interests and prepare for your future.
Customize your degree
Choose from honours, major, double major, combined honours, or minor pathways to build a degree that matches your interests. Explore areas such as theatre history, directing, dramaturgy, playwriting, performance analysis, and dramatic literature.
The flexibility of the program also allows you to combine Theatre Studies with complementary disciplines across Arts and Science.
Honours
Major
Double Major
Combined Honours
Minor
Theatre History
Dramaturgy
Directing
Playwriting
Performance Analysis
Dramatic Literature
Honours Qualifying Project
Dramaturgy or Assistant Director Placement
Creative Research Projects
Collaborative Productions
Apprenticeships with Local Theatre Companies
Choose the Honours program in Theatre Studies and your final project gives you the chance to take on a key creative role in a Fountain School production.
Work as a dramaturge or assistant director, putting your Theatre Studies knowledge into practice as part of a real production.
Explore theatre as both an art form and a way of understanding the world. You'll graduate with creative, analytical, and communication skills that prepare you for diverse careers and future studies.
Admission requirements
Minimum admission requirements
To be considered for admission to this program, you must meet minimum academic criteria:
- Completion of secondary school (Grade 12)
- Achievement of the minimum average for your program of choice.
- Completion of Grade 12 English (or equivalent course).
Admission to many ý programs is competitive. This means that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Program-specific admission requirements
Bachelor of Arts requirements:
- Minimum overall average: 70%
- Academic English 12
- Four additional academic subjects
