Our BA Emphasis in Performance degree prepares students for excellence in every aspect of theatre with a myriad of performance opportunities! Our program is structured to involve students in all aspects of theatre, while giving the flexibility to students to choose their own path of discovery. Within this degree you can train in acting, musical theatre, or your own combination of both.
This emphasis allows for flexibility and a broad scope to your education. It meant for the intellectually curious and for the actor who feels that they are more than their resume and headshot. This is why BA Performance majors are required to have an International Experience. This can be study abroad or experience abroad, and may not be satisfied with a domestic class. The international requirement is one of the many factors that lead to the opening up of creative minds.
Theatre is an immensely rewarding major. Through the art of theatre, we experience works of some of the greatest writers, thinkers, and artists our civilization has ever known. Employers actively seek the skills offered by theatre degree: creative thinking and problem-solving, collaboration, a goal-oriented approach to projects, superior communication skills, an ability to handle deadline pressures, effective time-management, and independent thinking and initiative.
Review the Undergraduate Degree Learning Outcomes
Cal State Application Deadline is November 30
Acceptd Application Deadline is December 31
Prospective students wishing to major in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Performance must audition. Students who wish to apply to SDSU with a general Theatre Arts emphasis are not required to audition.
For prospective performance majors, the application is a two-step process:
Overall
Each piece should be filmed/uploaded as a separate piece of media. No continuous videos. Students are encouraged to use standard technology/recording devices that are available to them (i.e. smartphones, tablets, etc).
Slate
There should not be a separate introduction or “slate” video. Instead, “slates” are to appear at the beginning of each piece and included as part of the time allotment.
Monologues
Students should prepare 2-contrasting monologues
Songs
Students should prepare two contrasting pieces.
Monologue
Students should prepare 1 monologue
There is a non-refundable application fee of $35 that must be paid at the time of your Acceptd audition upload.
If the $35 application fee is burdensome, there is a limited amount of scholarship assistance to help defray this cost. Please contact Peter Cirino for more information at pcirino@sdsu.edu.
If you are denied admission based on your performance audition, you cannot apply to SDSU again until the following academic year.
For questions about the audition process, please contact our professors:
ACTING: Prof. Peter Cirino - pcirino@sdsu.edu
MUSICAL THEATRE: Prof. Robert Meffe - rmeffe@sdsu.edu
For more information contact the Academic Advisor:
Chad Reyes
619-594-4670
cnreyes@sdsu.edu
DA 204B
The Theatre Arts major is an impacted program. Students are admitted as Performance pre-majors, and must complete the following requirements before advancing into the major:
Students must satisfy the following requirements before advancing from pre-major into the major:
the course for which you are registering
PREPARATION for the Major
MAJOR Upper Division Requirements
AND twelve units (12) to be selected from:
AND the International Experience Requirement. This is a study abroad or experience abroad, may not be satisfied with a domestic class.
NOTE - THEA 465 may be used to satisfy this requirement in the 2020-2021 academic year, in response to pandemic restrictions
To be selected from:
___ an SDSU faculty-led trip from the College of Extended Studies
___ CSU/SDSU Study Abroad Program
___ ISEP Exchange Program
___ SDSU Semester Abroad Program
___ SDSU Study Travel Program
___ Theatre Independent Study Abroad, offered by an accredited institution (i.e., BADA, LAMDA, RADA)
Visit the Study Abroad page to learn more.
For additional curriculum details, please consult the following:
Undergraduate Catalog
For more information, contact the Academic Advisor:
Chad Reyes
619-594-4670
cnreyes@sdsu.edu
DA 204B