Undergraduate

Earning a Undergraduate Degree in Theatre

Here's the good news: If you want to be a stage manager, the best way to learn is through experience and experience is available EVERYWHERE. Every high school, college, and community theatre that makes theatre NEEDS stage managers to work on their productions. Those jobs may not pay well - they may not pay anything - but experience is the BEST way to hone your skills.

If you want to get an undergraduate degree in theatre, there are (2) ways:

Attend a school that offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Theatre (or Drama)
Attend a school that offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Stage Management

What's the difference between a BA and a BFA?

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) is a more generalized degree, focused on providing the student with a well-rounded education. Students in BA programs take more general education courses and have a wider range of subjects to study from. BA programs still focus on theatre, but they also emphasis the importance of knowledge in other fields. Many BA programs around the US also offer a specialization or 'honors' program in a specific theatrical element, such as stage management. When researching a school, look into their options for specialization and opportunities for stage management work.

A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is focused more on the specific field of study. So, a student earning a BFA in Stage Management would take primarily stage management classes, particularly practical and experience-based classes.

Select STAGE MANAGEMENT Programs:

Here is a list that I've collected of stage management programs around the United States. Please note, there will be stage management opportunities at EVERY school with a theatre department, even if they are not on this list.

ADD YOUR SCHOOL HERE!

University	Location	Degree
Auburn University	Auburn, AL	BFA in Production & Stage Management
Ball State University	Muncie, IN	BA/BS in Stage Management
Boston University	Boston, MA	BFA in Multidisciplinary Stage Management
California Institute of the Arts	Valencia, CA	BFA in Stage Management
Campbellsville University	Campbellsville, KY	BA in Theater Production
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music	Cincinnati, OH	BFA in Theatre Design & Production
Colorado University	Boulder,CO	BFA in Theatre Design, Technology, & Management
Colorado State University	Fort Collins,CO	BA in Theatre w/ Emphasis in Stage Management & Production
Columbia College Chicago	Chicago, IL	BA in Theatre Technology
DePaul University	Chicago, IL	BFA in Stage Management
East Carolina University	Greenville, NC	BFA in Theatre Arts w/ Stage Management Concentration
Emerson College	Boston, MA	BFA in Stage and Production Management
Florida State University	Tallahassee, FL	BA in Theatre w/ SM Specialization
Fordham University	Bronx, NY	BA in Theatre w/ Design & Production Track
Hofstra University	Hempstead, NY	BFA in Theatre Arts: Production Sequence
Indiana University	Bloomington, IN	BA in Theatre w/ Concentration in Stage Management
Itacha University	Ithaca, NY	BFA in Stage Management
Marymount Manhattan	New York, NY	BA in Theatre w/ Concentration in Producing & Management
Millikin University	Decatur, IL	BFA in Stage Management
Missouri State University	Springfield, MO	BFA in Design, Technology, and Stage Management
Ohio University	Athens, OH	BFA in Stage Management
Northern Kentucky University	Highland Heights, KY	BFA in Stage Management
Ithaca College	Ithaca, NY	BFA in Stage Management
Pace School of Performing Arts	New York,NY	BA in Stage Management
Pepperdine - Seaver College	Malibu, CA	BA in Theatre Arts w/ Emphasis in Production/Design
Penn State	University Park, PA	BFA in Stage Management
Point Park University	Pittsburgh, PA	BFA in Stage Management
Purchase College	Purchase, NY	BFA in Stage Management
Rutgers University	New Brunswick, NJ	BFA In Stage Management
Shenandoah University	Winchester, VA	BFA in Stage Management
Syracuse University	Syracuse, NY	BFA in Stage Management
Tulane University	New Orleans, LA	BFA in Stage Management
University of the Arts	Philadelphia, PA	BFA In Directing, Playwriting + Production
University of Houston - School of Theatre & Dance	Houston, TX	BFA in Theatre - Stage Management
University of Central Florida	Orlando, FL	BFA in Stage Management
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	Champaign, IL	BFA in Stage Management
University of Iowa	Iowa City, IO	BA in Theatre Arts w/ Focus on Stage Management
University of Miami	Miami, FL	BFA in Stage Management
University of Minnesota, Duluth	Duluth, MN	BFA in Stage Management
University of North Carolina	Winston-Salem, NC	BFA in Stage Management
University of Oklahoma	Norman, OK	BFA in Stage Management
University of Southern California	Los Angeles, CA	BFA in Stage Management
University of Utah	Salt Lake City, UT	BFA in Stage Management
Virginia Commonwealth University	Richmond, VA	BFA in Theatre w/ Concentration in Stage Management
Viterbo University	La Crosse, WI	BFA Theatre with Stage Management Emphasis
Weber State University	Ogden, UT	BA in Theatre Arts w/ Technical Theatre focus
Webster University	St. Louis, MO	BFA in Stage Management
Western Michigan University	Kalamazoo, MI	BFA in Stage Management
Wichita Stage University	Wichita, KS	BFA & BA with certificate in Stage Management