University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota’s Department of Theatre Arts & Dance, situated within the College of Liberal Arts on the Twin Cities campus, delivers a dynamic mix of liberal arts education and professional theatre training. It balances academic depth with practical studio work, grounded in a collaborative philosophy that empowers students to engage with performance, design, writing, and cultural critique. As a major public research institution with a thriving local arts scene, UMN supports artistry both inside and beyond the classroom.

The undergraduate program offers a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts (B.A.), designed around five academic tracks: Generalist, Performance Creation, Design & Technology, History/Dramaturgy, and Social Justice/Applied Drama. Each track invites students to explore theatre-making through physical practice, textual analysis, historical contexts, ensemble creation, or socially conscious performance. The B.A. emphasizes ensemble work, devised theatre, and applied performance rooted in contemporary social awareness.

For those seeking performance-intensive training, UMN offers a B.F.A. Actor Training Program (B.F.A.). This selective conservatory-style track integrates rigorous acting training with liberal arts coursework and places students in direct contact with Twin Cities professional theatres and guest artists—preparing them for professional careers on stage or screen.

Performance opportunities are staged in the Rarig Center, UMN’s dedicated theatre complex featuring four versatile theatres—a thrust stage, proscenium house, theater‑in‑the‑round, and black box space—along with professional scenery, costume, and lighting labs. Together, the department and the local community mount diverse productions each year, including mainstage seasons, student-driven labs, and collaborative experimental work.

Faculty are working artists and scholars, offering one-to-one mentorship and partnership with regional theatres, playwright centers, and industry professionals. Semesterly guest artists and collaborations complement core courses like Acting, Directing, Technical Theatre, Dramaturgy, and Social Change Performance. UMN students benefit from internships, study‑abroad programs, and professionalization seminars in portfolio building, networking, and theatre entrepreneurship.