Studying Theatre at California State University, Los Angeles offers students the opportunity to discover and develop their own unique voices in a collaborative, diverse, inclusive, community-centered, and enriching learning environment.

Cal State LA resides in the center of the entertainment industry and offers students opportunities to engage with Los Angeles’ rich artistic community as well as across disciplines within the University. Innovative and wide-ranging production and performance opportunities promote student learning within the creative process. Through coursework and performances, our students have the opportunity to explore the theatrical world from many varying perspectives.

Department policy requires that all undergraduate Theatre majors make themselves available for participation in scheduled department productions.

The total number of units required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater, is 120 units. Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in the Catalog.

Students in the Theatre major may not take TA 1520 as their lower division C2 course.  Incoming transfer students having already taken an equivalent (C2) theatre course in their LD General Education courses will not be required to take TA 1500, but will need to take an additional 3 units of option elective.

Total Units in the Major (all three options): 53
General Education Units: 48
Additional Units: 19
Total Units Required for the B.A. Degree: 120

For Major Specific Admissions Criteria go to http://www.calstatela.edu/admissions/major-specific-criteria

Program Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will:

• Participate in the creation, analysis and presentation of public performances.
• Develop a structured approach to the use of languages in writing for and about performance. 
• Demonstrate knowledge and processes such as performing, playwriting, directing, design, management and technical operations related to stage productions.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the historical and cultural dimensions of performance, including the works of leading playwrights, performers, choreographers, directors, designers, and philosophers, past and present.
• Examine, identify and apply contemporary theories and practices of performing arts.
• Make informed assessments of quality in performance material and works. 
• Develop a clear understanding of the collaboration between performance, spectator and production.  
• Develop effective skills in verbal and visual communication. 
• Demonstrate competence in the skills necessary to produce performance at a professional level.
• Demonstrate skills in current technologies as these relate to performance, communication and research.

Theatre Majors are required to complete lower division department production participations. These assignments will be required as corequisites to the 1310-1330 sequence and validated by registration in TA 1301 , TA 1302 , or TA 1303 . Performance and Design and Production majors will complete two lower division participations.

Additional upper division production/performance participation is required from each option