Theatre Studies

at UBC's

Vancouver Campus

Learn more about theatre studies, acting, and technical theatre as you take courses in drama forms, voice and movement, lighting design, history of theatre, sound design, and much more. As part of your studies you'll participate in the department's dramatic productions.

Why this program?

  • Learn in an interdisciplinary field that studies theatrical performance in relation to its literary, physical, psycho-biological, sociological, and historical contexts.
  • Prepare yourself for a wide variety of careers within the theatre or arts fields.
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Program information

  • Campus: Vancouver
  • Faculty: Faculty of Arts
  • Degree: Bachelor of Arts
  • Length 4 yrs
  • Co-op Yes
    You can combine your studies with full-time, paid work at top local and international organizations.
  • Honours Yes
    You can study intense specialization in a single field.

The Theatre Studies program includes introductory courses in the areas of Theatre Studies, Acting, Theatre Production, and Design, as well as practical participation in the department’s production. Subsequent years require a strong focus on Theatre Studies, as well as the history, dramaturgy, and methods of theatre practice.

Campus features

  • Frederic Wood Theatre: a fully equipped proscenium arch, 400-seat theatre.
  • Telus Studio Theatre in the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts: an experimental black box theatre with seating arranged on three levels of 12 towers placed in a horseshoe shape, seating 270 people.
  • Dorothy Somerset Theatre: a black box studio theatre with flexible seating.

Life at UBC's Vancouver campus

The five programs in the Department of Theatre and Film are encouraged to mingle with regular social events with collective meals and complimentary tickets for all to opening nights. The student organization, DAFT (Design, Acting, Film, Theatre Council), organizes events and advocates for student concerns.

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Your future

Graduates go on to a multitude of career paths, including but not limited to director, playwright, dramaturge, producer, educator, arts administration, front of house manager, and curator.

Program graduates

  • Playwright-in-residence, Once Once Producionnes
  • Freelance theatre practitioner
  • Script translator

Program requirements

English-language requirements

English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.

General admission requirements

IB Diploma Programme

  • Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.

IB Certificate Courses

  • IB Certificate courses (Standard and Higher Level) may be used in an admissions average if you are graduating from a recognized high school curriculum that can be used as your basis of admission.
  • IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, do not satisfy the math requirement for admission to UBC’s science-based programs, the Faculty of Management, the UBC Sauder School of Business, or the Vancouver School of Economics.

Degree-specific requirements: Arts

  • No specific courses required beyond those needed for general admission

Related courses

The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in your junior year and senior year.

  • Language Arts
  • Mathematics and Computation
  • Second Languages
  • Social Studies
  • Visual and Performing Arts
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