Bachelor of Creative Arts - Theatre

Course Description

The Theatre major in the Bachelor of Creative Arts (BCA) degree at the University of Wollongong offers specialist streams in dramaturgy, theatre and devised theatre.

The aim of the Theatre major is to develop a practice-based understanding of collaborative theatrical processes.

All Theatre students undertake a first year core subject that provides a broad appreciation of the history, requisite skills and production values that constitute theatrical performance. In addition, drama text, genre and theory subjects are a major focus throughout the three year program. In their first year students also engage in detailed study of their specialist fields.

Theatre students  practical classes include voice (speech and singing), movement, dance and improvisation. Second year students perform in limited-access performances in studio projects. In third year students perform to a wider audience and may assume key creative production roles. The Theatre program maintains close associations with regional organisations, including Theatre South and the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre which enable interested students to undertake a secondment within the theatre industry. A fourth year at honours level is available to outstanding students who wish to expand their knowledge and experience of their chosen field.


Students enrolling in the BCA and BCA double degrees are required to complete:

1. A Major Area of Study in the BCA
The major study is comprised of compulsory subjects which focus on practice and includes compulsory history and theory subjects.

and for students enrolled in a BCA double degree only:

A major area of study in the second degree (for information, please refer to the other Faculty from which the second degree will be taken).

2. Elective Subjects
In addition to subjects required for their major study area/s, students choose elective subjects which make up the total credit point requirement for the degree/s. A limited range of electives are offered by the Faculty of Creative Arts. However, students are encouraged to take advantage of the full range of subjects offered within the University. Please note that elective subjects may be limited in double degree programs.


Degree Structure

Each subject is allocated a credit point value. Generally, subjects that take a full year to complete (annual subjects) are valued at 12 credit points, while subjects undertaken for one session (sessional subjects) are, on average, valued at 6 credit points. Normally a full-time student undertakes 48 credit points per year. Thus a degree requiring 144 credit points, such as the BCA, will normally take three years to complete (3 x 48 credit points).


Compulsory subjects (totalling 108 credit points) for a major study in Theatre Performance are: