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The Certificate in Theatre may be completed by any University of Wisconsin–Madison undergraduate student who is not a declared Theatre major. This certificate program offers students the ability to develop knowledge and skills in an area of theatre discipline.

Theatre is a collaborative art form with many varied disciplines and talents working together to create a unified piece of art. The Certificate in Theatre is designed to be flexible enough for a student to pursue an individualized focus of study in an area of their interest. For example, a student may pursue an acting focus, a technical theatre focus, a costuming focus, a scenic design focus, or a stage management focus. Or, a student may meet with the theatre advisor to create a custom focus that supplements and bolsters their primary degree path.

How to Get in

All current UW-Madison undergraduates are eligible to complete the certificate, with the exception of students completing the Theatre and Drama major.

To declare the certificate, students must meet with the theatre and drama department advisor to discuss focus paths and to complete the theatre certificate declaration form. Contact Jim Stauffer at jbstauffer@wisc.edu, 608-263-2329 (main office), 6004 Vilas Communications Hall, 821 University Ave. Madison, WI 53706.

Requirements

The Certificate in Theatre requires a minimum of 16 credits, with at least 8 credits taken in residence. Completion of the certificate requires a minimum GPA of 2.5 in certificate coursework.

Choose two Foundational courses: 6
THEATRE/​ENGL  120
 Introduction to Theatre and Dramatic Literature
THEATRE 130
 Fundamentals of Theatrical Design
THEATRE 140
 Voice 1: Effective Communication
THEATRE 150
 Acting I: Introduction to Acting
THEATRE 160
 Technical Theatre Fundamentals
Choose one Intermediate course:3
THEATRE 219
 Undergraduate Topics inTheatre and Drama
THEATRE 234
 Collaborative Problem Solving
THEATRE 240
 Intermediate Voice Training
THEATRE 250
 Fundamentals of Acting
THEATRE 260
 Producing Theatre
THEATRE 266
 Fundamentals of Stage Lighting Technology
THEATRE 270
 Fundamentals of Stagecraft
Choose two Focus-Specific courses: 6
THEATRE 327
 History of Costume for the Stage
THEATRE 329
 Introduction to African-American Performance
THEATRE 342
 Fundamentals of Movement for the Stage
THEATRE 350
 Acting Realism
THEATRE 351
 Fundamentals of Asian Stage Discipline
THEATRE 352
 Auditioning for Stage and Screen
THEATRE 357
 Introduction to Theatre for Cultural and Social Awareness
THEATRE/​CURRIC/​SLAVIC  362
 Drama for Teaching and Learning
THEATRE 363
 Costume Design I
THEATRE 364
 Makeup for the Theatre
THEATRE 365
 Sewing for the Theatre
THEATRE/​ART  366
 Stage Lighting I
THEATRE 367
 Script Analysis
THEATRE 368
 Fundamentals of Directing
THEATRE 370
 Drafting for the Theatre
THEATRE 371
 Sound for Theatre
THEATRE/​ART  372
 Set Design I
THEATRE 379
 Introduction to Stage Management
THEATRE 431
 History of Theatres and Staging
THEATRE 440
 Musical Performance for the Actor
THEATRE 450
 Acting Styles
THEATRE/​CURRIC  462
 Theatre for Young Audiences: Production
THEATRE 466
 Stage Lighting Design II
THEATRE 472
 Scenic Painting
THEATRE 500
 The Business of the Business
THEATRE 501
 The Business of Acting
THEATRE/​CURRIC  525
 Theatre in Education
THEATRE 526
 The Theatres of China and Japan
THEATRE 541
 Acting Shakespeare
THEATRE 561
 Backstage Laboratory III
THEATRE 563
 Costume Design II
THEATRE/​ART  572
 Set Design II
THEATRE 579
 Advanced Concepts in Stage Management
THEATRE 597
 Internship in Theatre
THEATRE 619
 Special Topics in Theatre and Drama
THEATRE 631
 Theories of Acting
Choose one Hands-On/Practicum course: 11-3
THEATRE 360
 Performance in Practice
THEATRE 361
 Backstage Laboratory II
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 Students may request to take similar courses in other departments to fulfill this requirement. 

Certificate Completion Requirement

This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate basic proficiency in one or more areas of theatre study.
  2. Demonstrate understanding of basic theatre concepts and methodology.

People

Information about faculty, staff, and other contributors to the Department of Theatre and Drama can be found on the department's website.