With 180 students working in 4 theatres, 6 shops, 4 labs, producing 8 –10 shows per year, the School of Theatre and Dance is an exciting and vibrant place to study and practice the art and craft of theatre and dance. The program offers a one-to-one mentoring basis with a challenging and comprehensive curriculum.
The School of Theatre & Dance is part of WVU’s College of Creative Arts and shares the Loulie, Valerie and William Canady Creative Arts Center with the School of Music, School of Art & Design, and the Reed School of Media and Communications. The School offers students the advantages of personal instruction of a smaller school with the resources of a major research university.
School of Theatre and Dance Mission Statement
We, the faculty and staff, educate students in the diverse traditions and practices of theatre and dance. We challenge each student to engage and confront—vigorously, honestly, and innovatively—the many processes of collaborative theatre and dance. We exemplify to our students the role of creative artists to develop, to explore, and to contribute meaningfully to the world they inhabit.
Dance Program Mission Statement
The Dance Program at WVU offers a comprehensive dance training program with a liberal arts emphasis. The program offers a rigorous and intellectually stimulating curriculum with diverse performance opportunities preparing students for a lifetime involvement in dance and related disciplines. Beyond technique classes, dance theory and research courses, the program presents each student a chance to grow as an individual and discover personal interests through cross-disciplinary studies within a respected research institute like WVU.
Accreditation
National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST): All BA, BFA, and MFA majors in theatre are accredited by NAST. Founded in 1965, NAST is an organization of 186 schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities that establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for theatre and theatre-related disciplines, and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other theatre-related endeavors.
National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD): The BA in Dance is accredited by NASD. Founded in 1981, the is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 84 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for dance and dance-related disciplines, and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other dance-related endeavors.
University Resident Theatre Association (URTA): All the MFA majors in theatre are reviewed and approved by URTA. WVU is one of only 45 URTA member institutions nationally. Founded in 1969, the URTA works toward the continued renewal of the American theatre by supporting professional training of new artists. URTA programs and services answer the needs of university theatres, training programs, and individual artists. Whether it’s articulating the need for professional theatrical training, helping to match potential students with the graduate program best suited to their needs, facilitating engagement of professional artists at universities, or expanding the scope of our education and career outreach programs, URTA is setting the stage for emerging theatre artists, and professional advancement.