Theatre Arts Department
- Overview
The study of theatre is firmly grounded in the liberal arts, integrating knowledge and principles from many academic and artistic disciplines, including communication, art, music, history, English, literature, business, philosophy, and religion. Both the curriculum and dramatic productions by the Theatre Arts Department offer valuable cross-disciplinary connections for the campus while also providing a solid base in classical, modern, contemporary, and multicultural theatre. Augsburg’s location in the heart of a major theatre center makes it an ideal place to study theatre. At Augsburg we seek to create every opportunity for students to grow both as theatre artists and scholars, by encouraging connections between our campus and the greater arts community while also exploring connections between theory and application. Student opportunity to make these connections
includes course study, theatrical production work, participation in the Artist Series (an annual series of events featuring visiting theatre professionals from the Twin Cities community who work closely with students), and attendance at numerous professional productions in the Twin Cities. Augsburg theatre productions are treated as unique learning laboratories where students can enter into creative collaboration with faculty and professional artists-in-residence.
In addition to learning skills specific to theatre, students in theatre arts learn valuable skills applicable to other professions: collaboration, verbal and non-verbal communication, organization, critical thinking, leadership, creativity, and self-expression. Involvement in theatre arts can help prepare students for careers such as law, education, business, communication, and journalism, as well as prepare theatre students for careers in professional or academic theatre, television, and film. In order to prepare the student for graduate school or the
workplace, the department encourages a second major or minor in such fields as art, English, education, film, music, history, sociology, or religion.