BA – Theatre Studies – Teacher Education Concentration

The BA in Theatre Studies with a Concentration in Education makes use of the program’s innate flexibility to incorporate course work in theatre studies, liberal arts general education and pedagogy, and culminates in a professional semester of student teaching in order to meet the requirements of the Teacher Education Program at MSU, the State of New Jersey Theatre Certification: P-12 Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) as well as the requirements for accreditation as specified in the National Association of Schools of Theatre accrediting standards. 

Students have the opportunity to complete theatre education internships. For example, students have worked with SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young in New York City in a drama therapy internship and served assistant director on a bilingual youth production at Luna Stage. In the second semester of their senior year, students complete an in-the-field student teaching assignment, working alongside a certified theatre teacher in a local public school. The Department also has a close relationship with STANJ, the Speech and Theatre Association of New Jersey, the largest professional organization for teachers of theatre in the state. STANJ provides a variety of workshops and professional development opportunities for aspiring teachers.

More than 75 permanent faculty members and visiting professionals – including internationally renowned celebrity guest artists and artists-in-residence – mentor our Theatre and Dance students each semester. These working professionals teach, choreograph and share insights (gleaned from their professional experiences in the “real world” of dance) with students in workshops and master classes. Faculty mentoring often leads to opportunities beyond the classroom.

The College of Education and Human Services offers nationally recognized programs for aspiring professionals in the field of teaching and learning. Each individual program within the College has a strong foundation in the liberal arts, and students are encouraged to combine their course of study with internships, fieldwork and student teaching. We know how crucial education is in shaping the world we live in, and our passionate faculty is dedicated to passing along their knowledge and expertise to the next generation of professional educators.The Department of Teaching and Learning offers rigorous training, innovative research, and a network of partnerships to prepare teachers for the reality of schooling and to be equipped to recognize and disrupt systemic and social inequality.

Montclair State boasts exceptional performance facilities with impressive technical specifications, including six well-equipped theatres: the state-of-the-art Alexander Kasser Theater; the 946-seat Memorial Auditorium; our 2000-seat amphitheater, and the intimate L. Howard Fox Theatre.

This exceptional range of performance spaces reflects industry opportunities and prepares students for future performances in a variety of settings. For future teachers, it provides exposure to producing work in a wide variety of spaces, from classrooms to fully equipped professional venues, mirroring the wide variety of spaces utilized by theatre programs in schools.

The degree is geared toward preparing educators who intend to work in public, private, and parochial schools. Beyond the public school sphere, there is also a need for theatre professionals with experience in teaching in charter schools, private schools, private studios, and theatre education programs that are a part of theatre companies. Many professional theatres have a theatre education wing or an emphasis on theatre education. In New Jersey alone, this includes NJPAC, Paper Mill Playhouse, Two River Theater, McCarter Theatre, and Luna Stage.