Dramatic Art

The Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Art at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers students a comprehensive and dynamic education in the performing arts, encompassing theatre, drama, and performance studies. This program is designed for students who are passionate about exploring the multifaceted world of theatrical production, performance, and theatrical theory. Students will engage in rigorous coursework that covers acting techniques, stagecraft, directing, playwriting, script analysis, and theatre history, providing a well-rounded foundation in both practical skills and scholarly understanding. The curriculum emphasizes not only the mastery of performance skills but also encourages critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving, which are essential in the vibrant field of dramatic arts.

Throughout the program, students have access to state-of-the-art facilities including theatres, practice spaces, and technical laboratories, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in all aspects of theatre production. They will participate in numerous productions, workshops, and internships, which provide invaluable real-world experience and industry connections. The program also encourages interdisciplinary exploration; students may choose to study related fields such as dance, music, film, and literature to enrich their understanding and artistic expressions.

Faculty members are experienced professionals and scholars who are committed to mentorship and fostering each student's unique artistic voice. The program promotes a diverse and inclusive environment where students can experiment with different techniques, styles, and cultural perspectives. Upon graduation, students are prepared for careers in theatre performance, directing, stage management, dramaturgy, arts administration, or further advanced study in graduate programs. Overall, the Dramatic Art program at UNC Chapel Hill aims to cultivate innovative artists, thoughtful scholars, and engaged citizens who will contribute meaningfully to the cultural landscape locally, nationally, and internationally.

The major provides a broad basis for understanding and appreciating theatre as a cultural entity and as an artistic process. The program also provides opportunities for students to learn and develop basic skills in the various areas of theatre practice. All General Education requirements apply.

Because the College of Arts and Sciences allows a total of 45 credit hours (15 three-hour courses) in a student’s major to count toward graduation, as many as six electives can be selected from the range of offerings in the department. Students may choose to concentrate on an area (or areas) of special interest within the major: acting, directing, voice, movement, technical production, design (scenic, costume, sound, and lighting), costume history, costume construction, dramatic literature and criticism, dramaturgy, stage management, theatre management, and playwriting.

Students majoring in dramatic art cannot pursue the minor in dramatic art.

• All students, regardless of their residency and/or citizenship, apply to UNC using The Common Application. The application will ask you for more information, including your personal biographical information, parent and sibling information, educational history, and extracurricular activities. There are also three writing samples: one essay on The Common Application and two short answer responses on the UNC-Chapel Hill Member Page.
• Secondary School/High School Transcripts
• All applicants are required to submit a statement from an official at their secondary school. This is often a University Counselor at your school, or an advisor, headmaster, or other official. Please note that this must come from someone at your secondary school. We will not accept statements from private counseling companies or agents.
• We require one letter of recommendation from a teacher who has taught you in your secondary school.
• We require all applicants, regardless of where they are from, to submit SAT or ACT scores. Our SAT code is 5816 and our ACT code is 3162. We have no preference between the SAT or ACT. If you send us both scores, we will look at whichever score is higher in our review of your application.
• TOEFL minimum is 100
• IELTS minimum is 7.0
• We do not require or offer interviews as part of our admissions process. However, non-native English speakers are welcome to submit unscripted interviews with third-party services such as InitialView, Vericant or Naviance Advantage. This is not a requirement and will only be used as supplemental information as needed by the Admissions Committee.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Scholarships

We consider all students, including international students, for a limited number of merit-based scholarships. There is no separate application for these scholarships—just by applying for admission, you’ll automatically be considered for these opportunities. Because these are quite limited in number, we encourage all students to be prepared to pay the full cost of attendance.

Students attending one of the 12 United World Colleges (UWC) are eligible for the Davis Scholars Program,providing they demonstrate financial need according to UNC-approved methodology. Admitted Davis UWC students will receive instructions regarding requisite forms for determining financial need. Qualifying Davis UWC Scholars can receive a scholarship of up to $10,000.