BFA鈥揟heatre, Sound Design major
The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the performing arts. The curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving, and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in major core principles follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA鈥揟heatre, Sound Design major in the Design, Production & Management programs at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today's audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework; hands-on, in-process production advising; and end-of-term conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Sound Design program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Sound Design students will:
Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic risks.
Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre artists.
Demonstrate a high level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in sound design and audio production as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University's general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Sound Design will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 units)
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making & Knowing: The CFA Experience
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of Theatre to the Early 19th Century
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 120)
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History
January 2025
College of Fine Arts
855 Commonwealth Avenue,
BOSTON,
Massachusetts,
02215, United States
Apply as a first-year student if you are currently in your last year of high school, have completed high school, are a GED recipient, or have completed a high school equivalency exam. If you are currently in high school and are part of a dual enrollment program, you should also apply as a first-year student.
English Proficiency Testing Results:
Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT): Students who are most competitive for admission will have a composite score of at least 90-100 and minimum scores of 20 in each section.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): A total/overall score of 7 or higher
Duolingo English Test (DET): Students who are most competitive for admission will have a total score of at least 125-135.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.