The UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance offers its majors a liberal education and pre-professional training in an interdisciplinary program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in dramatic art, with an emphasis in either theatre or dance. Students develop their abilities through a wide range of courses combining practical and theoretical skills that emphasize critical thought and independence in a context of challenging cooperative work.
From the first year, majors may participate in every aspect of bringing a work to the stage: acting, dance, directing, playwriting, choreography, stage management, and design. Technical practice in the design and creation of sets, costumes, sound, and lighting accompanies a firm grounding in dramatic literature, dance and theater history, performance theory and criticism. This combination of theory and practice prepares students for a broad range of career opportunities.