Associate of Arts - Theatre Arts

Theatre Arts is the study of the creative, historical, technical, and cultural aspects of performance. Career paths chosen by students pursuing undergraduate studies in Theatre Arts commonly include performance, education, design, and communication. Careers in the discipline that generally require graduate-level degrees include dramatic criticism and education. Even students who choose not to major in Theatre Arts find that coursework in the field can improve their ability to communicate, problem solve, speak publicly, build self-confidence, and work successfully both collaboratively and independently.  College of the Desert’s Theatre Arts curriculum includes course offerings that provide a general overview and history of the discipline, training in acting, makeup, design, technical production, and script analysis. 

The Associate in Arts in Theatre Arts for Transfer, also called the Theatre Arts AA-T Degree, consists of courses and training allowing students to pursue entry-level positions as performers and technicians or to continue their study in the discipline toward a B.A. or Graduate degree. College of the Desert offers transfer agreements with California State Universities, the University of California systems and independent colleges and universities.The Theatre Arts AA-T requires students to complete 60 CSU transferable units including completion of CSU GE or IGETC and 18 units in the major with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. Title 5 requires that students must earn a “C” or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis. There are no additional graduation requirements.  Students should consult with a counselor when planning to complete the degree for more information on university admission and transfer requirements.