Amherst College

Programme overview

Theater and Dance is an integrated liberal-arts concentration that balances hands-on creative practice with critical study. Students engage in ensemble performance, studio movement and voice work, technical production, and courses that examine theatre history, dramaturgy, and performance theory. The program emphasizes collaboration across disciplines and gives students multiple pathways: performance, choreography, design/technology, and scholarly research.

What you'll study

Coursework typically mixes studio classes and seminars. Studio courses focus on acting technique, movement, voice, choreography, and production crafts; seminars introduce dramatic texts, performance theory, dramaturgy, and history. Students also gain experience by participating in mounted productions and workshops, developing practical skills in rehearsal processes, stagecraft, lighting, sound, costume, and production management. Independent projects or senior work are common culminating experiences that synthesize practice and analysis.

Entry requirements

Admission to Amherst College is through the college-wide undergraduate application process; there is no separate departmental admission for the concentration. Students who wish to concentrate in Theater and Dance typically declare the concentration after matriculation and must satisfy the department's curricular and credit requirements. Some performance or production opportunities may invite auditions, portfolios, or instructor approval for placement in certain studio courses.

Career prospects

Graduates move into a range of pathways where creative, collaborative and communicative skills are valued. Typical outcomes include professional performance, choreography, theatre education, stage and production design, arts administration, dramaturgy, dramaturgical research, and roles in film/television production or community arts programs. The program’s liberal-arts context also supports transitions to graduate study in theatre, dance, performance studies, or complementary fields such as law, management, and education.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Financial support for students is provided at the college level; prospective students should explore institutional financial aid, merit- and need-based scholarships, and work-study. Within the department, funding or stipends may occasionally be available for student productions, travel for performance or research, and summer projects; students are encouraged to consult departmental advisers and the college’s financial-aid and student-employment offices for opportunities and application procedures.