Bachelor of Arts Theatre & Dance with a Major in PreK-12 Theatre Education (BA)

Jim Lyden, Chief Departmental Advisor for Design/Technology, Performance, Theatre, and PreK-12 Theatre Education

Requirements

Lower-Division General Education

Written Communication: Grade of C or better required in both courses and in ENGL 110C before declaring major.

Oral Communication requirement is met in the major.

Language and Culture:  Proficiency through 202 level; proficiency not met by completion of an associate degree.

Human Creativity: Design/technology majors, performance majors, theatre majors, and PreK-12 theatre education majors may not use THEA 241A; cinema production majors may not use COMM 270A/THEA 270A; dance and PreK-12 dance education majors may not use DANC 185A.

The Nature of Science: PreK-12 dance education majors must take BIOL 117N/BIOL 118N.

The Impact of Technology requirement is satisfied by TLED 430W for PreK-12 dance education and PreK-12 theatre education majors.

COMM 200S preferred for Human Behavior requirement.

Upper-Division General Education

Satisfied in the major through the professional education core.

Requirements for Graduation

Requirements for graduation include completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better; completion of the Senior Assessment; a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA in the major area and in the professional education core with no grade less than a C in the major/content and with no grade less than a C- in the professional education core; successful completion of the Teacher Candidate Internship, and a minimum of 120 credit hours, which must include both a minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.

Licensure requirements also include certificate of completion in First Aid/AED/CPR, Dyslexia Awareness Training, Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Intervention Training, and Regulations Governing the Use of Restraint and Seclusion in Elementary and Secondary Schools, and Cultural Competence Training.

Due to changing University requirements, national accreditation standards, and the Virginia Board of Education licensure regulations, the teacher education programs in the College of Arts and Letters are under constant revision. Any changes resulting from these factors supersede the program requirements described in this Catalog. Students are encouraged to obtain current program information from their advisors and from the Office of Clinical Experiences website at www.odu.edu/oce.

Theatre and Dance Core

All students pursuing a BA degree in Theatre and Dance must complete the core requirements listed below.

Professional Education Core

*

Meets impact of technology requirement.

**

Student teaching.

PreK-12 Theatre Education Major

Chris Hanna, Program Director
Jim Lyden, Chief Departmental Advisor for Theatre Education

*

Meets oral communication requirement.

As part of the Core Requirements, a minimum of 4 credits of practicum experience to include at least 2 credits of THEA/DANC Production/Performance Lab as production (remaining credits can be production or performance) required.

Additional Requirements and Information

Departmental Requirements for Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Dance

ODU offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theatre and Dance with seven majors:  Cinema Production, Dance, Dance Education, Design/Technology, Performance, Theatre, and Theatre Education.  All students pursuing the BA in Theatre and Dance must fulfill the core requirements and the requirements of a particular major.  Majors must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or better in the major.

Students should consult with their advisors about approved courses that can fulfill the Identity and Inclusion requirement. ALL students majoring in programs in Cinema Production, Dance, and Theatre are required to complete a Senior Experience as part of their degree. Senior Experiences are designed as stepping stones for students to apply knowledge and skills accrued throughout their coursework toward preparing for future careers. Senior Experience course options will vary by major but include options for an internship, a study abroad/away experience, a service-learning course, a senior capstone, or more specialized experiences within students' chosen majors. Please see descriptions included under each major for more options. Students become eligible for Senior Experience options once they reach 90 credits or with permission of the Senior Experience Coordinator. Students will be directed by their advisor to opportunities that are suited for the area of study and as other opportunities become available. For more information please reach out to the Senior Experience Coordinator, Alison Lietzenmayer.

All students Majoring in Cinema Production, Dance and Theatre must complete a minimum of one three-credit Identity and Inclusion course as part of their curriculum studies to graduate with a degree from the department. This course can either fulfill an applied theories course within a student's area or count as an elective toward their 120-credits needed to earn their degree.

Admission

All students must apply for and be admitted into the approved teacher education program. Students must meet the required criteria for admission by earning the minimum required grade point averages (GPA).

Prescribed Virginia Board of Education Assessment for Admission to an Approved Teacher Education Program

• Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA): Scaled passing score of 235 for the reading subtest and score of 235 for the writing subtest OR a composite score of 470 for the assessment.

For the most current information on the prescribed Virginia Board of Education admission assessment, visit the Virginia Department of Education at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/.

Required grade point averages (GPA)

• A cumulative GPA of 2.75 is required.
• A major/content GPA of 2.75 is required – all Theatre courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.
• A professional education GPA of 2.75 is required – all professional education courses must be passed with a grade of C- or higher.

Although students may enroll in a limited number of education courses, students must be admitted into the approved theatre education program prior to enrolling in any instructional strategies practicum education course. Students must also meet with an education advisor in the Office of Clinical Experiences.

Continuance

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75, a major/content GPA of 2.75 and a professional education GPA of 2.75. Theatre courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. The professional education core must be completed with a grade of C- or higher for continuance. A professional education GPA of 2.75 is required for continuance. There is not currently a Praxis Subject Assessment (formerly Praxis II) Theatre content knowledge. If a Theatre Praxis Subject Assessment is established prior to the student applying for the teaching license, it will be required. All assessments must be passed prior to the start of the Teacher Candidate Internship Orientation session.

Background Clearance Requirement

Old Dominion University requires a background clearance check of candidates interested in many of the professional education programs.  Professional education programs have several field experiences that are required for continuance and graduation from the program.  The background clearance must be successfully completed prior to a field experience placement. Candidates will be provided a field experience placement when the background check process is completed with resolution of any issues. The process to complete the ODU clearance background check is located at: http://www.odu.edu/success/academic/teacher-education/placement/background-checks.  The ODU clearance process includes:  an FBI fingerprint, a child protective service/social service review, and a Virginia State Police sex offender registry review. Candidates interested in the professional education programs are advised to complete this clearance process immediately upon entry into the program since the clearance process takes a minimum of eight weeks to complete.

Virginia Board of Education Prescribed Assessments for Licensure

To review more information on the Virginia Board of Education prescribed assessments, visit the Office of Clinical Experiences website, www.odu.edu/oce.

Theatre Education Post-Baccalaureate Endorsement Program

Candidates who have already earned an undergraduate degree in theatre may seek licensure only. Information on applying for licensure can be obtained from the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies or the theatre education program advisor. Students must have completed or must complete equivalencies for all course work required for the theatre major, as well as complete all Professional Education core classes required for undergraduate theatre education majors. The theatre advisor will determine which transferable courses will meet the cognate program requirements and which theatre and professional courses must be completed for licensure. All content area courses must be completed with a grade of C or better, and all professional education courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 overall, in the major and in the professional education core is required for continuance and licensure. Although students may enroll in a limited number of education courses, passing scores for the Virginia Board of Education prescribed assessment for admission must be on file with the Office of Clinical Experiences prior to enrollment in any education practicum course or courses in developing instructional strategies. It is recommended that students take the Virginia Board of Education prescribed assessment for admission prior to, or during, enrollment in TLED 301.

Degree Program Guide

The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years.  It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor.  Additional information can also be found in Degree Works. 

All undergraduate degree-seeking students in the Department of Communication & Theatre Arts, regardless of major, must complete a minimum of one three credit Identity & Inclusion course as part of their curriculum studies. The Identity and Inclusion requirement may be met with COMM 315W, COMM 488, COMM 495, COMM 495, DANC 361 and DANC 362.  Students should check with their advisor for additional course options to meet the Identity and Inclusion requirement.

BA or BS to MBA (Master of Business Administration) Linked Program

The linked BA/MBA or BS/MBA program is an early entry to the MBA program of study.  The early-entry program is designed for well qualified non-business undergraduate ODU students to start their MBA program prior to completing their undergraduate degree.  Well qualified non-business undergraduate students may take MBA-level courses as early as three semesters prior to graduation and count up to 12 graduate credits toward their undergraduate degree.  Students participating in the early-entry program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).  Early-entry program students should carefully consider their undergraduate degree program requirements when planning their course of study.  Students in the early-entry program work in close consultation with the MBA Program Office and should refer to information in the Strome College of Business section in the graduate catalog to develop an individualized plan of study based on the required coursework.

BA or BS to MPA (Master of Public Administration) Linked Program

The linked BA/MPA or BS/MPA program provides qualified Old Dominion University undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn a master's degree in public administration while taking credits in the MPA program as an undergraduate student.  The program is designed for highly motivated students with the desire to immediately continue their education after the bachelor's degree.  The program is especially relevant to individuals seeking to work (or currently working) in the public or non-profit sectors, but is suitable for students from any undergraduate major.  Graduate courses may be taken during the fall and spring semester of the student's senior undergraduate year.  Up to 12 graduate credits can count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree and can meet upper-level General Education requirements. After receiving the undergraduate degree, a student will continue with the MPA program, taking MPA courses until completing the required 39 credit hours. Students in the linked program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).

Requirements for admission to the graduate program can be found in the School of Public Service section of the Graduate Catalog.  For additional information, please contact the School of Public Service in the Strome College of Business.