Finding the Perfect College Major: The Thespian Edition

By Kait Spong

What’s a thespian to do when it’s time to pick a college major? Maybe it’s easy for others, but you’re no ordinary theater kid. You’re a dedicated thespian that was involved in every aspect of your high school’s drama program. Like, so involved that you’ve done every job on and behind stage. You’ve portrayed Shelby in Steel Magnolias, served as stage manager for a rendition of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, and even manned the spotlight for The Sound of Music. But, despite all of your dedication and hours of Saturdays spent at school rehearsing, your parents don’t deem it to be a “sensible” option to major in the theatre arts. (But really, when did they become experts on what’s sensible, anyway? You saw your dad’s mullet in the 80s. C’mon now.)

Your parents are supposedly wiser, and definitely older, so maybe you should take their concerns into consideration. Your major, as well as the time and effort you put into actually earning the degree for said major, is kind of a big deal—if not the most important decision you’ve made in your life thus far. So, if you love theatre and everything about it but are looking for a well-grounded compromise, uCribs is here to help you find a way to do what you love with a practical college major. That’s why we’ve put together a new blog for our continuing series, Finding the Perfect College Major: The Thespian Edition.

Law

If you stop to think about it, attorneys perform as much as actors. When you dedicate your life to the law, your work can include many dramatic aspects that may bring back memories of your time spent on the stage. Maybe you’ll have to vary the pitch or sound of your voice to invoke certain reactions from the jury, question a witness with some TV courtroom show intensity, or even make an impassioned closing argument like the ones you’ve seen in the movies. Whatever you’re responsible for when defending a client, you’ll still get to strut the skills you acquired from all those years of after-school drama on the courtroom floor.

It takes plenty of hard work, of course. Those who decide on a law track can expect to earn a Bachelor’s degree (pre-law, political science, or English are usually the go-to majors) as well as a three-year law degree, in addition to a Bar Association certification in any state for which you will practice.

Education

Teaching is not for everyone. Long hours, low wages, and lack of parental cooperation can be stressful, but there is a unique reward in knowing that you’re cultivating some of the great minds of the future. Thespians make great teachers because of their ability to hold a classroom’s attention in a compelling way—some use costumes, props, or act-out scenarios involving students to trigger more student-teacher interaction. Plus, the classroom floor puts you center stage!

In pursuing a career as an educator, there are many different routes you can take. You can simply earn a Bachelor’s of Education, which includes classes and lectures as well as a student teaching position that gives you classroom experience, an absolute must for any educator. After you graduate, you are expected to earn your state teacher certification.

If you’ve already started school and are not on track to earn an education degree, never fear! Some students earn a bachelor’s degree in their desired teaching subject and then move on to teaching fellowships with organizations such as Americorps that will help you gain classroom experience as well as complete your certification. Keep in mind that more and more schools are expecting teachers to earn their Master’s in Education, so never rule out the idea of continuing your studies to keep up with educational standards!

Architecture

If you’re more into the technical aspect of theatre, then you’re probably thinking this blog isn’t for you— but don’t worry, we’ve got you techies covered. For those worried that a degree in technical theatre or theatre design is a bit restricting, a degree in architecture may be the perfect fit.

Just think about it: the work of a production designer parallels that of an architect in more ways than one. Both work with conceptual designs, maintain a budget plan, and deal with routine deadlines. Many architects, such as Award-Winning Art Director Catherine Martin, have created solid careers for themselves in the film industry with their Architecture degrees—just check out her work in Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 remake of The Great Gatsby and see for yourself!

What could be better than further enhancing your technical skills while you earn a worthwhile college degree? Well, as the old Edwin Starr song “War” exclaims, “Absolutely nothing!” Architects typically earn their Bachelor of Architecture, and many go on to earn their Master’s. There are even programs out there that will allow you to complete both within a five-year span.

Marketing

The staff positions in a theater are often the most underrated aspects of showbusiness because they are often taken for granted, and the marketing team is definitely near the top of that list. But without the dedication of these hard-working folks, the logistics of the production itself would certainly not run as smoothly. They make sure the show has an audience, and if they weren’t out there doing their job, an opening night would be nothing more than a glorified dress rehearsal!

The curriculum teaches you how to construct modern marketing strategies and put them into practice to make the production truly succeed…hey, maybe they’ll even extend the run or consider a revival down the road. Either way, your marketing degree will grant you with the organizational know-how to keep a production’s marketing operations running smoothly— and the fact that you can also get creative with ad campaigns and PR is a huge plus as well.

Library Science

Well, someone has to store and preserve all of those great theatrical plays, don’t they? And it’s not unusual for theatre enthusiasts to flock to an English-based major where they can still express their creativity, utilize their well-developed time-budgeting skills, and continue to develop their problem-solving abilities.

With a B.S. in Library Science, you can still engage in the thorough research you love and participate in a fair level of community involvement, whether it’s with daily visitors at your particular library branch or organizing family-friendly related activities. Oh, and there’s always children’s story time where you will get to show off your theatrical skills as you read along.

To be a keeper of the great classics and contemporary thought pieces, a B.S. in Library Science is a great place to start, but again, many organizations encourage would-be librarians to go the extra mile and earn their M.S. in Library Science.

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