Major and Minor Requirements

The State University of New York College at Cortland offers a B.A. degree in Musical Theatre, and minors in the following areas: music, theatre, and American musical theatre.





Music Minor


A. Required Courses (10 credit hours)

MUS 100: Music in Western Society
MUS 111: Introduction to Music Theory
Four hours of Applied Music (class and/or individual lessons)*

Qualified students, by advisement, may start courses in Music Theory I (MUS 201), and Music History I, II, or III (MUS 221, 222, 223).

B. Elective Courses (12 credit hours)

Six hours of courses in music theory or conducting and music history
Six hours of additional courses through advisement

Students majoring in Childhood Education with a Music minor must also take Music in the Child (MUS 470).

*Students majoring in Childhood Education with a Music minor must take Piano Class I and II (MUS 180, 181).

TOTAL: 22 Hours

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Theatre Minor

I. CORE COURSES (12 Hours)

THT 100
Introduction to Theatre Arts (GE 4) (3)
THT 120
Acting I (3)
THT 240
Technical Theatre (3)
THT 220
Acting II (3) OR THT 341 Technical Theatre II

II. Six hours from:

THT 161
History of Theatre I (GE 4) (3)
THT 162
History of Theatre II (GE4) (3)
THT 330
Literature in Performance (3)
THT 432
Directing (3)
THT 470
Theatre Management (3)
TOTAL:  18 HOURS

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American Musical Theatre Minor

THT 100 Introduction to Theatre Arts (GE4) (3)
MUS 111 Introduction to Music Theory (GE4) (3)
THT 120 Acting I (3)
THT 121 Stage Movement (3)
MUS 184 or 185 Voice Class I or II (or Applied Voice) (2)
MUS/THT 261 Introduction to American Musical Theatre (3)
MUS 240 or 249 Choral Union (.5) or College Singers (1)
THT 399 Participation in Theatre (.5) (taken twice)
MUS/THT 361 Seminar in American Musical Theatre (3)
TOTAL: 21-22 Hours

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Musical Theatre Major

In addition to the all-College requirements, students are required to complete 49 credits in Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre, and Dance. The distribution is as follows:

  • Music - 17 credits includes voice lessons, music theory, music history, piano (class or private), and an ensemble.
  • Theatre - 13 credits includes acting, theatre history, technical theatre, and participation in productions.
  • Musical Theatre - 11 credits includes courses in musical theatre history, performance, and dance.
  • Dance - 8 credits includes four semesters of ballet, and two each of jazz and tap.

All majors, including freshmen, are expected to audition for all of our productions.

A. Music Courses: 17 credit hours

MUS 111
Introduction to Music Theory or
MUS 201 Music Theory I (by advisement)
MUS 164 Applied Voice (two semesters)
MUS 264 Applied Voice (two semesters)
MUS 180 Class Piano or
MUS 160 Applied Piano (by advisement)
MUS 222 Music History II
MUS 249 College Singers or
MUS 240 Choral Union

B. Theatre Courses: 13 credit hours

THT 120
Acting I
THT 162 Theatre History II
THT 220 Acting II
THT 240 Technical Theatre
THT 399 Participation in Theatre (two semesters)

C. Dance Courses: 8 credit hours

Students must complete four semesters of ballet (DNC 101, 201, 301, 401); each course may, by advisement, be
repeated once. The additional Dance courses listed below must also be taken:
DNC 102
Jazz I
DNC 103 Tap I
DNC 302 Jazz Dance II
DNC 203 Tap II

D. Musical Theatre Courses: 11 credit hours

THT 361 Musical Theatre in American Culture
THT 461 Seminar in Musical Theatre
MUS/THT 331 Musical Theatre Performance I
MUS/THT 430 Musical Theatre Performance II
DNC 423 Dance for the Theatre I
DNC 424 Dance for the Theatre II

E. Literature Course: 3 credit hours

ENG 204 Introduction to Dramatic Literature
(fulfills the Cortland GE 6 requirement)

F. Portfolio, senior presentation, exit interview

G. Students must also complete at least six noncredit technical
theatre practica

(one per semester for six semesters — e.g., working backstage for productions on costumes, set painting, props, etc.). Work at previous institutions may be accepted for part of this requirement. Students must audition for all departmental theatre productions and accept roles as cast.

TOTAL CREDIT HOURS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION: 124

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