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UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES


The Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy operate on both the Oxford and Jackson campuses. The Schools of Dentistry, Health Related Professionals and Medicine, and the Health Sciences Graduate School, are based in Jackson only. (Additional healthcare programs are available through the School of Applied Sciences on the Oxford campus.) Other than these exceptions, the schools above are on the Oxford campus.

B.A. in Theatre Arts

Discover your place through the creation of culturally relevant works.

There are two paths to study theatre at the University of Mississippi. The generalist Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts focuses on critical thinking, production, and scholarship, and provides students the opportunity to tailor an academic program to their interests and skills. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees has two emphasis areas that provide focused, hands-on training for specialized careers in acting and design.

Key Benefits

The study of theatre encompasses all aspects of these industries, and students become skilled in creative expression, critical thinking, research, design, direction, and technology. The department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre, which ensures a high-quality education. Students in the B.A. degree are eligible for performance, design, and production opportunities in all our mainstage shows as well as the student-run companies.

Graduate Outcomes

A liberal arts education prepares graduates to deal with complexity and change. They gain key skills in communication, problem-solving, and working with diverse groups. Related careers in theatre include acting, make-up design, playwriting, costume design, education, screenwriting, direction, lighting design, advertising, public relations, radio/television, law, marketing, human resources, sound design, set design, stage management, and theatre management.

Experiences Offered

The Department of Theatre & Film offers great performance, management, and design opportunities for all students, including freshmen, who can be cast in main-stage shows. The integration of theatre and film in our program ensures that students have opportunities to learn skills for work on stage and on screen. Not only do these opportunities prepare students to have diverse experiences for resumes, but they also provide students with a well-rounded education in many facets of the entertainment industry.

B.A. in Theatre Arts Faculty

Students enjoy a low student to teacher ratio in the Department of Theatre & Film at the University of Mississippi. We have core faculty in acting; cinema production and cinema acting; costume, scenic, and sound design; dance; musical theatre; dance; and theatre history.

Alan Louis Arrivee
Associate Professor of Film Production
Michael Andrew Barnett
Chair and Professor of Theatre and Film and Interim Chair of Art and Art History
Donna Allyn Buckley
Instructional Associate Professor of Costume Technology
Annalise Caudle
Instructional Assistant Professor of Theatre and Film
Leslie Marie Delassus
Instructional Assistant Professor of Film and Gender Studies
Mary Louise Ball
Costume Shop Manager
Carey Blackerby Hanson
Professor of Costume Design
Sarah Kelly Hennigan
Assistant Professor of Film Production
Rory Ledbetter
Associate Professor of Theatre Arts
Felipe Esteban Macias
Performing Arts Technical Coordinator
Lauren Bone Noble
Assistant Professor of Movement for the Actor
Joseph Edwin Neilson
Scene Shop Carpenter
Jeffrey S Hannah
Performing Arts Technical Coordinator
Matthew Thomas Shifflett
Instructional Associate Professor of Theatre Arts
Jonathan Smith
Film Equipment Manager
Jared S Spears
Instructional Professor of Technical Direction
Dan Stearns
Assistant Professor of Acting
Roxie D Thomas
Instructor in Dance Theatre and Film
Lisa Wilson
Costume Shop Assistant
Pria Wood
Instructional Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Film



Admission requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts degree program are the same as the general undergraduate admission requirements.

Austyn Davis

During her undergraduate years, Austyn (2017) worked summer stock jobs as a teaching artist at Lexington Children's Theatre and as a director/choreographer at Florida Repertory Theatre. Since graduation, she completed a year of Service in Chicago Public Schools with AmeriCorps Project YES! and Adventure Stage Chicago. She is currently working as a freelance teaching artist, stage manager, and choreographer with a primary focus being Theatre for Young Audiences.

Why study theatre at UM?
"The Ole Miss Theatre & Film Department wants you to succeed. The professors provide so many opportunities for students to expand their horizons and really hone their craft, without creating a competitive classroom environment. They encourage students to use Ghostlight Repertory Theatre to create and produce work that is meaningful to them, and serve as mentors as necessary throughout the production process. The department runs rehearsals to industry standards, and to stay focused on their ultimate goal of getting their students hired, all of the casting/hiring information they provide in the classroom stays current and relevant. Because the department has expanded so rapidly over the last decade, there is truly something for everyone. Playwrighting, stage combat, film, arts administration, Commedia dell'Arte, costume design, production management, musical theatre dance, and so much more is available to study at the University of Mississippi."

Student Organizations

Join Alpha Psi Omega, the theatre honor society, the student-run Ghostlight Repertory Theatre, or the Ole Miss Student Dance organization.