Theater students performing on stage

Perform, Direct, and Expand Your Vision of an Entertainment Career

By striving to become a complete and competent arts professional, you open doors within the entertainment community, some of which you may not have considered. Performance is a key element of the IUP experience. Six full productions per year and many smaller events in theater, musical theater, and dance give you ample opportunity for self-expression.

More creative possibilities will arise as you discover the importance of stage design, directing, playwriting, choreography, and leadership within an arts organization. Some of our alumni have headed to Broadway or Hollywood, while others have founded theater companies or grown other types of businesses that serve people in showbiz.

Why Theater and Dance for Other Career Opportunities?

Creativity is an essential ingredient in any business, government, or educational endeavor.

By exploring your interest in performance and production, you nurture talents that are invaluable not only in the arts and entertainments fields, but in vocations and employment settings beyond.

Many alumni are working in personally satisfying, creative careers, such as marketing, law, technology, counseling, and project management.

The World Needs Theater and Dance Majors

A magical performance can uplift and transform thousands. Personal expression, however, is not limited to the world of entertainment. Businesses of all kinds benefit from storytelling and self-expression. Performance and collaboration talent has helped corporations like Apple stand out among the crowd. A degree in theater and dance keeps the creative spirit alive from one generation to the next, and may inspire breakthroughs not only in entertainment, but in business, science, or education.

Expected Outcomes with an Undergraduate Degree in Theater and Dance

Self-expression is at the core of your studies. You will design, build, perform, and sometimes write or direct productions that call on your imagination. You will also participate in IUP's annual contributions to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and other opportunities beyond the campus walls. Our broadly designed program exposes you to all the essential elements of theater and dance, helping you to shape your passion into clear, personal goals for your career.

  • Your talents will be nurtured by professors with strong credentials in both professional performance and academic excellence.
  • Through experimental and traditional creative opportunities, you'll develop your sense of self.
  • You will complete a thesis project and career development plan to apply your talents after graduation.
  • Developing backstage skills in costumes, scenery, lighting, sound, and stage management provide you a broader perspective of what it takes to present professional-caliber performances.
  • Developing stage direction skills deepens your appreciation for every contributor to a theater and dance production and enhances employment options.

The IUP Difference

The IUP faculty. Faculty members are committed to helping you discover and express your truest talents. Many students are called to the arts, and each has a unique gift to share. Our faculty will help you find your gift and enlarge it to its fullest potential.

Professional experience. IUP's theater and dance companies provide excellent opportunities to experience the demands and joys of being a professional in the entertainment field.

Create the future. Our flexible curriculum and interdisciplinary coursework prepares you for a career in the entertainment world-and for the unknown. New creative opportunities emerge with every generation. By developing your skills and seeing the big picture, you will be prepared to seize the day and thrive in a new world.

Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre. IUP is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre, the only accrediting body for theater in higher education recognized by the US Department of Education.