Theatre at UBC
Degree Programs: BFA Design & Production
BFA Advisor: Robert Gardiner
The UBC Theatre Program offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Design and Production. The program prepares students for entry-level work in professional theatre or film, or for more advanced training in graduate school.
Application Process and Admission:
All applicants should complete the online University of Britsh Columbia Vancouver Campus application. Students who are applying directly from secondary school should apply to the Bachelor of Arts (BA) program; application to the BFA Design and Production program must be made after admission to the UBC Arts Faculty. Students who have completed one year or more of transferable courses at a post-secondary institution may be able to apply directly to the BFA program in Design and Production. All students interested in applying to the BFA Design and Production program should contact the BFA Advisor as soon as they have completed the UBC online application.
A letter of intent and a portfolio of work are required for admission to the BFA Design and Production program. The letter of intent should describe your interest in design and production and discuss your goals for university study. The portfolio should include a resume with current contact information, education, and all previous experience in the performing or visual arts: examples of artwork or graphics such as drawing, sketching, painting, photography, design, illustration, and technical drawing: and / or examples of work for theatre or film production. Applicants who have no examples of artwork or graphics should submit the resume. Portfolios will not be returned; applications should not include original artwork, and digital submissions in .pdf, .ppt, .doc, or .docx format are preferred.
Courses and Production Work:
The production program is an integral aspect of instruction at U.B.C, providing the essential “practical experience” content of the Department's curriculum as well as supporting the scholarly study of theatre history and theory. The Theatre Program produces a Subscription Season of plays in the Frederic Wood and Telus Theatres and a studio season of full-length and one-act plays in the Dorothy Somerset Studio Theatre. Through these projects, students are provided with the opportunity to study and participate in the preparation and presentation of stage productions of a high professional caliber.
Course work is offered in set, costume, lighting, and sound design: set and costume construction, stage and production management, and other production technologies. During the first years in the program, students explore these fields through courses and participation in department productions while also taking courses outside the Theatre Program. In the final years of study students concentrate course work and practical experience in their disciplinary field.
Student Participation in Productions:
All BFA Design/Production students are required to participate in Department productions. The faculty, in consultation with the student, assigns positions of responsibility on production teams, such as designer, assistant designer, technical director, stage manager, show crew, and builder. In these roles students have the opportunity to work side by side with faculty, guest artists, professional staff, and other theatre students. Involvement in these productions is an integral part of the BFA Design and Production training program, and BA Theatre students are also encouraged to participate in this "hands-on" aspect of the Theatre.
Online Resources:
- UBC Vancouver Online Application
- UBC Admission Requirements
- BFA Design and Production Degree Requirements
- Theatre Courses
- Other UBC Courses
