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WKU Department of Theatre and Dance
BFA Performing Arts
Admission & Retention Policies & Procedures
(Revised 10/29/07)
Contents
Admission & Retention Criteria ……. 2
B.F.A. Application JPR Process Overview….…………..4
WKU Department of Theatre and Dance Student Production Resume Template…6
Admission & Retention Criteria
The Western Kentucky University Department of Theatre and Dance adheres to the standards for
admission and retention at the BFA level outlined by the National Association for Schools of
Theatre (NAST). Those standards are summarized below.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA.) degree is the initial professional degree in the performing arts.
Its primary emphasis is on the development of skills, concepts, and sensitivities essential to the
performing arts professional. In any of the roles as creator, scholar, or teacher, the performing
arts professional must function as a practitioner who exhibits technical competence, broad
knowledge of performing arts, sensitivity to artistic style, and an insight into the role of the
performing arts in the life of humankind. Evidence of these characteristics and potential for their
continuing development is essential for the awarding of the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Upon
completion of the Western Kentucky University BFA in Performing Arts degree program
students will have:
Experienced significant and meaningful engagement in the creative/interpretive
processes of performing arts event production;
Achieved significant technical mastery in at least one of the BFA concentration areas
(Acting, Directing, Dance, Drama/Playwriting Music Theatre Performance, Theatre
Design & Technology);
Experienced significant and meaningful engagement with the history, theories and
aesthetics of the performing arts, and demonstrated a critical sense of how they
inspire and inform their own work;
Demonstrated their competency with all of the above through evaluated performance
and/or portfolio review.
Criteria for acceptance into the BFA program
Students seeking admission into the Western Kentucky University BFA in Performing Arts
degree program must have:
Earned at least 30 college credits from an accredited college, university or post
secondary conservatory;
Maintained an overall GPA of at least 2.5;
Demonstrated exceptional talent, commitment, self discipline, reliability and a
reasonable likelihood of success as a performing arts professional in at least one
disciplinary field of the performing arts;
Participated fully in the department JPR process.
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Criteria for continuation in the BFA program
Once admitted, retention in the Western Kentucky University BFA in Performing Arts degree
program requires that students:
Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, and earn a grade of C or better in all courses
required in the BFA program;
Maintain an exceptional level of commitment, self discipline, reliability, and demonstrate
consistent artistic growth and development appropriate to the chosen area of
concentration, as assessed through the departmental JPR process.
BFA majors falling below these standards will have one probationary semester in which to
improve their performance. Failing to come back up to these standards after that probationary
semester will result in being dropped from the BFA major.
Application Procedure
All students matriculating at Western Kentucky University who state an intention to pursue a
BFA in Performing Arts will be designated as “seeking admission” into that program. After
successfully completing 30 or more credits (as described previously on page 2) students may
apply for formal admission into the BFA program, which consists of compiling and submitting a
Performing Arts BFA Application Portfolio, and an application interview/performance audition
with the faculty. (This whole process is integrated into the department’s regular Jury/Portfolio
Review process (JPR), described in detail in WKU Department of Theatre and Dance BFA
Performing Arts JPR Review Handbook, available in the department office, and on the WKU
Department of Theatre and Dance web site: http://www.wku.edu/theatre&dance.) How to
prepare a BFA application portfolio and jury is also described on the following page of this
document.
BFA auditions/interviews will typically be held during the last week of every semester. The
faculty will convene as necessary to deliberate and decide so that all applicants can be notified of
the faculty’s decision no later than the end of the first week of the following semester. The
names of all applicants will be forwarded to the registrar’s office; those accepted into the BFA
program will have their degree program status changed from “seeking admission” to BFA
Performing Arts majors. The status of applicants denied admission into the BFA program will
be changed from “seeking admission” to either BA Theatre or BA Dance majors. Students
wishing to change to a different major may do so by submitting a “Change of Major” form,
obtained from the department offering the major they wish to pursue.
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B.F.A. Application Jury/Portfolio Review (JPR)
The level of maturity, self-reflective insight, discipline and artistic growth reflected in this JPR session
– both in performance and in your portfolio- will weigh significantly on the faculty’s decision about
whether or not to admit a student into the BFA program. Students wishing to pursue more than one BFA
concentration must submit an application portfolio for each concentration.
The Audition Portfolio
This B.F.A. application portfolio will be retained by the department. Students wishing to keep any of
the required artifacts should make copies to keep. The required portfolio artifacts for all
concentrations are:
A BFA Performing Arts Application form. This form is available in the Department of Theatre
and Dance office, and on the WKU Department of Theatre and Dance web site:
http://www.wku.edu/theatre&dance. An example is also appended to this document.
3 samples of writing done in response to a theatre and dance department course assignment
(reviews, articles, play summaries, concept statements, essays, research papers etc.) Writing
samples from previous portfolio reviews may be included
Additional portfolio artifacts/requirements may be required depending on which BFA concentration
you are applying for. Those are described below.
Audition Jury/Interview
Acting Concentration (Performance Jury)
Two 60-90 second contrasting monologs.
Dance Concentration (Performance Jury)
One ballet combination and one Jazz or Modern combination. The exact combinations will be
assigned by the dance faculty.
Directing Concentration (Interview)
Presentation of promptbook and concept (written and oral) following the specific requirements
and guidelines outlined in the Directing JPR Guidelines handout, available from your advisor,
and on the department web site.
Drama/Playwriting Concentration (Interview)
An example of current dramaturgical and/or playwriting skills
Music Theatre Concentration (Performance Jury)
One 60-90 second monolog and two 60-90 second song excerpts from post 1940 plays and/or
musicals , and a dance audition combination (learned on-the-spot).
Theatre Design & Technology Concentration (Interview)
See your advisor to determine what additional portfolio artifacts to include.
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WKU Department of Theatre and Dance
BFA Performing Arts Application
Name:
WKU Student ID#:
Semester first enrolled at WKU (F05, S06 etc.):
Planned graduation semester:
Current program GPA:
Current overall GPA:
BFA Concentration:
You may choose multiple concentrations, but will then also be expected to present an audition/portfolio for each concentration you identify here.
Acting Dance Directing Drama/Playwriting
Music Theatre Technology/Design
(please initial)
I have read and understand all of the WKU Department of Theatre & Dance BFA admission and retention policies
I have successfully earned at least 30 college credits from an accredited college, university or post secondary conservatory
I have earned a C or higher in every course required by the BFA program
I have attached a current Department of Theatre and Dance Student Production Resume
I have attached a current TOPNET transcript
I have attached 1000-1200 word typewritten application essay (as described below)
(Actor/Singers Only)
I have attached completed Jury Prep Forms for each monolog and song I will be presenting
Applicant’s Signature _____________________________________ Date: _________________
Advisor’s Signature: _____________________________________ Date: _________________
Attach this cover page to a separate, 1000-1200 word, typewritten explanation of:
1. Your long term career goals;
2. Why you believe this particular program of study/training is the best path for you to
take towards achieving those goals
Fall 2007 Submission Deadline: November 30, 2007
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WKU Department of Theatre and Dance
STUDENT PRODUCTION RESUME
[Insert name here]
Matriculation semester: _____
Current OVERALL GPA: _____
Planned Graduation semester:_____
Current PROGRAM GPA: _____
Number of semesters enrolled as a WKU student ____
BA Theatre ____ BFA Performing Arts ___ Concentration: Acting ___
Dance ___
CHOOSE 1 Directing ___
BA Dance ____ Drama/Playwriting ____
Music Theatre ___
Design & Technology ___
First Semester: (insert semester date here, e.g. Fall 2004)
Production/Project Title Your role in the project Date
(Insert ALL WKU performance, design and production support activities here. Italicize play titles.)
Second Semester: (insert semester date here, e.g. Fall 2004)
Production/Project Title Your role in the project Date
(Insert ALL WKU performance, design and production support activities here. Italicize play titles.)
Third Semester: (insert semester date here, e.g. Fall 2004)
Production/Project Title Your role in the project Date
(Insert ALL WKU performance, design and production support activities here. Italicize play titles.)
Fourth Semester: (insert semester date here, e.g. Fall 2004)
Production/Project Title Your role in the project Date
(Insert ALL WKU performance, design and production support activities here. Italicize play titles.)
Fifth Semester: (insert semester date here, e.g. Fall 2004)
Production/Project Title Your role in the project Date
(Insert ALL WKU performance, design and production support activities here. Italicize play titles.)
…And so on, listing all WKU performance, design and production support activities by semester.
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