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Bachelor of Theatre (BTHT) - BTheatre

QTAC code (Australian and New Zealand applicants): Unspecified (Toowoomba campus: 909981); Theatre Making (Online: 909985); Acting (External: 909895)

CRICOS code (International applicants): 103180A

You are currently viewing the 2023 Handbook. For study in 2024, please refer to the .

 On-campusExternal*Online^
Start:Semester 1 (February)Semester 1 (February)Semester 1 (February)
Campus:Toowoomba --
Fees:Commonwealth supported place
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Commonwealth supported place
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Commonwealth supported place
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Standard duration:3 years full-time; 6 years part-time 
Program articulation:

To: Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours)

Notes

In 2023 the program follows the Semester calendar. The Academic Calendar and Important Dates webpage will allow you to view and download a copy of the important dates for the Semester calendar.

Footnotes
*The Acting major is offered via an External mode of study as it includes on-campus residential school courses.
^Only the Theatre Making major can be completed fully via the Online mode of study.

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Contact us

Future Australian and New Zealand students  Future International students  Current students 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 269 500
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 5315
Email: study@usq.edu.au  

Phone: +61 7 4631 5543
Email: international@usq.edu.au 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285
Email usq.support@usq.edu.au 

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Program aims

  1. apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge in the Theatre discipline in regard to innovative creative development, inclusive digital practice, and the application of nuance and sensitivity;

  2. have flexible and innovative cognitive skills that engage critical analysis, and consolidate a variety of theatrical knowledges that are actively applied in arts-related community projects;

  3. use effective communication through presenting clear, coherent, well-substantiated, and independent articulation of knowledge and ideas;

  4. can flexibly and collaboratively plan, adapt knowledge and skills and make decisions in diverse practical, performance and scholastic contexts to enhance graduate attributes as innovators and entrepreneurs;

  5. enhance the communities they work in through taking responsibility and accountability for modelling rapport-building collaboration with others across a wide variety of cultural contexts.


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Program objectives

On successful completion of the program, students should be able to:

  1. Deploy effective application of adaptive and transformative capabilities that are reproducible and enable them to contribute to the creative potential of diverse deliverables with and to diverse peoples in workplaces and sectors;

  2. Use critical discernment and application of theatrical and dramatic methods, concepts, techniques and theories in the creation of relevant and efficacious cultural projects in professional, educational, community or commercial contexts;

  3. Apply accurate knowledge of the historical, ideological, critical and ethical perspectives in theatre, in both traditional and contemporary contexts;

  4. Employ rigorous reflective and evaluation strategies regarding the processes and outcomes of theatre-making and theatre performance activities in a wide variety of WIL and real-world industry contexts;

  5. Engage with relevant industry bodies and networks that enables healthy and responsible work ethic necessary for practice as independent and professional theatre artists and cultural workers;

  6. Apply cultural intelligence, ethical enterprise, and integrity in the further exploration of the role of theatre in the cultural enhancement of a nation/society.


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Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 07. Graduates at this level will have broad and coherent knowledge and skills for professional work and/or further learning.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .

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Program Information Set

View UniSQ’s admission criteria, student profiles and a summary of all offers made under via the QTAC website.

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Have achieved a minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 60, or equivalent qualification.^
  • If no ATAR, successfully undertake an audition with portfolio and written statement.

  • English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 2.


Applicants are advised to also address the following:

  • expectations: English (Units 3 & 4, C).


Note: It is a requirement that Queensland-based students hold a current positive notice indicating that they are deemed suitable for working with children and young people whilst studying the Bachelor of Theatre. Further information about the Blue Card or Exemption Card suitability process is available from the

Audition/interview information:

Applicants for the Bachelor of Theatre must attend an audition and interview and must bring with them:

  • a head shot style photo of themselves

  • a school exit statement or evidence of previous education standard achieved

  • Applicants must present an audition as well as participate in a group workshop and interview process and present a portfolio of previous achievements.

  • Applicants to Theatre Making major may opt to forgo presentation of an audition performance but MUST participate in a group workshop and interview process and present a portfolio of previous achievements. Be prepared to discuss those achievements and experiences with the interview panel.

  • Those applying without an ATAR are to provide a written statement (500 words) addressing the following: describe the most influential theatre or community arts related performance or event you have witnessed or participated in. Why was this event so important to you? How has it shaped your view and understanding of arts practice? What things did you learn from the experience? How does this event connect to your personal values and beliefs?


Interviews and auditions will be held at UniSQ Toowoomba or via Zoom. Please contact us to find out the next audition and interview dates.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

^

These are determined by the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app for specific programs each Semester. The 2023 ATAR and tertiary entrance ranks are based on agreed QTAC schedules which assess formal study at Year 12 or , tertiary, preparatory, professional or vocational qualifications or work experience, as detailed in the QTAC Assessment of Qualifications Manual and QTAC Assessor Guidelines.

Adjustment factors may help you get into the program of your choice by increasing your entrance rank. The additional points don't apply to all applicants or all programs. Please read the information about UniSQ's carefully to find out what you may be eligible for.

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Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of a students' higher education and students pay a , which varies depending on the courses undertaken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called .

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.

Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, external or online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

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Program structure

The Bachelor of Theatre consists of 24 units comprising 4 SCA Core units, courses within a 12-unit major, and 8 units of complimentary studies that can consist of a second 8-unit major, two 4-unit minors, or a 4-unit minor and approved elective courses as follows:

  • one 12-unit Theatre major (Acting or Theatre Making), 4-unit SCA Core, and one 8-unit second major*, OR

  • one 12-unit Theatre major (Acting or Theatre Making), 4-unit SCA Core and two 4-unit minors, OR

  • one 12-unit Theatre major (Acting or Theatre Making), 4-unit SCA Core, one 4-unit minor and 4 units of elective courses^.


*The second 8-unit major can be chosen from any approved 8-unit major in another discipline in the School of Creative Arts (i.e. Music, Visual Arts, Film or TV/Radio, providing entry requirements are met), or from one of the recommended majors listed below for areas outside of the creative arts. Students wishing to undertake an unlisted major from elsewhere within UniSQ will require consultation and approval from the School of Creative Arts programs director. Recommended second majors from outside of SoCA are: Psychology, Creative and Critical Writing, Advertising, and English Literature.
^Please note that students may choose to add more theatre courses as part of their suite of complimentary studies. For more information, consult with the School of Creative Arts Programs Director and/or the Theatre discipline convenor.

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 9 years to complete this program.

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Major studies

Acting major:

The Acting major introduces students to the established processes of interpretative performance for live and digital modes of delivery. This major then guides students through the skills and knowledge in generating original performance material and outcomes. While traditional avenues of live performance are reduced in the arts sector, the explosion of social media and online product-share has led to myriad opportunities for innovation in online promotion, delivery and audience reach. Furthermore, it is widely recognized that this major is a particularly participatory practice-led processes of generating and sharing story, which are fundamental to the growth of healthy communities.

Theatre Making major:

The Theatre Making major introduces students to the rigorous theory, history, and practice of generating original work in theatrical forms; in adapting theatre skills and processes to community and education participatory practice, and to identifying, designing and delivering sustainable community-participatory creative arts projects. Fundamental to this major are the ‘soft skills’ of collaboration, problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, project planning and management within an ethical and local/global political, historical and cultural awareness. This major culminates in real world community-engaged creative projects, students’ progress through iterative learning activities that develop the acumen to promote agency and advocacy in communities.

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Minor Studies

Minor studies are designed to enable students to widen their knowledge and perspectives.

As part of the eight units of complementary studies (see Program Structure above), if students are not undertaking a second major, they must take at least one of the Minors indicated in the section of the UniSQ handbook. The remaining courses can be used to undertake a second minor, or a maximum of 4 electives.

All of the discipline areas of the Creative Arts will offer suites of minors from their existing major course offerings but students may also select minors from any recognised area in the university (as listed in the Minor studies link above).. Students should take courses to the value of at least four units in the selected minor study. Choice of a minor will depend on the availability of the subject area, timetabling constraints, quotas and other restrictions such as interviews in certain areas of the Creative Arts, as well as approval of the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts.

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Electives/Approved courses

Elective courses are designed to enable students to further increase their knowledge and widen their perspectives. For recommendations on how electives can fit into the structure of their program, students should consult the Program Structure and Minor Studies sections above. Choice of an elective will depend on the availability of the course(s), timetabling constraints, quotas, and other restrictions such as auditions and interviews in certain areas of the Arts, as well as approval by the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts.

Courses available for elective study are generally those found in Minor studies and are listed in the section.

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IT requirements

Students should visit the UniSQ to check that their computers are capable of running the appropriate software and versions of Internet web browsers and to check the minimum and recommended standards for software.

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Residential schools

The attendance requirement of residential schools within this degree is indicated by the following letters: R = Recommended; HR = Highly Recommended; M = Mandatory. To find out more about , visit the to view specific dates for your degree, or visit the .

The Bachelor of Theatre offers residential schools for students studying the program externally via the Toowoomba campus. These are available for the first four Acting courses.

To find out more about , visit the to view specific dates for your degree, or visit the

For external students, attendance at residential schools in the courses listed below is mandatory at the specified UniSQ campus, an integral component of the program, and each student is thus required to attend as scheduled:


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Articulation

Students undertaking aspects of degrees in the School of Creative Arts as an extension of TAFE studies, or through any of our current Articulation Agreements (such as the College of Creative Arts in Melbourne), are encouraged to visit the for current advice on enrolments.

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Exit points

Students who, for whatever reason, are unable to complete the Bachelor of Theatre and who satisfy all of the requirements may exit with a Diploma of Creative Arts (DCRA) or the Associate Degree of Creative Arts (ADCA).

Students may exit with the Diploma of Creative Arts (DCRA) if they have completed 8 courses as follows:

  • A minimum of 2 SCA-coded Core courses from the Bachelor of Theatre and

  • 6 other courses from the Bachelor of Theatre.


Students may exit with the Associate Degree of Creative Arts (ADCA) if they have completed 16 courses as follows:

  • A minimum of 4 SCA-coded Core courses from the Bachelor of Theatre and

  • 12 other courses from the Bachelor of Theatre.


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Credit

Credit will normally only be granted on the basis of formal studies of equivalent material undertaken at a college of TAFE, college of advanced education or university. Studies successfully completed within the last five years are automatically eligible to be used as a basis for a claim for credit. Studies completed more than five years ago will be considered, but should be accompanied by evidence that the knowledge and skills acquired from those studies have been maintained. Students who believe that they may qualify for credit should consult the for further information about the content of courses and the procedures to be followed for credit claims.

Students who have been granted credit have a responsibility to ensure that their knowledge and skills are kept up to date in these areas. This is particularly important when they have been granted credit from a course which is a pre-requisite for another course. Refer to the section entitled Credit and Exemption Procedure in the Guide to policies and procedures.

Students who have completed a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in an area specifically related to one of the majors in this program within the last five years, will normally be eligible for up to 8 credits and up to 12 credits respectively.

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Course transfers

Students wishing to transfer from another degree into the Bachelor of Theatre (BTHT) may do so. However, in addition to your UniSQ application, you are required to audition and/or interview for the major of your choice. Please see Admission Requirements above. It is the responsibility of the student to register for this process.

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Honours

Students wishing to undertake further study, and who meet the entry requirements, may apply to enrol in the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours) program. Honours pathways are available in the Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts specialisations. Further information is available at BCAH Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours)

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Enrolment

All students are urged to adhere to the recommended enrolment patterns as detailed in relevant sections of this handbook. Completion of enrolment requirements will be necessary before a student will be permitted to enrol in more advanced courses.

Students should also heed the following advice:

  • In addition to the School Cores and a choice of 12-unit major (see Program Structure above), one second major of eight units OR one minor study of four units OR four elective units may be taken from non-Creative Arts undergraduate programs with approval of the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts;

  • on-campus students should take courses in the on-campus (ONC) mode and will only be permitted to take courses externally during Semester 1 and 2 with the approval of the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts or where a course is only available in online or external mode.

  • students are required to monitor their own enrolments and seek help immediately from the SoCA Programs Director or the discipline convenor if anomalies or confusion occurs.


Recommended enrolment patterns

In this section:

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Recommended enrolment pattern – Acting (12-unit major)


CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedResidential schoolEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Year 1 - Semester 1

SCA1001 Persuasive Communication: Presenting Yourself and Your Ideas1111, 3Enrolment is not permitted in SCA1001 if CMS1000 or HAC1000 has been previously completed.
THT1000 Foundation Skills of the Working Actor1111M
THT1004 Acting and Interpretation1111MEnrolment is not permitted in THT1004 if THE1021 has been previously completed.
Second Major/Minor11

Year 1 - Semester 2

SCA1002 Introduction to Creative and Critical Thinking1212, 3
THT1005 Acting for the Digital Medium1212MPre-requisite: THT1004
THT1003 Theatre in Communities1212Enrolment is not permitted in THT1003 if THE1003 has been previously completed.
Second Major/Minor

Year 2- Semester 1

SCA2001 Cultural Responsibilities and Creative Communities2121, 3
THT2001 The Creative Actor2121MPre-requisite: THT1004
THT1001 Making Theatre History 1: Classic Plays in Context2121Enrolment is not permitted in THT1001 if THE1001 has been previously completed.
Second Major/Minor

Year 2 - Semester 2

SCA2002 Arts Business: Making and Managing Your Arts Career2222, 3
THT2002 Performance Project: Stage and Screen22Pre-requisite: THT2001
THT1002 Making Theatre History 22222Enrolment is not permitted in THT1002 if THE1002 has been previously completed.
Second Major/Minor

Year 3 - Semester 1

THT3001 Independent Theatre Project31Pre-requisite: THT2002
THT3002 Professional Acting Portfolio31Pre-requisite: THT2002
Second Major/Minor/Elective31
Second Major/Minor/Elective31

Year 3 - Semester 2

THT3004 The Body as Story3232Pre-requisite: THT1001 and THT1002
THT3006 Professional Acting Project32
Second Major/Minor/Elective32
Second Major/Minor/Elective32

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Recommended enrolment pattern - Theatre Making (12-unit major)


CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedResidential schoolEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Year 1 - Semester 1

SCA1001 Persuasive Communication: Presenting Yourself and Your Ideas1111, 3Enrolment is not permitted in SCA1001 if CMS1000 or HAC1000 has been previously completed.
THT1000 Foundation Skills of the Working Actor1111M
THT1001 Making Theatre History 1: Classic Plays in Context1111Enrolment is not permitted in THT1001 if THE1001 has been previously completed.
Second Major/Minor

Year 1 - Semester 2

SCA1002 Introduction to Creative and Critical Thinking1212, 3
THT1003 Theatre in Communities1212Enrolment is not permitted in THT1003 if THE1003 has been previously completed.
THT1002 Making Theatre History 21212Enrolment is not permitted in THT1002 if THE1002 has been previously completed.
Second Major/Minor12

Year 2 - Semester 1

SCA2001 Cultural Responsibilities and Creative Communities2121, 3
THT1004 Acting and Interpretation2121MEnrolment is not permitted in THT1004 if THE1021 has been previously completed.
THT2003 Educational Drama2121Enrolment is not permitted in THT2003 if THE2003 has been previously completed.
Second Major/Minor21

Year 2 - Semester 2

SCA2002 Arts Business: Making and Managing Your Arts Career2222, 3
THT1005 Acting for the Digital Medium2222MPre-requisite: THT1004
THT2004 Theatre and Adaptation2222Pre-requisite: THT1001 or THT1002
Second Major/Minor22

Year 3 - Semester 3

THT3003 Dramaturgy and Dramatic Responsibility3131Pre-requisite: THT1001 and THT1002
THT2001 The Creative Actor331MPre-requisite: THT1004
Second Major/Minor/Elective31
Second Major/Minor/Elective31

Year 3 - Semester 2

THT3005 Theatre Making Project3232Pre-requisite: THT3003
THT3004 The Body as Story3232Pre-requisite: THT1001 and THT1002
Second Major/Minor/Elective32
Second Major/Minor/Elective32