The School of Music, Theatre, and Dance is composed of the Department of Music and the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Music

The University of Montana-Missoula is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.

The Department of Music offers students who have demonstrated talent in music the opportunity to continue further study either for a profession or an avocation and at the same time acquire a broad general education. Complete sequences of courses are given to prepare a student for a career as a teacher or supervisor of music in the elementary/secondary schools; for a career directed toward composition, the music technology industry, private teaching, or concert work; or, for a thorough training in music within the structure of a broad liberal arts curriculum.

In general, admission as a major in the School of Music is by certificate from the high school from which the student graduates. The faculty of the School of Music is more concerned with evidence of talent, conspicuous achievement in music, promise of development, and scholarship in general than it is in the precise content of the program which the prospective music student has followed prior to admission to the University.

The Department of Music welcomes the opportunity for prospective students and parents to consult with faculty and administration. Every student wishing to become a music major or minor must take the Music Theory Assessment Examination and a Piano Proficiency Evaluation during orientation and also must audition and be accepted officially into the applied studio of a music faculty member prior to confirmation as a fully-admitted major or minor in music. Students may be admitted provisionally for one semester, and at the end of that semester students must re-audition to gain full admittance into a music major degree program.

Theatre and Dance

The Department of Theatre and Dance is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) and is a member of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE). The school is housed in the Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center, which includes three theatre/dance performance spaces. The program is production-oriented with approximately ten major productions presented each year including contemporary, historical, period, musical, and experimental plays, as well as dance showcases and concerts. The Montana Repertory Theatre, a professional touring company based at UM, often involves students both on and off stage. The faculty is strong, possessing a diversity of educational and professional theatre and dance backgrounds. 

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Dance allows the student who plans to enter a dance career to select another major to complement that objective.

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Dance and a concentration in Pre-Dance Therapy focuses on psychology and therapeutic performing-arts curricula.

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Theatre provides the student with a broad liberal arts education and a general focus in theatre. The degree allows the student to complete an additional major and may form the basis for further training at the graduate level.

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Theatre and a concentration in Theatre Education is designed for the student seeking a teaching endorsement in the field of theatre.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Theatre is a professionally oriented degree designed for the student who plans to pursue a career in theatre or a related field. Students are invited into the BFA after an audition/interview process. 

For more information about academic programs and Department of Theatre and Dance productions, visit the Theatre and Dance website. 

Auditions and Portfolio Reviews

Actors, dancers, designers, musical theatre students, and technicians undergo periodic review in the form of auditions or portfolio presentations. These ongoing evaluations provide each student with the opportunity and challenge of individualized critiques from faculty and professional staff.

Senior Project

A senior project is required of all students. The senior project is usually production related and has both practical and written components. Requirements for the project vary and are outlined in the Theatre and Dance Student Handbook.