AACC's Theater program is more than just acting and directing. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about what happens behind the scenes to prepare the show for opening night. You’ll get a real taste of the business through our student-run club the Theatre at AACC, with plenty of opportunities to take leadership roles. When you’ve finished your degree, you’ll be ready to start your career as an artist or to transfer to a four-year program of your choosing.
The Performing Arts department is proud to offer the following Associate of Arts (A.A.) in this area of study. As an additional transfer option, AACC has the unique, Transfer Studies degree. Both degrees will prepare you to transfer to a four-year institution. Whichever path you choose, we strongly encourage you to meet with an advisor to structure your AACC studies to meet your specific transfer goals.
You’ll learn about stagecraft, script analysis, acting and play production, with the ability to tailor your studies further according to your interests.
The Transfer Studies, A.A. allows you to explore different subjects or concentrate on a specific course plan that will best meet your in-state (and even some out-of-state) transfer goals. This option is particularly good if you are undecided in your ultimate career direction, not sure where you'd like to eventually transfer or just looking to complete general education requirements while "testing the waters" of a particular major. No matter what brings you to Transfer Studies, the result is a well-rounded associate degree preparing you for further studies and successful career.
The following certificate prepares students for employment and feeds into the A.A. degree, if desired.
You’ll get an overview of the theater business while gaining the skills you need to enter the workforce in production design.
“It’s more affordable, but also, I could sort of explore what I wanted to do, It’s been about exploration for me. I’ve found that there's a lot more that I can do as a performer – I can teach, I can tutor, I can mentor.”
-Rashad Ferguson, former dance and theater student
As a former student, Rashad Ferguson shares that AACC has a lot to offer, not just from an educational standpoint, but also where community is concerned. There have been advantages, from the different backgrounds he’s encountered and the opportunities he’s experienced, to even job opportunities. “Professionally, my goals have expanded,” he said. “The networking is particularly important and it’s opened a lot of doors for me.”
Check out the tabs below for information on where you can transfer your degree and scholarships that can help you pay for college.
If you decide to earn your A.A. degree in theater, you can transfer to complete your four-year degree. We have partnerships and transfer agreements in place with many colleges and universities so you can easily transfer when you're ready. Transfer agreements (or “articulation agreements,” as they’re officially called) are formal arrangements between institutions that allow certain credits to transfer seamlessly from one school to the other.
Paying for college should be simple! Scholarships are available to help you prepare for your career in theater:
If Theater sounds appealing, but you’d like to compare it to other offerings, see if one of these is a better fit.