Frequently Asked Questions

The Undergraduate Admissions and Records Office considers:

• a recommendation from the Department of Theatre 
• grade point average (high school and any other post-secondary courses)

The Department of Theatre usually receives between 110-150 completed applications from prospective students, and normally accepts 60 first-year students.

Digital examples of your work can be sent to the department for review with your application. Any materials that you feel will enhance your application can be submitted, including (but is not limited to) audition videos, design portfolios, drawings, photos of sewing projects or a stage manger's prompt script.

Examples should be in a digital form using JPG or PDF files and YouTube or Vimeo links, and must be uploaded using the submission form. See Portfolio Examples under Applying to UVic for details.

All students must take the required first-year theatre courses, including Introduction to Acting (THEA 120A).

At the end of the first year, interested students audition to be accepted into the Performance focus area, which begins in second year. The criteria for acceptance into the program include the results of this audition and the successful completion of first year with a cumulative average of 6.0 (B+) in Theatre courses.

Students in the Department of Theatre develop skills and gain experience in many areas of theatre performance, including acting, directing, design, technical and management skills. Students are required to develop excellent research, creative problem solving and writing skills and learn how to communicate effectively.

As early as second year, all students learn budgeting, people and project management skills, as they take responsibility for an important management role in our productions. As theatre is a social art and dependant on the collaboration of many artists behind and on stage, students especially develop excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills appropriate for working in the industry or any workplace.

Yes. Courses that extend over the full year – including many core theatre courses like THEA 105 – must be registered at the same time. Electives should be registered as soon as possible as some courses, especially English electives, fill up quickly. 

It is important that students are registered in a full time course load (12 units over the fall and spring terms) for student loans or awards administered by the UVic Student Awards and Financial Aid.

Yes. To graduate, all theatre students must have 1.5 units of ATWP 135 and an additional 1.5 units of an English elective before the end of the second year. 

If you are unable to register in a first year English course in your first year, you can register in your required English course(s) in your second year. If you need further assistance, email Fine Arts Academic Advising.

Yes. Please see the list of important dates in the academic calendar for the deadlines to add and drop courses. Students should consult with Fine Arts Academic Advising to ensure that this decision does not affect your ability to complete your program in a timely manner.

Yes! Students may elect to complete the Theatre Major as part of a Double Major program or a Joint Honours and Major Program (within Fine Arts or as an Interfaculty program).

The UVic application process only permits application to one program to begin. Applicants from high school wishing to pursue a Double Major should apply to Theatre as their first major and then request to declare the second major with the Fine Arts Academic Advisor when first year is completed (12 units of credit or more).

Continuing UVic students registered in other programs intending to apply to Theatre should consult both their faculty academic advising office and the Fine Arts Academic Advisor well in advance of the January 31 application deadline.

When planning yor registraton you may find timetable conflicts with sheduled Theatre courses and course requirments for the second program; in this case the degree may take longer than four years.  Another option would be to declare a Major/Minor or Honours/Minor conbination instead.

Tuition fees for the Department of Theatre are the same as most other UVic undergraduate programs. Click here to use the UVic tuition and auxiliary fees estimator program.

You will need to budget for more than just the fees if you’re planning to attend university. There are housing costs, food, cost of books and supplies or other expenses that students can expect to incur in a term. 

We are pleased to offer a variety of scholarships and bursaries specific to Theatre students, as well as a range of funding open to all UVic students.

It is possible to have a part-time job or take an evening class, however, many courses in the Department of Theatre require you to participate in the production of a Phoenix mainstage play and you will need to be available during rehearsal/performance times in the evenings as part of your course.

Special permission from the Chair is required by emailing them at theatrechair@uvic.ca and explain what it is you want to do. They will need to know if the job/course is flexible enough to allow you to attend any rehearsals and performances of the production(s) that you may be assigned.

Many students from outside of Victoria stay in UVic’s student residences during their first year. If you're a current high-school student in your graduating year, we guarantee you a space for your first year in residence.

Students also choose to live off-campus and rent apartments. As well as searching for available apartments for rent in the local media, UVic Housing’s website hosts a useful listing of availabilities in the community.