Bachelor of Theatre Arts at The University of Iowa

Careers and Outcomes

You may wonder-and your parents may ask-whether you'll be able to get a job after graduating with a major in theatre arts. The National Association of Colleges and Employers recently listed the top skills employers look for in college graduates. They include communication skills, strong work ethic, teamwork skills, initiative, interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, analytical skills, and flexibility/adaptability. There is no better way to learn these skills than by participating in theatre. As a theatre major, you'll learn to think critically, read carefully, write well, and present yourself in front of others-skills vital for many careers.  

Theatre graduates find work as actors, directors, designers, critics, stage managers, writers, producers, and agents. Some work in film and television, some decide to teach, and some combine either scholarship and production or performance and teaching. Others go into professions such as business or law.  

After graduating, many students move to a metropolitan area to find work. In theatre, there are no guarantees. Success takes talent, patience, hard work, and a bit of luck, yet most graduates who want to work in this exciting profession find a way to do so.

Iowa graduates have a 95 percent job/grad school placement rate within six months of graduation. Our Pomerantz Career Center offers multiple resources to help students find internships and jobs.