Theatre: Design & Technology Degree

At SEMO, we have a whole campus dedicated to the arts. The Southeast River Campus is home to the Jane Larson Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre & Dance and provides many unique opportunities to students pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. Come see why we are ranked the #1 undergraduate theatre program in the state of Missouri and ranked in the top 30 programs in the nation! 

Students must apply to the university and complete an interview to get into the Design Technology BFA program. During the interview, you'll show your creative work and meet with our instructors. Check the auditions and interviews page for dates and details.

Learn by Leading With a Theatre Technology Degree

• Experiential learning from the start. Work on real productions beginning your first year—scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, props, and stage management are all part of your training.
• Close mentorship from working professionals. Learn in small classes with faculty who are active professionals in their design and technical fields, with state-of-the-art software, hardware, sound and lighting systems.
• 100% placement rate. Our BFA Design & Tech graduates find work across the professional world, including Broadway, national tours and award-winning institutions across the industry.
• A robust production calendar with endless opportunities. Each mainstage season includes three plays, three musicals and a dance concert, plus multiple Signature Series productions, student productions, cabarets, and film festival projects—giving you abundant realized credits as a production lead.
• Specialize and lead. After foundational training, take on advanced roles such as designer, assistant designer, master electrician, draper, props master, or stage manager. With no graduate tier, our undergraduate students step directly into leadership positions.
• River Campus advantage. Study and work in Missouri’s only campus dedicated entirely to the arts, with specialized shops, labs, and performance venues just steps away from your classrooms.

What Can You Do with a Theatre Technology Degree?

Your education is just one piece to launching an extraordinary career. Once you’ve mastered the material, you still have to find the job you want, make the right connections, sell your knowledge and experience—and if all this is giving you anxiety, don’t panic. SEMO’s Career Services office is here to help you with the next step. They’ll provide the expertise and support you need, so you’re landing your dream job in no time. 

Internship and Employment Opportunities of Recent Theatre Technology Degree Graduates

• Broadway (Recent: Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, John Proctor is the Villain, Swept Away, The Notebook, Macbeth, MJ the Musical)
• Hollywood (Recent: The Mandalorian, Lucifer, The Masked Singer)
• National Tours (Recent: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Notebook, The Wiz)
• Disney
• World Wrestling Entertainment
• BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music)
• Playwrights Horizons, NYC
• The Vineyard Theatre, NYC
• The Goodman Theatre, Chicago
• Chicago Shakespeare Festival
• The Juilliard School
• Nike
• American Repertory Theatre
• North Shore Music Theatre
• Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey