Theatre Arts
Associate in Arts for Transfer
Program Details
The Associate in Arts in Theatre Arts for Transfer degree will prepare students to transfer into a curriculum at a CSU to pursue a baccalaureate degree in Theatre Arts. The Associate in Arts in Theatre Arts for Transfer (AA-T in Theatre Arts) includes theoretical and practical courses in all aspects of theatre, providing preparation in acting, directing, and technical theatre through productions. The degree program allows for a course of study that expands and increases creativity. It is a meaningful journey of personal discovery and self-expansion. It connects the study of script analysis to creating complex characters or theatrical designs. In addition, a solid foundation of fundamental skills learned through a variety of performance as well as technical theatre courses will help the student build confidence and emphasize the importance of responsibility, dedication, collaboration and commitment. The AA-T in Theatre Arts degree provides lower division preparation for students planning to transfer into baccalaureate level Theatre Arts programs. The Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) is a special degree offered at California Community Colleges. Students who earn an AA-T or AS-T degree are guaranteed admission to a campus within the California State University (CSU) system, although not necessarily to a specific campus or major. Students who complete an AA-T or AS-T are given priority consideration when applying to a particular program that is similar to the student’s community college major and will be given a special GPA advantage when applying to CSU impacted campuses or majors. Students who are planning to pursue an AA-T or AS-T are strongly advised to meet with a counselor for additional information about this transfer program. The Cuesta College AA-T/AS-T degree requires: (1) Completion of 60 semester units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following: (A) California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC). (B) A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district. (2) Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0. (3) Earning a “C” or better grade in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis. A "P" (Pass) grade is an acceptable grade for courses in the major.
Theatre Arts Pathways
Pathways listed below are for the catalog year 2026-2027. Maps for previous years are available on each pathway page. What is a catalog year?
Featured Careers
Find your calling. Explore high-earning careers with entry-level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Actors
No high school diploma/GED, Bachelor's degree
- Job growth: Stable
- Low salary: 0
- High salary: 0
- Average salary: 0
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
Master's degree, Doctoral degree
- Job growth: Stable
- Low salary: 47,040
- High salary: 194,530
- Average salary: 80190
- Job growth:
- Low salary:
- High salary:
- Average salary:
All Careers in Theatre Arts (11)
| Media Programming Directors | Bachelor's degree, High school diploma/GED | Rising | 83,480 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media Technical Directors/Managers | Bachelor's degree | Rising | 83,480 |
| Producers and Directors | Bachelor's degree, High school diploma/GED | Rising | 83,480 |
| Talent Directors | Bachelor's degree, Associate's degree | Rising | 83,480 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | Master's degree, Doctoral degree | Stable | 80,190 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | Some college, Bachelor's degree | Stable | 60,560 |
| Choreographers | High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school | Stable | 55,600 |
| Actors | No high school diploma/GED, Bachelor's degree | Stable | |
| Dancers | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Rising | |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | - n/a | - n/a | |
| Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other | - n/a | - n/a |
Program Pathways Mapper incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes help you work towards your educational goals.
- Demonstrate a knowledge in core theatre elements including Acting, Technical Theatre, and Theatre History.
- Demonstrate acting techniques in a performance setting.
- Exhibit fundamental knowledge of play structure and analysis.
