Art and Design

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts

The Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts is a four-year degree programme that prepares students for careers in performance, directing, playwriting, and theatre production. The curriculum covers performance theory, theatre history, speech and movement, script analysis, play production, stage directing, indigenous theatre practices, dance, music theory, film analysis, theatre in education, theatre in community development, and theatre management. Students develop competencies in acting, directing, stagecraft, scriptwriting, movement, speech, theatre production, community theatre, and arts management.

The programme combines lectures, studio practice, performance workshops, and production projects. Graduates pursue careers as actors, directors, playwrights, theatre educators, arts administrators, stage managers, and community theatre practitioners. The programme is offered at Moi University (public, KSH 122,400 per year) and Kenyatta University (public, KSH 204,000 per year).

Accreditation is provided by the Commission for University Education (CUE), the statutory body responsible for quality assurance and regulation of university education in Kenya. Admission requires a KCSE mean grade of C+ with C+ in English or Kiswahili, consistent with KUCCPS cluster 3 requirements for social sciences and creative arts programmes. Skills RequiredActingDirectingPlaywritingStagecraftSpeech and movementScript analys

isTheatre productionCommunity theatreArts managementTheatre historyKey SubjectsPerformance TheoryTheatre HistorySpeech and MovementScript AnalysisPlay ProductionStage DirectingIndigenous Theatre PracticesDance TheoryTheatre in EducationTheatre ManagementCertificationsKenya Cultural Centre MembershipInternational Theatre Institute (ITI) Kenya ChapterSpecializationsPerformanceFocus on acting, movement, and speech for stage and screen.

DirectingFocus on stage directing, production management, and creative leadership. Playwriting and Script DevelopmentFocus on writing for stage, including script creation and interpretation. Community TheatreFocus on theatre for community development and social transformation.

Theatre in EducationFocus on using theatre as an educational tool in schools and communities.

Duration: 4 Years
Public, up to: Ksh 204,000
Private, up to: Ksh 242,800
Job market: Low

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 30 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Performance Theory
Theatre History
Speech and Movement
Script Analysis
Play Production
Stage Directing
Indigenous Theatre Practices
Dance Theory
Theatre in Education
Theatre Management

Modules

12 in the programme

Introduction to Performance
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Introduction to Performance: Foundational concepts and techniques of theatrical performance. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Culture and Society
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Culture and Society: Relationship between culture, society, and theatrical expression. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
History of Theatre
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
History of Theatre: Historical development of theatre from classical to contemporary traditions. Covers historical analysis, source evaluation, and interpretation of past events.
Integration in Performance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Integration in Performance: Integration of various performance elements in theatrical production. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Speech Theory and Practice
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Speech Theory and Practice: Voice production, articulation, and speech techniques for performance. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Movement Theory and Practice
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Movement Theory and Practice: Body movement, physical expression, and stage movement techniques. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Script Making and Interpretation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Script Making and Interpretation: Script analysis, interpretation, and creative writing for theatre. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Issues in Kenyan Theatre
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Contemporary issues and trends in Kenyan theatre practice. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tes...
Play Production
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Play Production: Practical aspects of producing and staging theatrical works. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Stage Directing
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Principles and practice of directing for the stage. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, cou...
Theatre Research Methods
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Theatre Research Methods: Research methodology for theatre studies, including dissertation preparation. Covers quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Theatre Project
Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore
Theatre Project: Final-year theatre production project, including performance and documentation. Involves independent research, data analysis, and scholarly writing under supervision.

Specialisations

Performance
Focus on acting, movement, and speech for stage and screen. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Directing
Focus on stage directing, production management, and creative leadership. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Playwriting and Script Development
Focus on writing for stage, including script creation and interpretation. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Community Theatre
Focus on theatre for community development and social transformation. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Theatre in Education
Focus on using theatre as an educational tool in schools and communities. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Theatre Management
Focus on arts administration, marketing, and theatre business management. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day combines lectures, studio practice, and performance workshops. Morning sessions cover theatre history, performance theory, and script analysis, while afternoons focus on movement, speech, play production, and stagecraft. Students rehearse for productions, develop original scripts, and participate in community theatre projects. Performance projects and industrial attachment provide practical experience in theatre companies and cultural institutions.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme combines theoretical study with extensive practical performance experience.
Offered at two public universities with affordable tuition compared to private institutions.
Graduates can pursue diverse careers in theatre, film, education, and cultural organisations.
Programme emphasises indigenous African theatre practices alongside global traditions.

Against it

Job market demand for theatre arts graduates is relatively low in Kenya.
Theatre careers often require building a personal brand and networking over many years.
Income in theatre can be irregular, especially for freelance performers and practitioners.
Limited number of professional theatre companies in Kenya restricts formal employment opportunities.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 73 art and design courses

Public189k to 204k

189k at University of Nairobi204k at Kenyatta University

Private243k to 243k

243k at Daystar University243k at Daystar University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU Theatre 204K, UoN 189K/yr. Daystar 242.8K/yr. CUEA unverified.

Government-sponsored students receive fee subsidies through KUCCPS. HELB loans are available for eligible students. Both Moi and Kenyatta universities offer internal bursaries for needy students.

Funding options

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
KUCCPS Government Sponsorship
University Scholarships

Scholarships

5 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
Government loanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities. Must demonstrate financial need.
University Internal Bursaries
University bursaryKenyan
Registered students demonstrating financial need at Moi University or Kenyatta University.
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
Government subsidyKenyan
Kenyan students who meet KUCCPS cluster cut-off points for cluster 3 programmes.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties pursuing undergraduate studies
Goethe-Institut Scholarship Programmes
Scholarship
Students and artists in cultural and performing arts

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+ (Plus)
Alternative entry: KCSE mean grade C+ with C+ in English or Kiswahili; OR KACE with two principal passes and one subsidiary pass with credit in English or Kiswahili; OR a relevant diploma from a recognised institution.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework30% of the mark
Written tests, essays, script analyses, and seminar presentations.
Practical Performance Assessment
Practical40% of the mark
Performance evaluations, production projects, and studio practice assessments.
End of Semester Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering theatre theory, history, and criticism.
Theatre Project
Project100% of the mark
Final-year theatre production project, including performance, documentation, and viva.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE), the statutory body responsible for quality assurance and regulation of university education in Kenya.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
CUE is the statutory body responsible for the accreditation and quality assurance of university programmes in Kenya.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Actor
Low demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 150,000
Performs in theatre productions, film, television, and corporate events.
Theatre Director
Low demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 180,000
Directs theatrical productions, overseeing creative vision and cast performance.
Playwright
Low demandKsh 25,000 to Ksh 120,000
Writes original scripts for stage, radio, and screen.
Theatre Educator
Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 120,000
Teaches drama and theatre in schools, colleges, or community programmes.
Arts Administrator
Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 140,000
Manages cultural organisations, theatre companies, or arts programmes.
Stage Manager
Low demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 110,000
Manages stage operations, technical coordination, and production logistics.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as actors, directors, playwrights, and theatre educators. Demand is low but growing with Kenya's expanding creative industry.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Stage Lighting Equipment
TechnicalPrimary
Lighting consoles and fixtures for stage productions.
Sound Systems
TechnicalPrimary
Audio equipment for theatre sound design and reinforcement.
Microsoft Office
Productivity
Productivity suite for scripts, production schedules, and arts administration.
Final Draft
Writing
Screenwriting and playwriting software for script development.
Google Workspace
Collaboration
Collaboration tools for production teams and arts organisations.

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Theatre arts is just about acting.
The programme covers directing, playwriting, production, community theatre, and arts management.
Theatre graduates cannot find jobs in Kenya.
Graduates work in theatre, film, television, education, corporate communication, and cultural organisations.
Theatre arts is an easy programme.
The programme requires rigorous training in performance, theory, production, and creative writing.
Theatre is a dying art form in Kenya.
Kenya's creative industry is growing with increasing demand for content in theatre, film, and digital media.