Jun 27, 2025  
2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Performing Arts (Music and Theatre)

Performing Arts

Faculty:
Allan - Chair, Bready, Cotter, O’Brien, and Robinson
Fine Arts Building • 417-625-9318

Mission

The Missouri Southern Department of Performing Arts is dedicated to cultivating creativity, critical thinking, and artistic excellence while serving the university and its community by providing access to music and theatre as a vocation or avocation. We empower students to explore their unique voices, engage with the community, and contribute meaningfully to the cultural landscape. Through rigorous education, performance, and technology with the goal of creating performing arts supporters, entrepreneurs, participants, and professionals in music and/or theatre, we prepare students for successful careers in the arts and beyond.

Performance Opportunities

Unique to Missouri Southern is the ability for all students, regardless of major, to participate in our musical ensembles and theatrical productions while receiving individualized instruction and opportunities to perform and contribute. Students may also participate in more than one performing arts area and are not limited to one area-choir, band, or theatre. These opportunities provide for a variety of immersive performance experiences making MSSU a great place to further students’ performing arts interests and abilities.

Features of our Department

  • Regardless of major, all students may participate in our ensembles and productions.
  • Domestic and travel abroad opportunities are available.
  • Participation in workshops, masterclasses, and seminars from national and international professionals in the performing arts.
  • Nurturing both vocational and avocational immersive experiences.

The Southern Division of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), meaning our degrees, certificates, courses, and ensembles have been rigorously reviewed by external music professionals and found to meet the highest standards. As a Missouri Southern music graduate, you will not only hold a degree that will be recognized for its rigor, but because of our ability to offer a variety of academic, programmatic, and performance opportunities, you will have the necessary experiences to enter the professional world of music education, performance, and industry with confidence.

 

Choral / Vocal Studies    

The Southern Choral and Vocal Studies Program provides our students, regardless of major, opportunities to perform a wide-ranging variety of music in an equally diverse number of ensembles, performances, and types of music.  Our ensembles include Concert Chorale (large mixed choir) and Chamber Singers (select mixed ensemble).  Southern vocalists compete alongside other state universities in competitions sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) where they have placed in the finals at the chapter, region, and national levels.

 

 

 

Instrumental Studies

The Instrumental Studies Program provides our students, regardless of major, opportunities to perform in a number of diverse instrumental ensembles geared specifically for a variety of music.  Our two athletic ensembles include the Lion Pride Marching Band and the Lion Pride Pep Band, while our concert ensembles include the Missouri Southern Concert Band and the Southern Jazz Orchestra.  Opportunities to perform in wind and brass chamber ensembles are also open to students. All of our other instrumental ensembles perform at a high-level while also creating a welcoming musical environment for all students.

 

 

 

 

Theatrical Studies

The Theatre Studies Program provides the actor and production crew member, regardless of major, the opportunity to perform in and work on a wide variety of theatrical productions written and produced for both the large and small stages.  Our productions include musicals, plays, children’s plays, and student-directed projects. 

 

 

 

 

Degrees / Certificates

With concentrations in education, performance, and industry, our degrees and certificates provide students the essential training and experience for a career in the performing arts. No matter what area of specialty, the skills learned at Missouri Southern will provide students with the necessary foundation for careers up graduation or for graduate study.

The Performing Arts Department offers a variety of degrees and certificates that provide a path for students to achieve their dreams in music and theatre!

Education

Performance

Industry

Elective Studies

Liberal Arts Degrees

Undergraduate Certificate Offerings - These can be paired with any of the above degrees, or with any other MSSU degree. They can also be earned separate from any degree.

Minors

Graduate Certificate Offerings - Our graduate certificates, which can be paired with the Master of Science in Education Curriculum and Instruction degree in Teacher Education, include:

General Education/Core 42

There are several Performing Arts courses available for consideration to fulfill both Area 2B and 5B of general education requirements.

Area 2B Oral Communications can be fulfilled by TH 0220 TH 0220 - Professional Interaction  

Area 5B Fine Arts can be fulfilled by 

 

What can you do with a performing arts degree or certificate

Education Degrees: Bachelor of Music Education / Bachelor of Science in Speech and Theatre / Certificate in Music Instruction / Certificate in Theatre Instruction / Graduate Certificate in Music Pedagogy / Certificate in Music Conducting prepares students to:

  • Conduct a choir, band, musical
  • Direct a choir, band, play, or musical
  • Teach at a community college
  • Teach elementary music
  • Teach secondary music - conduct a choir/conduct a band
  • Teach secondary speech/theatre - direct a play/direct a musical
  • Pursue a Music Therapy graduate degree

Performance Degrees: Bachelor of Music in Vocal, Instrumental, and Keyboard Performance / Bachelor of Fine Arts Theatre Performance / Bachelor of Musical Theatre / Certificate in Music Ensemble Performance / Certificate in Music Conducting / Certificate in Pit Orchestra Performance / Certificate in Musical Theatre prepares student to:

  • Accompany a choir, play in a band, orchestra, or combo
  • Teach applied music or theatre at a college or university
  • Perform in musicals, plays, opera, oratorios, rock bands
  • Perform as a pop, country, or session artist

Industry Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Music Industry / Bachelor of Science in Theatre Industry / Certificate in Arts Administration & Leadership / Certificate in Music Industry / Certificate in Theatre Industry prepares students to serve as an:

  • Acoustician
  • Arts administrator
  • Arts business manager
  • Audio technician
  • Designer: stage, lighting, costume, and set
  • Instrument repair technician
  • Talent Agent

Electives Studies Degree: Bachelor of Music with Elective Studies in an Outside Field

  • Music business
  • Music engineer
  • Music therapy
  • Music lawyer

For additional information contact:
Dr. Diana Allan • Music Building 206
417-625-9681 • Allan-d@mssu.edu

Programs

    Major Programs (Undergraduate)
    Certificates (Undergraduate)
    Certificates (Graduate)
    Minors (Undergraduate)
    Teacher Education Programs

    Courses

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