School of Music, Theatre
and Dance

Varner Hall, Room 207
371 Varner Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4485
(location map)
Academic Office: (248) 370-2030
Box Office: (248) 370-3013
Fax: (248) 370-2041
smtd@oakland.edu

image of a young man playing the drum set in an orchestral group

Non-Major Offerings

The School of Music, Theatre and Dance offers many opportunities for students who are not SMTD majors to continue their performing arts experiences and education.

Music
The School of Music, Theatre and Dance offers many opportunities for students who are not SMTD majors to continue their performing arts experiences and education. The music program offers an Auditioned Minor, which consists of classes designed for music majors, and a Liberal Arts Minor in Music, which does not require an audition and consists of music classes open to non-majors. The program also offers minors in Jazz and World Music.

These programs can be combined with any other degree and offer students an opportunity to keep a special kind of balance in their life, both while at college and later in their career. And many employers recognize that musicians are self-motivated, self-disciplined and at ease with complex thought patterns. The minors can also be successfully combined with other OU programs to fulfill the requirements of OU’s Bachelor of Integrative Studies degree, which, with an adviser’s help allows students to custom design their own combinations of study disciplines.

Many of our music ensembles, including the Grizz Band, are open to majors and non-majors alike. In addition, many SMTD courses help non-majors fulfill their General Education requirements.
Theatre
The Department of Music, Theatre and Dance offers many opportunities for students who are not MTD majors to continue their performing arts experiences and education. The theatre program offers a minor in Theatre, with a focus on design, performance or theatre history.

These programs can be combined with any other degree and offer students an opportunity to keep a special kind of balance in their life, both while at college and later in their career, and many employers appreciate the self-motivation and self-discipline implied by performance training. The minor can also be successfully combined with other OU programs to fulfill the requirements of OU’s Integrative Studies degree, the BIS, which, with an adviser’s help, allows students to custom design their own combinations of study disciplines.

Non-majors may also audition for or volunteer to be part of the crew for our theatre productions. A list of theatre performance opportunities is available online, and information is posted throughout the year on the theatre call board, located in Varner Hall on the first floor. 

In addition, many MTD courses help non-majors fulfill their General Education requirements.
Dance
The School of Music, Theatre and Dance offers many opportunities for students who are not SMTD majors to continue their performing arts experiences and education.

The dance program offers a minor in dance which can be combined with any other degree. This offers students an opportunity to keep a special kind of balance in their life, both while at college and later in their career. And many employers appreciate the self-motivation and self-discipline implied by performance training. The minors can also be successfully combined with other OU programs to fulfill the requirements of OU’s Integrative Studies degree, the BIS, which, with an adviser’s help, allows students to custom design their own combinations of study disciplines, read more about Integrative Studies.

The dance ensemble Oakland Dance Theatre (ODT) is open to all Oakland students through auditions in the first week of school in September.

In addition, many MTD courses help non-majors fulfill their General Education requirements.