Ithaca College will stop enrolling new students in its theatre administration bachelor's program as it launches a broader creative industries major focused on leadership and management across the arts, media and other creative fields.
The college said the new Bachelor of Arts program carries forward the core education of the Bachelor of Science in Theatre Administration rather than eliminating it. Current theatre administration students may finish their existing degrees with full advising and curriculum support or move into the new program.
Creative Industries combines coursework and expertise in the arts, business, communications, media, leadership and entrepreneurship. Ithaca College said the interdisciplinary structure reflects careers that increasingly cross traditional industry boundaries.
Professor Angela Branneman, who has taught in and led the theatre management and administration program since 2007, helped develop the curriculum and is leading its implementation. The program will retain an emphasis on applied learning, professional practice, organizational leadership and arts advocacy.
The college said theatre administration has evolved before, including an earlier change from Theatre Arts Management. It said feedback from alumni and industry professionals informed the latest redesign as part of broader reviews and updates to academic programs.
Management and leadership education will remain within the theatre curriculum. The college also said it is developing additional opportunities involving production management and producing.
Ithaca College separately addressed concerns that the change was connected to new academic offerings in artificial intelligence. The college said the initiatives were developed independently and that it is not cutting arts education in favor of AI.
The new major is intended to extend access to management and leadership education to students whose interests reach beyond theatre while preserving a supported path to graduation for students already enrolled in the former program.
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