Courses and Requirements for Theatre Arts Majors and Minors
Major Courses and Requirements
The course requirements for students pursuing a Theatre Arts option within the Department of Speech Communication are held to a minimum, with the intention of allowing the student (and their faculty advisor) to devise a program most suited to the student's specific needs and objectives.
Areas of concentration within theatre Arts are possible, but not necessary. Working within a liberal arts framework and perspective, all undergraduate theatre students are expected to complete coursework and demonstrate basic knowledge in two general areas of study:
1. Theatre History, Dramatic Literature, Theory & Criticism
2. Design/Technical, Performance
In addition, theatre arts students must demonstrate production skills through participation in University Theatre shows on the Withycombe Hall Main stage and/or in the Withycombe Hall Lab Theatre. Academic credit may be earned for selected University Theatre production experiences via TA 250 of TA 350 (Theatre Workshop), or in certain cases TA 406 (projects).
Faculty approval for any production-related credit MUST be secured
prior to registration. In most cases production related credits do not
apply toward student's work toward a Theatre Arts option or minor but may,
within certain limits, count toward their university-required electives.
(A minimum of 24 hours of elective courses are required by the University for graduation. At least half of the elective courses must be in courses from outside the Department of Speech Communication.)
Note: Grades for all TA courses used for a major or minor must be at least C-. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for all courses applied to the major/minor. A maximum of 60 term credits hours may be included in either departmental or interdepartmental majors.
Theatre Arts Core Requirements
(The following courses are required of all students pursuing a Theatre Arts Option within a Speech Communication major.)
TA 144 Play Reading (2 credits)*
TA 147 Introduction to the Theatre (3 credits)
TA 244 Scenecrafts (3 credits)
TA 247 Stage Makeup (3 credits)
TA 248 Fundamentals of Acting (3 credits)
TA 344 Playscripts Analysis (3 credits)
* Must be taken twice-1 credit per term
In addition to the requirements of the Theatre Arts core students must complete course work as indicaated in the following two areas.
Theatre Arts Area of Study # 1
(Minimum of 15 credit hours required.)
Theatre History, Dramatic Literature, and Theory & Criticism
History of Theatre Arts
TA 330 Greek to Italian Renaissance (3 credits)
TA 331 Elizabethan English to 1875 (3 credits)
TA 332 (WIC) Modern (3 credits)
Dramatic Literature
TA 360 (DPD) Multicultural American Theatre (3 credits)
Theory & Criticism
TA 444 (WIC) Theory & Criticism of Theatre Arts (3 credits)
TA 407
Special seminars in Theatre History, Dramatic Literature, Theory & Criticism. As offered and applicable.
Special Studies in Theatre History, Dramatic Literature, Theory & Criticism (as arranged with Faculty).
TA 401 Research (3 credits)
TA 402 Independent Study (3 credits)
TA 405 Reading and Conference (3 credits)
Theatre Arts Area of Study # 2
(Minimum of 21 credit hours required.)
Design, Technical and Performance
Design & Technical Theatre
TA 242 Visual Principals of Theatre (3 credits)
TA 243 Principals of Costuming (3 credits)
TA 245 Stage Lighting (3 credits)
TA 346 Scene and Stage Design (3 credits)
TA 464 Theatre Management (3 credits)
Performance
TA 249 Fundamentals of Acting II (3 credits)
TA 321 Advanced Oral Interpretation (3 credits)
TA 348 Advanced Acting: Realism (3 credits)
TA 349 Advanced Acting: Styles (3 credits)
TA 351 Principles of Playwriting (3 credits)
TA 352 Playwriting Workshop (3 credits)
TA 354 Fundamentals of Play Direction (3 credits)
TA 454 Advanced Play Direction (3 credits)
Topics in Theatre Arts (as offered and applicable.)
TA 416 Topics (3 credits)
Special studies in Design, Technical & Performance
TA 406 Projects
TA 408 Workshop
TA 410 Internship
TA 450 Studio--Theatre Arts
Theatre Arts Option Total Hours= Minimum of 53 (17 Theatre core classes + 15 credits in study area 1 + 21 credits in study area 2)
(You must have a minimum of
24 upper division credit hours. These 24 from can be from either area 1 or 2.)
Maximum of 60 credit hours Hours include both areas and the Theatre Arts core.
Electives
A minimum of 24 hours of elective courses are required by the University for graduation. At least half of the elective hours must be in courses from outside of the Department of Speech Communication.
Departmental Electives(may apply toward university required electives but not TA option requirements.)
TA 250 Theatre Workshop (production and Faculty Supervisor
TA 350 Workshop
Communication Area Elective
More workshop credits can be taken, but only 12 credits can be counted toward graduation.
Electives Outside the Theatre Department
Some recommendations
ENG 105 Introduction to Lit. Drama (3 credits)
ENG 201,202,203 Shakespeare (3 credits per class)
ENG 320 American Drama (3 credits)
ENG 411-413 Development of Drama (3 credits per class)
ENG 414-416 Literary Criticism (3 credits per class)
ENG 436-438 Advanced Shakespeare (3 credits per class)
ENG 442 Yeats and Irish Drama (3 credits)
AIHM 225-227 Apparel Construction (3 credits per class)
AIHM 250 Fundamentals of Textiles (3 credits per class)
AIHM 270 Fashion & Society (3 credits)
AIHM 319, 320 Comp. Assisted Design & Drafting (3 credits)
AIHM 321 Fashion Illustration & Design (3 credits)
AIHM 327 Flat Pattern Design (4 credits)
AIHM 360 Twentieth Century Fashion (3 credits)
AIHM 427 Draping (4 credits)
AIHM 429 Adv. Problems in Apparel Deign (3 credits)
AIHM 461, 462 History of the Near Environment (4 creidts per class)
MUS 185 Voice Class (1 credit)
MUS 169,369 Opera Workshop (1 credit)
ART 131 Drawing (4 credits)
ART 204-206 Introduction to Western Art History (3 credits per class)
ART 222 Graphic Design (3 credits)
ART 360-366 History of Art (3 credits per class)
ART 367 History of Design (3 credits)
All theatre students should also be aware of courses in other departments with particular relevance to the study of theatre.
Opportunities exist as well to satisfy Baccalaureate Core Requirements or College of LIberal Arts Core Requirements with classes pertinent to the study of theatre.
Final Note: All theatre majors and minors must at some time in their undergraduate training:
1: Serve on a running crew for a Main stage production.
2:Serve as a stage manager or assistant director for a Main stage of Lab production.
3:Perform in a major or minor role in a Main stage or Lab production.
Theatre Minor Program
Students minoring in Theatre Arts must complete the following basic course work:
TA 144 Play reading (2 credits) must be taken twice at one credit per term.
TA 147 Introduction to Theatre (3 credits)
TA 244 Scenecrafts (3 credits)
TA 248 Fundamentals of Acting (3 credits)
TA 344 Playscript Analysis (3 credits)
Additional Courses for Theatre Minor
The student must complete an additional 15 credits in theatre arts, 12 of which must be at the upper division level. Production credits (TA 250/350) may
not be counted toward the minor.
Theatre Arts minors are strongly encouraged to participate fully in University Theatre productions, backstage, on stage, and in stage management.
