Program Overview
Theatre Major
The Theatre Major is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in the art of theatre, including performance, design, management, history, literature, criticism, and theory.
Major Requirements (12 units)
- Introductory Courses (3 units):
- THEATRE 160-1 Introduction to Theatrical Performance
- THEATRE 160-2 Introduction to Theatrical Contexts and Research 1
- THEATRE 160-3 Introduction to Theatrical Design and Management
- Advanced Courses (9 units):
- Five courses in Theatre at the 200 level or above
- Four courses in Theatre at the 300 level or above
Additional Theatre Requirements
- At least 2 courses in each of the following areas:
- Performance (2 courses):
- THEATRE 171-0 Basic Acting
- THEATRE 211-0 Fundamentals of Stage Directing
- THEATRE 231-0 Theatre for Young Audiences
- THEATRE 252-0 Intermediate MT Techniques
- THEATRE 255-0 Creating the Musical
- THEATRE 256-0 Musicianship for Actors
- THEATRE 272-0 Voice for Shakespeare
- THEATRE 273-1, 2, 3 Acting I
- THEATRE 281-0 Intro to Playwriting
- THEATRE 310-0 Special Topics in Directing
- THEATRE 311-0 Advanced Stage Directing
- THEATRE 330-0 Special Topics in TYA
- THEATRE 332-1 The Art of Storytelling
- THEATRE 332-2 Advanced Storytelling
- THEATRE 333-1 Creative Drama
- THEATRE 333-2 Advanced Creative Drama
- THEATRE 343-0 Puppetry History & Performance
- THEATRE 350-0 Special Topics in Musical Theatre
- THEATRE 352-1 Advanced Music Theatre Techniques I
- THEATRE 352-2 Advanced Music Theatre Techniques II
- THEATRE 353-0 Musical Theatre Techniques for Non-Music Theatre Cert
- THEATRE 354-0 Musical Theatre Repertoire
- THEATRE 355-0 Advanced Creating the Musical
- THEATRE 356-0 Advanced Musicianship for Actors: Theatre Styles and Genres
- THEATRE 358-0 Showcase
- THEATRE 359-0 Senior Audition Techniques
- THEATRE 361-0 Partnered Swing Dancing
- THEATRE 362-0 Standing Down Straight for Actors
- THEATRE 373-1, 2, 3 Acting II: Analysis and Performance
- THEATRE 370-0 Special Topics in Acting
- THEATRE 372-0 Advanced Voice Styles
- THEATRE 374-0 Dialects for the Stage
- THEATRE 375-0 Advanced Acting Topics
- THEATRE 376-0 Intro to Acting for the Screen
- THEATRE 377-0 Topics in Acting for the Screen
- THEATRE 378-0 Advanced Acting for Screen
- THEATRE 380-0 Special Topics in Playwriting
- THEATRE 382-0 Playwriting Genres
- THEATRE 383-1, 2, 3 Advanced Playwriting Sequence
- Design/Management (2 courses):
- THEATRE 220-0 Introduction to Theatre Design
- THEATRE 221-1 Design Process: Scene
- THEATRE 221-2 Design Process: Costume
- THEATRE 221-3 Design Process: Lighting
- THEATRE 222-0 Stage Makeup
- THEATRE 223-0 Theatre Sound
- THEATRE 292-0 Introduction to Stage Management
- THEATRE 310-0 Special Topics in Directing
- THEATRE 319-0 Creative Process: Envisioning the Theatrical Figure
- THEATRE 321-1 Advanced Design Process: Scene
- THEATRE 321-2 Advanced Design Process: Costume
- THEATRE 321-3 Advanced Design Process: Lighting
- THEATRE 322-0 History of Costume and Decor
- THEATRE 323-0 Advanced Theatre Sound
- THEATRE 324-0 Scene Painting
- THEATRE 325-1 Drawing and Painting for the Theatre: Graphic Arts for the Stage Designer
- THEATRE 325-2 Drawing and Painting for the Theatre: Rendering the Theatrical Space
- THEATRE 325-4 Drawing & Painting for the Theatre: Drafting
- THEATRE 326-1 Drawing and Painting for the Theatre: Freehand Drawing
- THEATRE 326-2 Drawing and Painting for the Theatre: The Figure in Space
- THEATRE 327-0 Textile Arts and Crafts
- THEATRE 328-1 Period Pattern Drafting and Draping
- THEATRE 328-2 Period Pattern Drafting and Draping
- THEATRE 328-3 Period Pattern Drafting and Draping
- THEATRE 329-0 Computer Graphics for the Theatre Artist
- THEATRE 343-0 Puppetry History & Performance
- THEATRE 357-0 Orchestration
- THEATRE 390-0 Special Topics in Management
- THEATRE 392-0 Advanced Stage Management
- THEATRE 393-0 Production Management
- THEATRE 397-0 Theatre Marketing
- THEATRE 396-0 Theatre Management and Arts Leadership
- ART 210-0 Introduction to Drawing
- ART 220-0 Introduction to Painting
- ART 230-0 Introduction to Time Based Arts
- ART 240-0 Introduction to Sculpture
- ART 250-0 Introduction to Photography
- ART_HIST 232-0 Introduction to the History of Architecture: 1400 to Present
- DSGN 208-0 Design Thinking and Doing
- MUS_COMP 211-0 Class Composition
- MUS_TECH 300-0 Introduction to Music Technology
- RTVF 190-0 Media Construction
- RTVF 383-0 Introduction to Sound Production
- Performance (2 courses):
- At least 3 courses in the following area, with at least 1 taken in the Theatre department:
- History, Literature, Criticism, and Theory (3 courses):
- THEATRE 240-0 Special Topics in Theatre Studies
- THEATRE 241-1 Theatre History I: Pre-1650
- THEATRE 242-0 Topics in Shakespeare
- THEATRE 244-1 Modern & Contemp Theatre: Modern
- THEATRE 244-2 Modern & Contemp Theatre: Contemporary
- THEATRE 245-0 Theatre of the Americas
- THEATRE 253-0 Music Theatre History
- THEATRE 313-0 History of Directing
- THEATRE 340-0 Special Topics in Advanced Theatre Studies
- THEATRE 341-0 Theatre and Social Change
- THEATRE 342-0 Dramaturgy
- THEATRE 343-0 Puppetry History & Performance
- THEATRE 344-0 Gender & Performance
- THEATRE 345-0 African American Theatre
- THEATRE 346-0 Asian American Theatre
- THEATRE 347-0 Latinx Theatre
- THEATRE 348-0 Transnational Theatre
- CLASSICS 340-0 Greek and Roman Drama
- DANCE 201-0 Dance in/as Culture
- DANCE 215-0 Dance Histories
- DANCE 315-0 Dance Criticism
- DANCE 335-0 Special Topics in Dance Research
- ENGLISH 212-0 Introduction to Drama
- ENGLISH 234-0 Introduction to Shakespeare
- ENGLISH 312-0 Studies in Drama
- ENGLISH 322-0 Medieval Drama
- ENGLISH 332-0 Renaissance Drama
- ENGLISH 339-0 Studies in Shakespeare
- FRENCH 272-0 Introducing Theatre
- FRENCH 279-0 Theater in Translation
- GNDR_ST 362-0 Gender, Sexuality, and Drama
- GNDR_ST 372-0 Gender, Sexuality, and Performance
- GERMAN 324-0 Modern German Drama
- PERF_ST 200-0 Introduction to Performance Studies
- PERF_ST 305-0 Performance Theory
- PERF_ST 321-0 Performance, Sex, and Censorship
- PERF_ST 336-0 Latino/a Performance
- RTVF 322-0 Radio/Television/Film Genre
- SLAVIC 369-0 Russian Drama
- History, Literature, Criticism, and Theory (3 courses):
School Requirements (1 unit)
First-Year Seminar (1 unit)
- CMN 101-0 SoC First Year Seminar: Interdisciplinary Topics in Communication Arts & Sciences
SoC Capstone
This requirement can be fulfilled by CMN 398-1 and accompanying lab CMN 398-2. Other courses may be appropriate as substitutions for the CMN 398 combination. Students can consult with their SoC academic advisor if they have questions about appropriate substitutions.
- CMN 398-1 SoC Capstone: Lecture
- CMN 398-2 SoC Capstone: Lab
Additional Requirements (29 units)
Distribution Requirements (18 units)
18 units of credit outside the department, including 2 units of credit from science, mathematics, and technology and 3 each from individual and social behavior and humanities and fine arts.
Electives (11 units)
Electives in communication and other areas to complete a minimum of 42 units of credit.
Courses Outside Communication
6 courses outside Communication, including three 200-level courses, and three 300-level courses. Courses taken to satisfy this requirement may fulfill distribution or elective course requirements.
Honors in Theatre
The honors program provides theatre majors who have demonstrated records of academic achievement with the opportunity to explore a sustained project in their senior year. It exposes majors to the rigors of research and creative work comparable with graduate-level programs in theatre studies and offers preparation for future graduate-level study. Projects may be proposed in any area of the theatre department’s pursuits (design, directing, choreography, performance, history, criticism, or playwriting), provided that supervisory personnel is available and willing to participate, and provided that appropriate facilities are available.
Eligibility for the honors program will be determined by the faculty. Contact the theatre department for more information.