Program Overview

Major in Theatre, Lighting Design and Technology Concentration

The B.A. in Theatre, Lighting Design and Technology Concentration, allows students to express their creativity and artistry as they learn how to be lighting designers, engineers, and technicians for stage, television, live productions, and film. In addition to a robust curriculum of lighting design, students are required to explore other fields of design (such as projection design, sound design, costume design, or set design) to better understand the collaborative effort of creating a world onstage. Students also take practicum classes where they put the skills learned in design courses to use, working on departmental productions and/or live events design teams.

Concentration-Level Learning Objectives

In addition to four B.A. in Theatre Learning Objectives, the Lighting Design and Technology Concentration includes the following unique learning objectives:

1. LIGHTING DESIGN and TECHNOLOGY FOR THEATRE, FILM, and INDUSTRY: Explore the specific techniques that lighting designers use to develop and communicate their ideas through research, synthesis of skills including drafting, computerized/virtual reality pre-visualization, automated lighting programming, and application of emerging technologies with a robust understanding of how the lighting designer supports, collaborates, and interacts with the creative team.
2. DESIGN ARTISTRY: Develop an understanding of the Lighting Designer as a collaborative artist, creative visionary, and technician, and by practicing organizational, design, and technical skills to realize a show from concept to production and building a portfolio of creative design and/or technical work.

Career Opportunities

Lighting design and technology offers students several ways to express their creativity and artistry:

• Lighting designers for theatre, musicals, opera, or dance
• Lighting engineers for stage, television, and film
• Lighting technicians for stage, dance, live productions, television, and film

Admission Criteria

In addition to applying to CSU, a successful interview with CSU Theatre faculty is required to enter the Theatre Design and Technology Concentrations.

Program Requirements

The program requires a total of 120 credits, including:

• Freshman: 28 credits
  • CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2)
  • TH 140: Text Analysis
  • TH 160: Drawing for Theatre
  • TH 161: Stagecraft
  • TH 186: Theatre Practicum I--Crew Assignment
  • TH 192: First Year Seminar--Telling Your Story
  • Select two of the following courses: ART 100, D 110, MU 100
• Sophomore: 30 credits
  • TH 242: World Theatre History I
  • TH 243: World Theatre History II
  • TH 260: Computer Assisted Drafting for Theatre
  • TH 262: Stage Management I
  • TH 264: Lighting Design I
  • TH 268: Projection Design I
  • TH 269B: Makeup and Hair Design I: Designers
  • TH 286: Theatre Practicum II--Shop Assignment
  • Biological and Physical Sciences
• Junior: 33 credits
  • TH 364: Lighting Design II
  • TH 386C: Theatre Practicum III: Assistant Designer Applied
  • Select one course from the following: TH 301A, TH 301B, TH 301C
  • Select one course from the following: TH 344, TH 345, TH 382A, TH 479, TH 487
  • Select one of the following: TH 486A, TH 486B
  • Advanced Writing
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Historical Perspectives
  • Upper-Division Electives
• Senior: 29 credits
  • TH 371: Musical Theatre History and Repertory I
  • TH 460: Design Portfolio and Professional Preparation
  • TH 486C: Theatre Practicum IV: Lead Designer--Applied
  • Select one course from the following: TH 362, TH 368
  • Select one course from the following: TH 401A, TH 401B, TH 401C
  • Upper-Division Electives

Major Completion Map

The major completion map outlines the required courses for each semester:

• Semester 1: CO 150, TH 161, TH 186, TH 192, select one course from ART 100, D 110, MU 100
• Semester 2: TH 140, TH 160, select one course from ART 100, D 110, MU 100, 1B, 1C
• Semester 3: TH 242, TH 260, TH 264, TH 268, TH 286, Biological and Physical Sciences
• Semester 4: TH 243, TH 262, TH 269B, select one of the following: TH 386A, TH 386B, Biological and Physical Sciences
• Semester 5: TH 386C, select one course from TH 301A, TH 301B, TH 301C, Advanced Writing, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Historical Perspectives, Upper-Division Elective
• Semester 6: TH 364, select one course from TH 344, TH 345, TH 382A, TH 479, TH 487, select one of the following: TH 486A, TH 486B, Upper-Division Electives
• Semester 7: TH 371, select one course from TH 362, TH 368, select one course from TH 401A, TH 401B, TH 401C, Upper-Division Electives
• Semester 8: TH 460, TH 486C, Upper-Division Electives

Program Total Credits

The program requires a total of 120 credits, with at least 42 credits being Upper-Division (300- to 400-level).