2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Major in Theatre (BFA)

80-87 credits

Complete one professional specialization

Departmental Core, 10 credits

Students must take DOTD 180 for 2 credits.

CFA 111Introduction to the College of Fine Arts

1

CFA 222Creating Your Career: Essential Skills and the Arts

1

DOTD 103The Art of Storytelling

1

DOTD 180First Year Practicum in Theatre and Dance

1

DOTD 201Building Worlds Through Design and Collaboration

2

DOTD 301Art, Communities, and Social Consciousness

2

CFA 333Transition to the Profession: Careers In, Around, and Beyond the Arts

1

Total Credit Hours:10

Theatre Major Core, 18 credits

THEA 104Script Analysis

3

THEA 220Stagecraft

3

THEA 317Pre-Modern Theatre History to 1700

3

THEA 319Theatre History 2

3

THEA 435IDEAs in Theatre

3

Total Credit Hours:15

BFA Theatre Core Acting, 3 credits from

Acting and Musical Theatre concentration students must take THEA 232. Design and Technology students must take THEA 230

THEA 230Introduction to Acting

3

THEA 232Acting for the Preprofessional

3

Total Credit Hours:3

Acting concentration, 58 credits

The Acting BFA concentration is designed as a pre-professional, conservatory style program within a liberal arts education. Curriculum and performance opportunities are designed to prepare students for careers in theatre and/or advanced training at quality graduate schools or conservatories. Acting students are selected for this degree program by audition. In addition, acting students must have yearly interviews and pass yearly juried auditions every semester. Students failing to pass a jury at the end of each semester are considered to be on probationary status; any student failing a jury or not maintaining the appropriate degree program grade-point average for a second semester will be dropped from the program. Students are required to audition for all mainstage production season shows except fall of freshman year and spring of senior year. Students may opt out of auditions for Chicago Showcase, New York Showcase, and the L.A. Experience. All seniors must complete the three-credit One Person Show offered as THEA 434 in the spring of their senior year.

Required courses, 56 credits

THEA 341 must be taken twice in the sophomore year and twice in the junior year for a total of 4 credits. THEA 280 must be taken for a total of 8 credits. THEA 434 will be taken for 3 credits as the Senior One Person Show.

THEA 233Acting 2

3

THEA 236Singing for the Actor

3

THEA 238Dialects in Performance

2

THEA 280Theatre Practicum

.5-3

THEA 332Freshman Performance Lab

1

THEA 333Introduction to Voice and Movement

2

THEA 334Studio 1

3

THEA 335Studio 2

3

THEA 336Studio 3

3

THEA 337Studio 4

3

THEA 338Studio 5

3

THEA 339Studio 6

3

THEA 341Acting Master Class

1

THEA 430Studio 7

3

THEA 431Studio 8

3

THEA 432Studio 9

3

THEA 433Studio 10 - Industry

3

THEA 434Immersion Experience

1 TO 12

Total Credit Hours:56

Electives, 2 credits from:

THEA 250Introduction to Directing

3

THEA 251Directing 1

3

THEA 434Immersion Experience

1 TO 12

DOTD 496Directed Study in Theatre and Dance

1-9

DOTD 499Internship in Theatre or Dance

1-9

Total Credit Hours:58

 

Design and technology concentration, 52-53 credits

The BFA in Design and Technology is a pre-professional training program which endeavors to prepare the student for immediate, active, meaningful, and competitive work in the industry. This program allows the student to focus in one or more of the following areas: scenic design/technology, costume design/technology, hair/makeup design/technology, lighting design/technology, and/or sound design/technology. Students will be selected for admission into this program based on a portfolio review and interview. Design and technology concentration students must pass a portfolio review at the end of each semester and must pass an exit portfolio review at the end of the senior year to complete the concentration. Students failing to pass a portfolio review at the end of one academic semester are considered on probationary status for the concentration. Those failing to pass a portfolio review at the end of the succeeding semester will be dropped from the concentration.

BFA Design and Technology Core, 20 credits

THEA 380 must be taken for 5 credits, THEA 434 must be taken for 3 credits

THEA 106Styles and Concept

3

THEA 123Elements of Theatrical Composition

3

THEA 250Introduction to Directing

3

THEA 321Rendering for the Theatre

3

THEA 380Advanced Theatre and Dance Practicum

1-9

THEA 434Immersion Experience

1 TO 12

Total Credit Hours:20

BFA Design and Technology Introductory Electives, 11-12 credits from:

THEA 221Technical Direction 1

3

THEA 223Costume Design and Technology 1

3

THEA 229Stage Makeup Design and Technology 1

2

THEA 320Scenic Design and Technology 1

3

THEA 326Lighting Design and Technology 1

3

THEA 327Sound Design and Technology 1

3

Total Credit Hours:11-12

BFA Design and Technology Advanced Electives, 6 credits from:

THEA 420Scenic Design and Technology 2

3

THEA 423Costume Design and Technology 2

3

THEA 426Lighting Design and Technology 2

3

THEA 427Sound Design and Technology 2

3

THEA 428Technical Direction 2

3

THEA 429Stage Makeup Design and Technology 2

3

Total Credit Hours:6

BFA Design and Technology electives, 15 credits from:

Courses taken for introductory and advanced elective sections cannot be counted here.

THEA 221Technical Direction 1

3

THEA 222Photoshop for Theatre

3

THEA 223Costume Design and Technology 1

3

THEA 224Costume Form and Materials

3

THEA 225Theatrical Computer-Aided Drafting

3

THEA 226Stage Properties

3

THEA 229Stage Makeup Design and Technology 1

2

THEA 291Theatre Stage Management

3

THEA 299XExperimental/Developmental Topics

0 TO 12

THEA 320Scenic Design and Technology 1

3

THEA 326Lighting Design and Technology 1

3

THEA 327Sound Design and Technology 1

3

THEA 329Costume History

3

THEA 420Scenic Design and Technology 2

3

THEA 423Costume Design and Technology 2

3

THEA 426Lighting Design and Technology 2

3

THEA 427Sound Design and Technology 2

3

THEA 428Technical Direction 2

3

THEA 429Stage Makeup Design and Technology 2

3

DOTD 496Directed Study in Theatre and Dance

1-9

Up to one other THEA or DANC course not listed above as approved by the PDA or chairperson.

Total Credit Hours:52-53

 

Musical theatre concentration, 59 credits

Students are expected to take or place out of THEA 333. The Musical Theatre BFA concentration is designed as a pre-professional, conservatory style program within a liberal arts education. This interdisciplinary concentration requires course work in dance, music, and theatre. Curriculum and performance opportunities are designed to prepare students for careers in musical theatre and/or advanced training at quality graduate schools or conservatories. Musical theatre students are selected for this degree program by audition. In addition, musical theatre students must pass juried semester auditions in acting, dance, and singing. Students failing to pass a jury at the end of each semester are considered to be on probationary status; any student failing a jury or not maintaining the appropriate degree program grade-point average for a second semester will be dropped from the program. All students are to audition for all departmental production seasons except for fall of freshman year and spring of senior year. All seniors must take part in the THEA 434 Cabaret Class offered in the fall of their senior year.

BFA Musical Theatre Core Requirements, 39 credits

THEA 280 must be taken for a total of 6 credits. THEA 328, Voice Lessons, must be taken every semester for a total of 8 credits. THEA 434 will be taken for 3 credits as the Senior Musical Theatre Cabaret.

THEA 233Acting 2

3

THEA 270Basic Musicianship 1

2

THEA 271Basic Musicianship 2

2

THEA 272Sight Singing/Ear Training 1

1

THEA 280Theatre Practicum

.5-3

THEA 324Musical Theatre History

3

THEA 328Voice Lesson

1 TO 2

THEA 330Introduction to Voice and Movement for Musical Theatre

2

THEA 339Studio 6

3

THEA 368Musical Theatre Studio I - Ensemble

2

THEA 371Musical Theatre Studio II - Singing Actor

2

THEA 373Musical Theatre Studio IV - Auditions

2

THEA 434Immersion Experience

1 TO 12

Total Credit Hours:39

Musical Theatre Dance Requirement, 6 credits

DANC 240West African Forms 1

2

DANC 280Musical Theatre Dance 1

2

DANC 281Musical Theatre Dance 2

2

Total Credit Hours:6

Jazz Dance Requirement, 2 credits from:

DANC 130Jazz 1

2

DANC 230Jazz 2

2

DANC 330Jazz 3

2

Total Credit Hours:2

Tap Requirement, 2 credits from:

DANC 232Tap 2

2

DANC 332Tap 3

2

Total Credit Hours:2

Theatre Electives, 4 credits from:

THEA 229Stage Makeup Design and Technology 1

2

THEA 250Introduction to Directing

3

THEA 251Directing 1

3

THEA 273Sight Singing/Ear Training 2

1

THEA 372Musical Theatre Studio III - Scene Study

2

THEA 433Studio 10 - Industry

3

Total Credit Hours:4

Dance Electives, 2 credits from:

DANC 110Ballet 1

2

DANC 210Ballet 2

2

DANC 310Ballet 3

2

DANC 230Jazz 2

2

DANC 330Jazz 3

2

DANC 241Hip-hop Dance Forms 1

2

DANC 243West African Forms 2

2

DANC 244Hip Hop Dance Forms 2

2

Total Credit Hours:2

Theatre or Dance Electives: 4 hours from any courses in Theatre Electives or Dance Electives Above

Total Credit Hours:59

 

Total Credit Hours: 80-87