Please reference the Undergraduate Bulletin for more info.
To declare or change a major, minor, or emphasis, fill out the SCU Registrar's Program Petition form.
Auditions are NOT needed to delare a Theatre Arts major.
Featured Classes - All Students
Featured Classes - Focus
BA Theatre Arts Major
Theatre Emphasis
The theatre emphasis offers coordinated courses in acting, design, theatre history, dramatic literature, technical production, directing, and playwriting. Students with this emphasis will have a broad foundation in theatrical practice and may choose to focus their study in any of the aforementioned areas.
The acting focus is designed specifically for the student who wishes to pursue the art of acting within the context of a Liberal Arts education. The basis for the acting philosophy is Stanislavski’s method of physical action.
Within the Theatre emphasis, students who wish to focus on Acting should take three of following required and/or elective courses:
THTR 120 Acting Styles I: Shakespeare
THTR 122 Acting Styles II: Acting for the Camera
THTR 123 Acting Styles III: Musical Theatre
THTR 124 Acting Styles IV: Scene Study and Dialects
THTR 125 Acting Styles V: Special Topics
Leading to
THTR 192 Senior Project: Performance
Students with an interest in the Design and Technology aspects of theatre receive hands-on training. Students work closely with faculty in the production process in our well-equipped scenic and costume shops and with state of the art lighting and sound equipment.
Within the Theatre emphasis, students who wish to focus on Design should take the following required and/or elective courses.
THTR 30 Introduction to Design (r)
THTR 130 Technical Design
THTR 131 Sound Design
THTR 132 Lighting Design
THTR 133 Scene Design
THTR 134 Costume Design
THTR 137 Pattern Drafting and Draping
THTR 138 Production Management
The Directing focus provides students the opportunity to direct a fully produced one act play and be part of the Department of Theatre and Dance One Act Play Festival. A series of courses and other requirements guides eventual directors to synthesize their knowledge and experience in many areas of theatre with skills of creativity, leadership and organization. Within the Theatre emphasis, students who wish to focus on Directing should take the following required and/or elective courses.
THTR 172 Literature and Performance
THTR 185 Dramaturgy (r)
THTR 186 Stage Directing
THTR 196 Senior Project: Directing
The playwriting focus explores, expands and explodes the dialogue between craft and imagination through a variety of writing techniques, the close reading of contemporary plays, and the writing/rewriting process.
Within the Theatre emphasis, students who wish to focus on Playwriting should take the following required and/or elective courses. Three of the following:
THTR 171 Advanced Playwriting
THTR 172 Literature and Performance
THTR 173 Screenwriting
Leading to participation in
THTR 190 New Playwrights' Festival
and/or
THTR 193 Senior Project: Playwriting
Performance Studies is an exciting field that critically examines the many ways in which culture, identity and life is performed on stage and in everyday life. Students will develop the skills necessary for interpreting the range of performances that construct and deconstruct identities, cultures (local and global), politics and history.
Within the Theatre emphasis, students who wish to focus on Performance Studies should take the following required and/or elective courses.
THTR 41A Critical Perspectives in Performance A (r)
THTR 42B Critical Perspectives in Performance B (r)
THTR 112 Topics in Theatre and Drama prior to 1700
THTR 113 Topics in Theatre and Drama after 1700
THTR 119 Shakespeare's Plays in Performance
THTR 151 Fashion, Politics, and issues of Gender
THTR 161 American Theatre from the Black Perspective
THTR 163 Theatre of Dissent: Social Movements, Migration, and Revolution in the Americas
THTR 167 Performing Identities: Staging Gender, Race & Class
THTR 172 Literature and Performance
Leading to
THTR 197 Senior Thesis
The Teaching Artist focus allows students to develop their teaching skills and pedagogical style through course work and hands-on experience as a peer educator to Theatre professors. Within the Theatre emphasis students who wish to focus on becoming a Teaching Artist should take the following required and/or elective courses.
Dance Emphasis
The dance emphasis focuses on technical dance training emphasizing modern dance, ballet and jazz. Students have multiple opportunities to choreograph original work culminating with senior dance recitals.
The performance focus offers the students many performance opportunities including but not limited to Senior recitals, Choreographers' Gallery, Images, Charisma-Anima Colllective, Abydos and the department Musical. Within the Dance emphasis, students who wish to focus on performance should take the following required or elective courses.
Within the Dance emphasis, students who wish to focus on Performance should take the following required and/or elective courses.
DANC 29/129 Rehearsal and Performance
DANC 140 Intermediate Advanced Ballet
DANC 141 Advanced Ballet
DANC 142 Intermediate Advanced Jazz Dance
DANC 145 Advanced Jazz Dance
DANC 146 Intermediate Advanced Modern/Contemporary Dance (r)
DANC 147 Advanced Modern/Contemporary Dance
DANC 148 Advanced Modern/Contemporary Dance II
DANC 192 Senior Project: Performance
The Choreography focus allows students to develop their choreographic voice through several classes and the opportunity to present a dance recital as their Senior Project. Within the Dance emphasis, students who wish to focus on Choreography should take the following required and/or elective courses.
DANC 49 Dance Composition (r)
DANC 147 Advanced Modern/Contemporary Dance
DANC 148 Advanced Modern/Contemporary Dance II
DANC 189 Social Justice and the Arts
DANC 193 Senior Project: Dance
The Teaching Artist focus allows students to develop their teaching skills and pedagogical style through course work and hands-on experience as a peer educator to Dance professors. Within the Dance emphasis, students who wish to focus on becoming a Teaching Artist should take the following required and/or elective courses.