In addition to meeting General Education requirements, and all other degree requirements, including Senior Project, all theatre and performance majors must meet the following major requirements (54-66 credits).

Beginning with the class entering in Fall 2023, the Theatre and Performance major requires a Concentration to be declared no later than the fourth semester. 

Students who declare this major must earn a grade of C or higher in all courses required for the major, excluding the senior project. To progress in the major, students who do not meet this minimum grade standard must repeat the course(s).

Six foundation courses: 18 credits

  • THP 2020/Introduction to Theatre and Performance Studies: 3 credits
  • THP 2200/Theatre and Performance Production: 2 credits*
  • THP 2205/Shakespeare Then and Now: 3 credits
  • THP 2885/Theatre Histories I: 3 credits
  • THP 2890/Theatre Histories II: 3 credits
  • THP 2895/Production Practicum: 4 credits

*THP 2200 is a 1-credit course that must be taken twice (2 credits total). Transfer students need to take it only one time (1 credit).

Five elective courses: 16–20 credits

Students choose five electives in consultation with their faculty advisor. Independent studies and internships cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. The remaining three must include:

  • One upper level (3000-4000) THP elective

Synthesis courses: 12 credits

  • THP 3890/Junior Seminar: 4 credits
  • SPJ 4990/Senior Project I: 4 credits
  • SPJ 4991/Senior Project II: 4 credits

Students normally take the junior seminar (THP 3890) in the spring of their junior year, during which they develop and submit their senior project proposal for approval. The senior project is completed during the fall and spring of the senior year.

Internships and study abroad are highly recommended. Courses in other disciplines (outside the major) may count toward requirements for the major if approved in advance by the department chair.

Transfer students may meet some requirements for the major with courses taken elsewhere, subject to approval by the department chair and the registrar.

Concentrations and Senior Projects

Theatre and Performance majors must declare one of the following concentrations prior to enrolling in Junior Seminar. Each concentration requires particular courses, and the declared concentration will determine the nature of the student’s senior project. The number of students pursuing a particular concentration may be limited, and is subject to approval by the Theatre and Performance faculty. The concentration-specific requirements listed here should be completed prior to enrolling in Senior Project I, unless specified otherwise. Students should consult closely with their faculty advisor every semester to ensure that these courses have been completed successfully by the end of the junior year.

 The senior project in Theatre and Performance is a rigorous project which requires research and writing, regardless of concentration. All concentrations except Theatre History/Theory/Criticism require the execution of a creative project (such as the performance of a production or the writing of a script) as well as the following scholarly components: a statement of artistic aims, a contextual research essay, and a technical essay evaluating the process and results of the creative project. The concentration in Theatre History/Theory/Criticism does not require a creative component, and consists solely of a scholarly project.

In most cases, students must receive formal faculty approval of their specific senior project proposal by the end of the Junior Seminar. Acceptance of proposals is not automatic. It is dependent on adequate student preparation and fulfillment of required courses, as well as faculty availability and expertise. Students may be asked to submit an alternate proposal or take additional courses before proceeding.

Advanced students who plan to explore the intersections of two or more areas in their senior project should consult with their faculty advisor well in advance to shape an acceptable course of study and senior project.

 

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