BC Theatre department-The Major

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The major is designed to provide undergraduates with a solid foundation of knowledge and skills, to prepare students thoroughly for graduate and/or professional work. In keeping with the University's liberal arts philosophy, the Department foundation classes offer a broad based theatrical education, rather than specialize in any one area as does a conservatory. It is our belief that a theatre professional needs to develop his or her overall knowledge and imagination, as well as master skills, in order to create art convincingly.

Boston College theatre students learn both through formal study and by application, in much the same manner that a science class requires laboratory work. Students are expected to apply lessons learned in the classroom to their work on departmental productions. Productions thus become a testing ground, an extension of the classroom which enables intellectual and applied exploration, reflection and growth. Students are then encouraged to bring those discoveries back to the classroom and use them to enrich understanding and appreciation of their continuing theatrical studies. At the center of all this theatrical understanding is an awareness of plays in production, that dramatic literature was written to be performed and that performance most often relies upon understanding and knowledge of the text. Departmental productions therefore also function to illuminate great drama, past and present, and to consider the larger questions and issues they express.

SPECIAL FEATURES FOR BOSTON COLLEGE STUDENT MAJORS

Theatrical arts in an undergraduate, liberal arts milieu
Opportunities for hands-on experience
Close faculty advisement designed to support individual student's goals and needs
Solid foundation of theatrical knowledge with advanced training in:

acting
directing
drama
history
theory
technical theatre
design
playwriting

Because we are an undergraduate department, students have ample opportunity to act, direct, design and stage manage. We expect our students to learn in the classroom, but also expect them to perform the tasks needed to produce and present plays; Boston College theatre students have special opportunities for hands-on experience, within the context of a liberal arts education! Auditions are not required for admission into the Theatre major.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE THEATRE MAJOR

Students must successfully complete twelve 3-credit classes in theatre and also six 1-credit Theatre Production Lab courses in order to graduate from Boston College with a major in Theatre. Students are expected to complete the following six classes by the end of their sophomore year. These provide the context and foundation of skills upon which more advanced courses are built:

Required for all majors:

Dramatic Structure and Theatrical Process CT062 (Introduction to Theatre for Majors)
Acting I CT101
Elements of Theatre Production I CT 140 Spring only
Elements of Theatre Production II CT141 (prereq: CT140) Fall only
History of Theatre I and II CT275 and CT276
6 credits of Theatre Production Laboratory CT145 (one credit each, taken 6 times) OR 4 credits of Theater Production Laboratory CT145 and one Theater Production Laboratory II (2 credits)
6 credits (2 courses) from the choices of Electives (see table below)
6 credits (2 courses) from the choices of Performance and Production (see table below)
6 credits (2 courses) from the choices of Dramatic Literature, Crit. & History (see table below)

Electives (choice of 2) 200+ level	Performance & Production (choice of 2) 300+ level	Dramatic Literature, Crit. & History (choice of 2) 300+ level
Acting & Performance courses Acting Techniques I (Linklater) Acting II: Characterization Black Performance Modes Performance Studies Dance Courses Beginning Ballet I Beginning Ballet II (by permission) Dance: An Invitation to the Sacred Dance for Musicals I Intermediate Ballet I (prereq: Ballet I) Intermediate Ballet II (by permission) Elements of Dance Stage Movement I Design Courses Scene Painting Computer Aided Drafting & Design Literature & Crit. Creative Dramatics The Critical Eye: Theatre in Boston Management Courses Principles of Theater Management Marketing the Arts Production Management Playwriting Playwriting I (**any courses from other two lists)	Acting & Performance courses Acting Techniques II (prereq: Acting I) Acting III (prereq: Acting II and either Acting Techniques I or II, or Stage Movement I or II) Dance Courses Choreography Dance: History and Performance Dance for Musicals II (prereq: Dance for Musicals I) Ritual and Performance (Dance) Stage Movement II (prereq: Stage Movement I) Design Courses Costume Design Lighting Design Stage Design Stage & Media Lighting Theatre Practicum/Design (by permission) Directing Directing I Directing II (prereq: Directing I) Theatre Practicum/Directing (by permission) Playwriting Playwriting II (prereq: Playwriting I)	Greek/Roman Theater and Drama Shakespeare on the Stage Experimental Theatre I & II American Theater and Drama Modern Theatre and Drama American Musical Theater Contemporary Theater & Drama Comedy and Tragedy Farce and Melodrama Chekhov in Performance

About two-thirds of our students also double major in other academic departments Although we do not offer a minor in Theatre, a concentration is available (see below) Students must then successfully complete four classes which are listed at 300 level or above, two of which are either in performance or production, and two of which are in dramatic literature, criticism or history.

3. The remaining two courses are electives, and students may select these courses from the theatre curriculum based upon their interests and needs.

4. In addition to the twelve 3-credit courses, majors are required to complete six credits of Theatre Production Laboratory. This can be done be taking either six 1 credit theatre production laboratory classes, or by taking four 1-credit and one 2-credit theatre production laboratory classes during a student's four years at Boston College, with no more than one taken per semester. Credits are earned for work on University Theatre productions only. Most are earned through crew or design work, though two may be earned by a student if he or she is cast in a designated lead role in a Mainstage production.

Though a minor is not offered, a six-course concentration in theatre is available through the Department. These courses include Introduction to Theatre or Dramatic Structure and Theatrical Process, Acting I, Elements of Theatre Production I, History of Theatre I or II, one 300-level elective in Performance or Production, one 300-level elective in Lit/Crit/History, and four theatre production laboratory credits. If interested, contact the Department Chair for more information.