Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
Students who major in Theatre Arts experience how live theatre explores important ideas, portrays the vastness of human emotions, and promotes the vitality of storytelling. The BA Theatre Arts Program at Cal Poly provides students with a foundation in the theory and practice of theatre, allowing them to participate in a comprehensive, hands-on training program that delivers a balanced and enriched knowledge of theatre arts: history, dramatic literature, playwriting, performing, production, directing, design, and administrative practices. Participation in mainstage productions, as actors and members of the artistic/production crew, is a key component of each student's education. As a small program, the Theatre Arts B.A. allows faculty to get to know students' abilities and needs as individuals; promoting the selection of special projects, electives, and interests that mesh with their career ambitions. The program is delivered within a Liberal Arts framework, intended to advance the value of collaboration at all levels of study; designed to not only produce theatre artists with strong written and verbal skills, but also globally minded citizens, prepared to enter into a variety of fields. And, as Theatre majors, students participate as members of a community which promotes the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion – practicing and advocating openness, respect, and fairness.
Program Learning Objectives
- Students will develop a fundamental knowledge of theatrical history, as well as dramatic literature, with the goal of recognizing and understanding the contributions to knowledge and civilization that have been made by members of diverse cultural and gender groups [including] historically marginalized people in the United States and across the world.
- Students will acquire skills in script/text analysis.
- Students will demonstrate the theoretical precepts found in both production and performance.
- Students will be exposed to a variety of theatrical skills and apply this knowledge in practical, Learn-By- Doing situations.
- Students will practice values and ethics that foster an inclusive environment where theatrical activity can flourish.
- Students will develop written proficiency in a wide variety of assignments.
Degree Requirements and Curriculum
In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:
- 40 units of upper-division courses
- 2.0 GPA
- Graduation Writing Requirements (GWR)
- U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)
Note: No Major or Support courses may be selected as credit/no credit. In addition, no more than 12 units of cooperative or internship courses can count towards your degree requirements.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MAJOR COURSES | ||
| TH 1145 | Mainstage Rehearsal and Performance I | 3 |
| or TH 1155 | Mainstage Production I | |
| TH 2201 | First Year Theatre Experience | 3 |
| TH 2220 | Acting I | 3 |
| TH 2225 | Costume Construction I | 3 |
| Select from the following: (3A) 1 | 3 | |
| Theatre History I | ||
| Theatre History II | ||
| TH 2230 | Stagecraft I | 3 |
| TH 2290 | Dramaturgy and Playwriting | 3 |
| TH 2295 | Foundations in Theatrical Design | 3 |
| TH 3305 | Diversity in U.S. Theatre (Upper-Division 3) (USCP) (GWR) 1 | 3 |
| TH 3325 | Costume Construction II | 3 |
| or TH 3330 | Stagecraft II | |
| TH 4430 | Scenic Design | 3 |
| or TH 4432 | Costume Design | |
| TH 4450 | Directing | 3 |
| TH 4461 | Senior Project - Seminar | 3 |
| Lower-Division Major Electives | ||
| Select from the following: | 9 | |
| Voice and Movement I | ||
| Theatre History I | ||
or TH 2228 | Theatre History II | |
| Improvisational Theatre | ||
| Introduction to Stage Management | ||
| Lighting Design Fundamentals | ||
| Technology in Theatrical Design and Production | ||
| Scenic Painting | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Stage Make-Up | ||
| Internship | ||
| Upper-Division Major Electives | ||
| Select from the following: | 18 | |
| Voice and Movement II | ||
| Acting II | ||
| Costume Construction II | ||
| Stagecraft II | ||
| Mainstage Rehearsal and Performance II | ||
| Seminar in Playwriting | ||
| Mainstage Production II | ||
| Theatre for Young Audiences | ||
| Costume History | ||
| Body Awareness and Expression | ||
| Global Theatre and Performance | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates | ||
| Acting in Musical Theatre | ||
| Scenic Design | ||
| Costume Design | ||
| Special Advanced Topics | ||
| Special Advanced Laboratory | ||
| Advanced Internship | ||
| SUPPORT COURSES | ||
| ENGL 3339 | Introduction to Shakespeare | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (GE) | ||
| (See GE program requirements below) | 37 | |
| FREE ELECTIVES | ||
| Free Electives 2 | 14 | |
| Total Units | 120 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.
- 2
If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
General Education (GE) Requirements
- 43 units required, 6 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
- If any of the remaining 37 Units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
- See the complete GE course listing.
- A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning).
| Lower-Division General Education | ||
| Area 1 | English Communication and Critical Thinking | |
| 1A | Written Communication | 3 |
| 1B | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| 1C | Oral Communication | 3 |
| Area 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | |
| 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| Area 3 | Arts and Humanities | |
| 3A | Arts (3 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| 3B | Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English | 3 |
| Area 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) | |
| 4A | American Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement) | 3 |
| 4B | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| Area 5 | Physical and Life Sciences | |
| 5A | Physical Sciences | 3 |
| 5B | Life Sciences | 3 |
| 5C | Laboratory (may be embedded in a 5A or 5B course) | 1 |
| Area 6 | Ethnic Studies | |
| 6 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Upper-Division General Education | ||
| Upper-Division 2/5 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning or Physical and Life Sciences | 3 |
| Upper-Division 3 | Arts and Humanities (3 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| Upper-Division 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) | 3 |
| Total Units | 37 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.