Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts with a major or minor in theatre is a comprehensive theatre degree offered in cooperation with the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Candidates for the degree must complete the general education requirements of the Division of Humanities of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the diversity requirement in addition to the requirements for the major prescribed by the School of Theatre. A total of 128 units is required for completion of the degree, of which four units must meet the university's diversity requirement. Sixty-four units of general education courses and 52 units of theatre courses with 12 units of free electives are required to satisfy degree requirements.

Diversity Requirement

All students must pass one course from the list of courses approved to meet the standard diversity requirement. These courses carry the designation "m" for multiculturalism.

Majors

Students may choose either the school major, the humanities major or the stage management emphasis. The school major requires that more courses be concentrated in theatre as the major subject. The humanities major allows students to combine courses in several different departments in the humanities in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

The School of Theatre has three sets of requirements, depending on whether a school major, humanities major or stage management emphasis is chosen.

Requirements for School Major in Theatre (B.A. in Theatre)

Lower division courses required during the first two years are (20 units):
Units
THTR 101Theatre I4
THTR 151Theatre II4
THTR 213History and Literature of the Theatre I4
THTR 214History and Literature of the Theatre II4
THTR 130Introduction to Theatrical Production4
____
20

32 units of upper division courses are required, which must include:
Units
THTR 305aDirecting4
THTR 313History and Literature of the Theatre III4
THTR 314History and Literature of the Theatre IV4
ElectivesUpper division theatre20
____
32

Requirements for Humanities Major in Theatre (B.A. in Humanities with an Emphasis in Theatre)

Lower divisionUnits
THTR 130Introduction to Theatrical Production2

32 upper division units, 20 of which must be in theatre and must include:
Units
THTR 305aDirecting 4
and a choice of:
THTR 313History and Literature of the Theatre III, or
THTR 314History and Literature of the Theatre IV4
ElectivesUpper division theatre12
____
20

The remaining upper division courses (12 units) are taken in the humanities. Usually, these courses are taken in cinema-television, English or music, but may be in any area of the humanities.

Requirements for B.A., Stage Management Emphasis

First YearUnits
THTR 101Theatre I4
THTR 151Theatre II4
THTR 213History and Literature of the Theatre I4
THTR 214History and Literature of the Theatre II4

Second YearUnits
THTR 130Introduction to Theatrical Production4
THTR 230Scenographic Techniques2
THTR 231Costume Construction3

Third YearUnits
THTR 232Stage Lighting3
THTR 333Stage Management I3
THTR 355Directing for the Actor2
THTR 430Stage Management II3

Fourth YearUnits
THTR 313History and Literature of the Theatre III4
THTR 314History and Literature of the Theatre IV4
THTR 491Theatre Organization and Administration4
THTR 495Experimental Theatre Workshop I4

and a choice of:Units
THTR 496Experimental Theatre Workshop II, or
THTR 497bAdvanced Theatre Workshop4
ElectivesUpper division theatre by advisement3

Requirements for the Minor in Theatre

Lower division requirementsUnits
THTR 101Theatre I4
THTR 130Introduction to Theatre Production4
THTR historyA theatre history course (the school recommends 210 or 211)4
____
12

Electives in Theatre, Upper division

Twelve units of upper division theatre units are required of which no more than 4 units of THTR 490 may be used.

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Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
David Henriquez
henrique@stuaff.usc.edu