School of Dramatic Arts
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 USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Candidates for the degree must complete the university general education requirements in addition to the courses in the major prescribed by the School of Dramatic Arts. A total of 128 units is required for completion of the degree.
General Education Requirements
The university’s general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing, foreign language and diversity requirements, which together comprise the USC Core. See The USC Core and the General Education Program for more information.
School Majors
Students who choose the school major are required to complete a minimum of 52 units in theatre as specified:
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| THTR 101 | Introduction to Acting | 4 |
| THTR 125 | Text Studies for Production | 4 |
| THTR 130 | Introduction to Theatrical Production | 4 |
| THTR 210 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre I | 4 |
| THTR 211 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre II | 4 |
| THTR 212 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre III | 4 |
| THTR 305a | Directing | 4 |
| 28 | ||
| One course (3 units) from: | ||
| THTR 230 | Communicating Theatrical Design Concepts | 3 |
| THTR 231a | Costume Construction | 3 |
| THTR 232 | Stage Lighting | 3 |
| THTR 335 | Scenic Construction | 3 |
| One course (4 units) from: | ||
| THTR 300 | Introduction to Modern Drama | 4 |
| THTR 301 | Greek and Roman Theatre | 4 |
| THTR 302 | Shakespeare in His World | 4 |
| THTR 313 | Comedy of Manners | 4 |
| THTR 314 | Advanced Topics in Modern Drama | 4 |
| THTR 395 | Drama as Human Relations | 4 |
| THTR 396 | God, Drama and Entertainment | 4 |
| THTR 403 | The Performing Arts | 4 |
| THTR 404 | Acting Theory | 4 |
| THTR 405 | Performing Identities | 4 |
| THTR 406 | Theatre on the Edge | 4 |
| THTR 476 | African American Theatre, Dance and Performance | 4 |
| Required upper division theatre electives: 17 | ||
| Total required theatre units: 52 |
Required Courses for the B.A. Emphasis in Acting (59 units):
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| THTR 101 | Introduction to Acting | 4 |
| THTR 125 | Text Studies for Production | 4 |
| THTR 130 | Introduction to Theatrical Production | 2/2 |
| THTR 210 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre I | 4 |
| THTR 211 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre II | 4 |
| THTR 212 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre III | 4 |
| THTR 216 | Movement for Actors | 2 |
| THTR 252ab | Intermediate Acting | 2/2 |
| THTR 305a | Directing | 4 |
| THTR 342a | Basic Voice | 2 |
| THTR 352a | Intermediate Acting II | 2 |
| Total Required Units | 38 | |
| One course (3 units) from: | ||
| THTR 230 | Communicating Theatrical Design Concepts | 3 |
| THTR 231a | Costume Construction | 3 |
| THTR 232 | Stage Lighting | 3 |
| THTR 335 | Scenic Construction | 3 |
| One course (4 units) from: | ||
| THTR 300 | Introduction to Modern Drama | 4 |
| THTR 301 | Greek and Roman Theatre | 4 |
| THTR 302 | Shakespeare in His World | 4 |
| THTR 313 | Comedy of Manners | 4 |
| THTR 314 | Advanced Topics in Modern Drama | 4 |
| THTR 395 | Drama as Human Relations | 4 |
| THTR 396 | God, Drama and Entertainment | 4 |
| THTR 403 | The Performing Arts | 4 |
| THTR 404 | Acting Theory | 4 |
| THTR 405m | Performing Identities | 4 |
| THTR 406 | Theatre on the Edge | 4 |
| THTR 476m | African American Theatre, Dance, and Performance | 4 |
| Select 6 units from the following: | ||
| THTR 342b | Basic Voice | 2 |
| THTR 352b | Intermediate Acting II | 2 |
| THTR 354 | Acting Shakespeare | 2 |
| THTR 454 | Acting Shakespeare II | 2 |
| THTR 408a | Dialects | 2 |
| THTR 408b | Dialects | 2 |
| THTR 480a | Performance for Camera | 2 |
| Select 8 units from the following: | ||
| THTR 316 | Advanced Movement for Actors | 2 |
| THTR 343 | Musical Theatre Audition | 3 |
| THTR 365 | Playwriting I | 4 |
| THTR 397 | Theatre Practicum | 2 |
| THTR 417 | Stage Combat | 2 |
| THTR 419 | Alexander Technique for Performers | 2 |
| THTR 442 | Voice-over Acting | 2 |
| THTR 452a | Advanced Acting | 4 |
| THTR 475 | Acting on Camera: The Collaborative Process | 4 |
| THTR 472 | Professional Preparation for Actors | 2 |
| THTR 480b | Performance for Camera | 2 |
| THTR 495 | Experimental Theatre Workshop I | 4 |
| THTR 497 | Advanced Theatre Practicum | 2 |
| Total required Theatre Units: | 59 | |
| Total required General Education | 32 | |
| Total Elective Units | 37 | |
| Total Units | 128 | |
Required Courses for the B.A. Emphasis in Design (55-56 units):
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| THTR 101 | Introduction to Acting | 4 |
| THTR 125 | Text Studies for Production | 4 |
| THTR 130 | Introduction to Theatrical Production | 2/2 |
| THTR 210 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre I | 4 |
| THTR 211 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre II | 4 |
| THTR 212 | Theory and Practice of World Theatre III | 4 |
| THTR 230 | Communicating Theatrical Design Concepts | 3 |
| THTR 305a | Directing | 4 |
| THTR 397 | Theatre Practicum | 2 |
| Total Required Units | 33 | |
| Select two courses (5-6 units) from: | ||
| THTR 231a | Costume Construction | 3 |
| THTR 232 | Stage Lighting | 3 |
| THTR 236 | Stage | 2 |
| One course (4 units) from: | ||
| THTR 300 | Introduction to Modern Drama | 4 |
| THTR 301 | Greek and Roman Theatre | 4 |
| THTR 302 | Shakespeare in His World | 4 |
| THTR 313 | Comedy of Manners | 4 |
| THTR 314 | Advanced Topics in Modern Drama | 4 |
| THTR 395 | Drama as Human Relations | 4 |
| THTR 396 | God, Drama and Entertainment | 4 |
| THTR 403 | The Performing Arts | 4 |
| THTR 404 | Acting Theory | 4 |
| THTR 405 | Performing Identities | 4 |
| THTR 406 | Theatre on the Edge | 4 |
| THTR 476 | African American Theatre, Dance, and Performance | 4 |
| Select 13-units from the following: | ||
| THTR 231b | Costume Construction | 3 |
| THTR 330 | Scene Design I | 4 |
| THTR 331 | Costume Design I | 4 |
| THTR 332 | Lighting Design I | 4 |
| THTR 336 | Introduction to Sound Design | 3 |
| THTR 407a | Drawing and Rendering for the Theatre | 2 |
| THTR 432ab | Scene Design II | 3/3 |
| THTR 433ab | Costume Design II | 3/3 |
| THTR 434ab | Lighting Design II | 3/3 |
| THTR 435 | Advanced Theatrical Drafting | 3 |
| THTR 436 | Sound for Theatre | 3 |
| THTR 441 | Advanced Sound Design | 3 |
| Total required Theatre Units | 55-56 | |
| Total required General Education | 32 | |
| Total Elective Units | 40-41 | |
| Total Units | 128 | |