EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY THEATRE HANDBOOK |
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II. ACADEMIC POLICIES
II.1 Degree Programs
The Department of Communication and Theatre offers three degrees for students interested in theatre.
All degrees must satisfy the general education requirements as specified in the ESU Undergraduate Catalog. This information is also found in the Class Schedule which is printed every semester.
II.1.a Liberal Arts & Sciences - General Education Requirements
PURPOSE. Emporia State University is committed to providing a liberal education for all its students. One important component of this liberal education is the completion of all designated general education requirements. This general education core curriculum is the heart of the college experience at ESU and is integral to the students major program. The goals of this general education program reflect the mission of this institution and are common to all student programs, regardless of majors and career goals. The general education curriculum provides the intellectual background and skills necessary to be “an educated person,” as it improves and enhances the quality of life.
As a result of completing the general education program, graduates of Emporia State University will be knowledgeable of our pluralistic society; be able to think with breadth and comprehension, to communicate effectively, to understand what it means to be human, and to function with skill and knowledge in the everyday world.
GOALS. The general education curriculum ensures that students will:
1. Develop proficiency in written and oral communication, and in mathematical computation, reasoning and problem solving. Graduates of ESU must achieve proficiency in basic skills. Our goal is to significantly raise the basic skills of Emporia State University students.
2. Learn the basic concepts and principles, the history, and the mode of inquiry of the various general education disciplines: the fine arts, history, literature and philosophy, the social behavioral sciences, and the life and physical sciences.
3. Learn how to make connections between the disciplines within the general education curriculum, apply knowledge from the perspective of these disciplines, think critically, analyze issues, and clarify values.
4. Understand cultural diversity in the contemporary world, and increase their awareness and acceptance of similarities and contrasts in people of different cultures, nationalities, religions, races, and genders.
5. Develop a commitment to scholarship, intellectual curiosity, lifelong learning and the life skills necessary to function as healthy and effective citizens.
Link to GUIDELINES and REQUIRMENTS
II.1.b. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre Download this worksheet in pdf format.
70 HOURS TOTAL (59 required/11 elective)
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in Theatre provides intense preparation for students seeking competence and knowledge in all areas of theatre. General education requirements for Liberal Arts and Sciences majors (non-teaching) are printed in the undergraduate catalogue. Majors are required to audition for productions and contribute to all productions, either as cast members or as production crew members; they will normally be enrolled in TH 272 or TH 472 for each production on which they work. To be eligible for production assignments, students must meet academic eligibility standards as established by the department. The Department Chair gives final approval to all BFA programs. See the core general education requirements in the catalogue.
REQUIRED COURSES (59 hours):
TH 101 Introduction to Theatre (2)
TH 121 Acting One (3)
TH 131 Stagecraft (4)
TH 133 Makeup (2)
TH 210 Movement for Actors (3)
TH 221 Acting II (3)*
TH 223 Voice and Diction (3)
TH 234 Stage Costuming (2)
TH 325 Script Analysis (3)
TH 331 Scenery Practicum (1)*
TH 334 Costume Practicum (1)*
TH 336 Stage Lighting (3)*
TH 350 Intro to Design (3)*
TH 351 History of Costume and Decor (3)*
TH 381 Survey of Dramatic Literature (3)
TH 390 History of Theatre I (3)
TH 391 History of Theatre II (3)
TH 426 Play Directing (3)*
TH 454 Costume Design (3)*
TH 457 Scene Design (3)*
TH 497 American Musical Theatre (3) -or- TH 383 Shakespeare (3)
*These courses have the prerequisites . Please check Buzz-in or the catalogue for more information.
ELECTIVE COURSES (13 hours) BFA majors will work with their advisor to select an additional 13 hours from courses in theatre, music, art, communication, and/or dance. Recommended elective courses in theatre include: Acting III, Acting in Period Styles, Stage Management, Advanced Stage Movement, Scene Painting, Advanced Play Directing, Advanced Theatre Design, Professional Seminar.
II.1.c Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Theatre Download this worksheet in pdf format.
TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED: 34
The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in theatre provides a broad, general educational experience as well an introduction to the major facets of dramatic theory, literature, and practice. Students study performance, dramatic literature, and theatre history, and have the opportunity to participate in theatre productions both as actors and in production work. General education requirements for the BA degree are outlined in the undergraduate catalogue. Additional upper division requirements are also listed in the catalogue. Students should be familiar with these requirements, and should note that the BA degree requires a second program of study of 15-30 hours in another discipline of the student’s choice. The Chair of the Department gives final approval to all BA programs in theatre.
REQUIRED COURSES (25 hours):
TH 101 Introduction to Theatre (2)
TH 121 Acting One (3)
TH 131 Stagecraft (4)
TH 221 Acting II (3)*
TH 350 Intro to Design (3)*
TH 381 Survey of Dramatic Literature (3)
TH 426 Play Directing (3)*
TH 457 Scene Design (3)*
TH 472 Theatre Production (1)
*These courses have prerequisites. Please check the catalogue for more information.
ELECTIVE COURSES (9 hours) Students must choose one course from each of the optional pairs listed below for a total of three more courses (9 hours):
TH 210 Movement for Actors (3) -or- TH 223 Voice and Diction (3)
TH 351 History of Costume and Decor (3)* -or- TH 454 Costume Design (3)*
TH 390 History of Theatre I (3) -or- TH 391 History of Theatre II (3)
REQUIRED SECOND PROGRAM OF STUDY. The student should work with an academic advisor within the discipline to select a second program of study of 15-30 hours in another discipline.
II.1.d. Bachelor of Science in Education (BSE) - Speech and Theatre Download this worksheet in pdf format.
Students wishing to teach speech, theatre, debate, forensics, or interpretation in secondary schools take this program. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue Option A (two certification fields), but may also pursue Option B (one certification field). General education requirements and additional upper division requirements for secondary education are outlined in the undergraduate catalogue. In addition, students must complete a professional education component. To be considered for admission to the teacher education program, students must meet the university's requirements (see the catalogue), maintain an appropriate GPA (check with your advisor) in all courses taken toward the teaching field, and acquire satisfactory references from the faculty within the Department. Students are expected to be familiar with the requirements of this program. The Department Chair gives final approval to all programs.
OPTION A - TWO TEACHING FIELDS (40 hours):
Required Courses:
SP 100 Interpersonal Communication (3)
SP 222 Argumentation and Debate (3)
SP 229 Introduction to Broadcasting (3)*
SP 303 Organizational Communication (3) -or- SP 315 Small Group Communication (3)
SP 312 Theories of Communication (3)
SP 470 Teaching of Speech (3)*
SP 472 Directing Forensic Activities (3)*
TH 472 Theatre Production (1)
TH 426 Play Directing (3)*
TH 381 Survey of Dramatic Production (3)*
TH 340 Play Production (3)*
TH 131 Stagecraft (4)
TH 121 Acting One (3)
TH 101 Introduction to Theatre (2)
*These courses have prerequisites. Please check the catalogue for more information.
OPTION B - ONE TEACHING FIELD (52 hours):
Required Courses (40 hours): Same 40 hours as Option A.
Elective Courses (12 hours): 12 additional hours in Communication and/or Theatre, with consent of advisor.
II.1.e MINOR IN THEATRE (19 hours) (Download this worksheet in pdf format.
A minor in theatre may be taken by students with majors in other disciplines. The minor consists of 18 semester hours. Courses in theatre are excellent supplements for students planning careers in education, music, business, psychology, counseling, public relations, communication, law, the ministry and other fields which require the ability to work exceptionally well with other people. It is also an appropriate choice for students whose program requires a minor as well as for students who are required to have a second program of study for the BA degree.
REQUIRED COURSES (10 hours):
TH 121 Acting One (3)
TH 131 Stagecraft (4)
TH 381 Survey of Dramatic Literature (3)
ELECTIVE COURSES (8 hours):
Students select from the following courses in consultation with an advisor. The chair of the department gives final approval.
TH 221 Acting II (3)*
TH 272 Theatre Production I (1)
TH 305 Theatre Tour (1-2)
TH 321 Acting III (3)
TH 325 Script Analysis (3)
TH 340 Play Production (3)
TH 350 Introduction to Design (3)*
TH 351 History of Costume and Decor (3)*
TH 383 Introduction to Shakespeare(3)
TH 390 History of Theatre I (3)
TH 391 History of Theatre II (3)
TH 426 Play Directing (3)*
TH 457 Scene Design (3)*
TH 472 Theatre Production II (1)
TH 497 American Musical Theatre (3)
*These courses have prerequisites. Please consult the catalogue for more information.
II.2 Advising
Student Advising Center. The Student Advising Center (SAC) provides academic advising and assistance to all freshman and undeclared students. SAC advisees pre-enroll for subsequent semesters and are advised with the SAC advisor until three conditions are met: 1. attainment of 30 hours of credit, 2. satisfactory academic progress (a minimum 2.00 GPA) and 3. the selection of a major. When these three conditions are met, the student is transferred to a permanent advisor in the student’s major.
Declared majors. All declared theatre majors will be assigned to a faculty member who will serve as an academic advisor. Each student must meet with his/her advisor prior to registration for the following semester. It is the student’s responsibility to study the ESU Undergraduate Catalog and to be aware of the academic requirements for the degree program for which he or she is enrolled. Every semester the Class Schedule has information as to enrollment instructions, fee schedules, General Education Requirements, and other university wide information.
The advisor will work with the student in keeping a degree program checklist and filing required forms for graduation. Students may request to change advisors by contacting the Director of Theatre. Students should make appointments with their advisors to arrange and approve class schedules will in advance of the enrollment period for each semester. Students should maintain their own academic file with copies of all degree programs and grade reports.
II.3 Class Attendance Policy (Revised August 2007)
The following policy will apply to all courses taught as part of the major in Theatre.
1. For a MWF course, 3 absences will be allowed without penalty.
2. For a TR course (or one which only meets twice a week), 2 absences will be allowed without penalty.
3. For an additional absence beyond the limit, a student’s final course grade can drop ONE letter grade. (The Instructor will determine how additional absences will affect your grade.)
4. Excused absences (such as authorized ESU field trips) will be determined at the instructor’s discretion.
II.4 Theatre Majors Participation Policy (Revised August, 1997)
Since productions are the laboratories where the skills learned in class are applied, all theatre majors (B.F.A. and BA) and scholarship holders are expected to be a company member (cast or crew) for at least one ESU theatre production each semester. Theatre minors and B.S.E. students are required to audition and accept a company assignment for a major production at least once in their freshman/sophomore years, and at least once more in their junior/senior years.
Theatre minors and B.S.E. students are encouraged to audition and accept a company assignment every semester. At the auditions for each semester, students may state, on the audition form, their cast or crew preference for each production. The faculty will do its best to honor the request, to find one company assignment for every major every semester, and to make no more than one assignment requiring a heavy time commitment.
Students who wish to be considered for more than one company assignment (acting or crew) in the same semester, may indicate so on their audition form for that semester. This option will only be available to students who are junior and seniors and who have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00.
All majors are required to audition for all productions. Auditioning is part of the experience for anyone who intends to work in the theatre, whether in a professional or educational setting. However, if a major has auditioned at ESU at least once for both a fall and spring semester of production (a total of two different audition sequences), they may then apply in writing for the auditioning requirement to be waived, this exception might apply to students who are focused on technical and production aspects of theatre, rather than performance. These students will still be expected to fill out the audition form each semester, and accept all company assignments they are given.
Majors may also request to be excused from participation in all productions during a semester, or in a particular production, for academic reasons (such as a class conflict or a need to concentrate on course work). The request should be made in writing and submitted to the Director of Theatre at least 24 hours in advance of the first audition of the semester. The faculty will rule on the request before auditions. Any major who does not make a formal request in writing for exemption, and who goes through the audition process, is assumed to be available for any cast or crew assignment. Majors may not turn down assignments.
Majors are reminded that future assignments, scholarships, and recommendations will be based on their adherence to this policy.
II.5 Eligibility Policy (Revised August, 2007)
Students wishing to be considered for major assignments (acting, stage management, or running crews) on University Theatre productions, in the Educational Theatre Company, or for student employment in the Department of Communication and Theatre must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester and must achieve the following minimum grade point averages each semester.
“Complete” is defined as finishing the class and receiving a grade of D or better. Part-time students can be considered for major assignments in productions if they complete 70% of the hours in which they enroll and meet the same GPA standards as full-time students. If a student’s GPA drops below the above minimums, the cumulative GPA at ESU will be taken into account before a decision on eligibility is made. Theatre majors and scholarship holders are responsible to notify the theatre faculty if they are ineligible in advance of the first audition of the semester; they will have the right to appeal the decision. Students declared ineligible may still volunteer to work on costumes, scenery, publicity, or box office for the University Theatre productions, and may also audition for Directing and Interpreter’s Theatre class scenes and other student projects.
II.6 Scholarships
Scholarships at ESU are offered at both the University and Department level.
University Academic Scholarships. Requests for scholarship information and application forms should be sent to the secretary of the committee on scholarships in care of the financial aid office at ESU. The “priority date” for applying is February 15 of each year. Current students should watch for notices in the school news paper “The Bulletin” and look for information on the theatre Call Board. All scholarship recipients must reapply each year to be considered for possible renewals.
Department of Theatre Scholarships. Each year the Department of Communication and Theatre awards scholarships to new and continuing students who major in Theatre Arts. These scholarships are awarded to students who have a record of academic success and have demonstrated their talents and achievements in the various areas of theater.
Students new to ESU (In-coming Freshman and Transfer students) A number of scholarships are designated at the department level for new students who plan to major or minor in theatre. These scholarships are awarded to promising new students based on auditions and interviews. Auditions are usually scheduled for the first weekend of December with a catch-up date the following February. Complete information about the auditions and interviews are available by contacting the Director of Theater.
Continuing students. The division has several endowed scholarships to honor the memory of former students, faculty, and friends of the theatre program. All current theatre majors may apply for a divisional scholarship. Students apply in writing; no formal audition is required. Applications for divisional scholarships are made in February. Students should watch the Call Board for complete information.
II.7 Call Boards
The department maintains several bulletin boards at various locations in King Hall.
GENERAL INFORMATION, 2nd floor, outside office, west wall
Academic information such as: advising, scholarships, eligibility status.
Special activities/events: majors meeting, field trips
Class activities: directing scenes presentations/auditions
Messages: posted phone messages, “See Me!” requests, etc.
PRODUCTION CALL BOARD, 2nd floor, outside office, west wall
This board will post all information related to current productions:
Schedules, special calls, costume fittings
Cast and crew should check this board at least once a day.
ANNOUNCEMENTS, 2nd floor, outside office, west wall
Posters from various college program
Advertising of current area theatre productions
EDUCATIONAL THEATRE COMPANY, 2nd floor, east wall
Information from ETC
STAGE DOOR ALLEY, backstage Bruder Theatre
Sign-in sheet for current production
Other notices for production
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Email jbartruf@emporia.edu
Updated 7/7/08 4:01 PM