Theatre Arts
Program Description
The Theatre Arts department is an important center for theatre training encompassing acting, performance, literature, design, and technical studies. Branches of the department include theatre technology, actor training, and the general studies program for both majors and non-majors.
The Theatre Arts department operates a theatre program for both non-theatre majors and theatre majors, consisting of theatre appreciation, multi-cultural theatre studies, studio-acting classes, production related classes, musical theatre, technical theatre studies, industry preparation, and electives in theatre specialization.
Learn more about the program on the Theatre Arts website.
Associate Degree for Transfer
This program also offers an Associate Degree for Transfer. Learn more and review the degree requirements on the Theatre Arts AA-T listing.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to proceed to further educational opportunities or entry-level workforce employment in their prescribed area of the performing arts with a minimal adjustment period.
- Students will be able to employ skill sets of collaboration relevant to multiple arenas of alliance or teamwork within the performing arts arena.
Career Opportunities
The Theatre Arts program prepares the student to continue studies at a four-year institution, transfer into more specialized performance (stage, musical and on-camera) training, or apprentice or work in the performing arts industry. Graduates have opportunities to pursue careers as stage and film actors, directors, producers, stage managers, run crew, make-up artists, teachers, artistic directors, casting directors, and more.
Award Type(s)
- AA = Associate in Arts Degree
- CA = Certificate of Achievement
Units Required
- Major: 40-48
- Certificate(s): 28
Additional Information
The Theatre Arts department offers three tracks for the AA degree:
- General Theatre Studies
- Acting Performance
- Musical Theatre Performance
Associate Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| English Proficiency | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| ENGL 1A | COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| ENGL 1AH | HONORS COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| ESLL 26 | ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| or equivalent | ||
| Ethnic Studies | ||
| Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC | ||
| Mathematics Proficiency | ||
| College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra | ||
A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:
- Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
- Core courses (24-40 units)
- Support courses (8-16 units)
- 1
Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.
Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificate.
Core and Support Courses
Select one of the following track options:
Option 1: General Theatre Studies
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| THTR 1 | INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE | 4 |
| THTR 2A | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE: CLASSICAL TO MOLIERE | 4 |
| or THTR 8 | MULTICULTURAL THEATRE ARTS IN MODERN AMERICA | |
| THTR 20A | ACTING I | 4 |
| THTR 21A | SCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION | 4 |
| THTR 31 | MANAGEMENT FOR THE THEATRE & STAGE | 4 |
| or THTR 42 | INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN | |
| And four units from the following: | 4 | |
| TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I | ||
| TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION | ||
| PERFORMANCE PRODUCTION I | ||
| Support Courses | ||
| Select an additional 16 units from the following: | 16 | |
| HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE 1 | ||
or THTR 2A | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE: CLASSICAL TO MOLIERE | |
or THTR 8 | MULTICULTURAL THEATRE ARTS IN MODERN AMERICA | |
or THTR 43A | SCRIPT ANALYSIS | |
| ACTING II | ||
or THTR 43C | FOUNDATIONS IN CLASSICAL ACTING | |
or THTR 63A | FILM & TELEVISION ACTING WORKSHOP | |
| INTRODUCTION TO FASHION & COSTUME CONSTRUCTION | ||
or THTR 40A | BASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP | |
| IMPROVISATION | ||
or THTR 7 | INTRODUCTION TO DIRECTING | |
or THTR 48B | SINGING TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE | |
| Total Units | 40 | |
- 1
THTR 2A and THTR 8 may be completed only once for credit to satisfy either the core or support course requirement.
Option 2: Acting Performance
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| THTR 1 | INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE | 4 |
| THTR 2A | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE: CLASSICAL TO MOLIERE | 4 |
| or THTR 43A | SCRIPT ANALYSIS | |
| THTR 20A | ACTING I | 4 |
| THTR 20B | ACTING II | 4 |
| THTR 20C | ACTING III | 4 |
| THTR 21A | SCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION | 4 |
| THTR 31 | MANAGEMENT FOR THE THEATRE & STAGE | 4 |
| or THTR 42 | INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN | |
| THTR 40A | BASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP | 4 |
| THTR 48B | SINGING TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE | 4 |
| And four units from the following: | 4 | |
| TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I | ||
| TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION | ||
| PERFORMANCE PRODUCTION I | ||
| Support Courses | ||
| Select an additional eight units from the following: | 8 | |
| AUDITIONING FOR THEATRE | ||
| MOVEMENT PRACTICUM I | ||
| STAGE COMBAT | ||
| SCRIPT ANALYSIS 1 | ||
| FOUNDATIONS IN CLASSICAL ACTING | ||
| IMPROVISATION | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO VOICE-OVER ACTING | ||
| FILM & TELEVISION ACTING WORKSHOP | ||
| Total Units | 48 | |
- 1
THTR 43A may be completed only once for credit to satisfy either the core or support course requirement.
Option 3: Musical Theatre Performance
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| THTR 1 | INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE | 4 |
| THTR 2F | HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE | 4 |
| THTR 20A | ACTING I | 4 |
| THTR 21A | SCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION | 4 |
| THTR 31 | MANAGEMENT FOR THE THEATRE & STAGE | 4 |
| or THTR 42 | INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN | |
| THTR 38A | MOVEMENT PRACTICUM I | 2 |
| THTR 40A | BASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP | 4 |
| THTR 48B | SINGING TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE | 4 |
| THTR 48C | MUSICAL THEATRE REPERTOIRE FOR SINGERS | 4 |
| And four units from the following: | 4 | |
| TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I | ||
| TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION | ||
| Support Courses | ||
| Select an additional eight units from the following: | 8 | |
| ACTING II | ||
| ACTING III | ||
| AUDITIONING FOR THEATRE | ||
| STAGE COMBAT | ||
| SCRIPT ANALYSIS | ||
| IMPROVISATION | ||
| Total Units | 46 | |
Certificate Requirements
Certificate of Achievement in Acting
- Units: 28
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| THTR 20A | ACTING I | 4 |
| THTR 20B | ACTING II | 4 |
| THTR 20C | ACTING III | 4 |
| THTR 40A | BASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP | 4 |
| And select 12 units from the following: | 12 | |
| AUDITIONING FOR THEATRE | ||
| MOVEMENT PRACTICUM I | ||
| STAGE COMBAT | ||
| FOUNDATIONS IN CLASSICAL ACTING | ||
| IMPROVISATION | ||
| SINGING TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO VOICE-OVER ACTING | ||
| FILM & TELEVISION ACTING WORKSHOP | ||
| Total Units | 28 | |