Program Description

The Foothill College Theatre Technology program prepares theatre students for entry-level positions in professional and community theatre and for transfer to a four-year institution. A comprehensive two-year program, Theatre Technology offers the student an opportunity to explore the fundamentals of a variety of practical career opportunities.

Students interested in production and stage management, theatre design, and the creations of sets, props, costumes, lights, sound, and special effects are able to participate in both daytime lecture and laboratory classes and evening production experiences. The Theatre Arts department offers three major productions during the academic year and Theatre Technology students participate in the creation of technical elements for each of these productions.

Foothill College maintains direct contact with many Bay Area theatre companies and will assist advanced students in obtaining internships or employment.

Learn more about the program on the Theatre Arts website.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to explore further educational or workforce experiences in technical theatre with a minimal fundamental adjustment period.
• Students will be able to function effectively in a variety of roles within a collaborative technical theatre environment.
• Students will develop skills for evaluating their own and others' contributions to successful outcomes in technical theatre.

Career Opportunities

The technical theatre program promotes skills in six basic fields of study and areas of employment: scene shop technician, costume shop technician, theatre electrician, properties artisan, stage management, and makeup artist. Theatre technicians can expand their opportunities by pursuing entry-level technical positions in other areas of the entertainment industry, including film, video, music, or event production.

Award Type(s)

• AA = Associate in Arts Degree
• CA = Certificate of Achievement
• CCC = Career Certificate [Non-Transcriptable]

Units Required

• Major: 36
• Certificate(s): 20-36

Additional Information

Note: Students will have the opportunity to create and maintain a technical portfolio during their classes.

Associate Degree Requirements

Course List

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 units)
• Support courses (12 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

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Core Courses
THTR 1	INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE	4
or THTR 8	MULTICULTURAL THEATRE ARTS IN MODERN AMERICA
THTR 20A	ACTING I	4
THTR 21A	SCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION	4
THTR 25	INTRODUCTION TO FASHION & COSTUME CONSTRUCTION	4
THTR 31	MANAGEMENT FOR THE THEATRE & STAGE	4
THTR 42	INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN	4
Support Courses
Select eight units from the following:		8
MTEC 51A	STUDIO RECORDING I
or MTEC 57A	SOUND DESIGN FOR FILM & VIDEO
THTR 21B	INTERMEDIATE SCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION
THTR 21C	ADVANCED SCENERY & PROPERTIES CONSTRUCTION
THTR 25B	FASHION & COSTUME CONSTRUCTION II
THTR 27	LIGHTING DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
THTR 40A	BASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP
THTR 43A	SCRIPT ANALYSIS
And four units from the following:		4
THTR 45A	TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I
THTR 45B	TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION II
THTR 45E	TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION
THTR 45F	TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION II
Total Units		36

Certificate Requirements

Certificate of Achievement in Theatre Technology

• Units: 36

The certificate of achievement is awarded upon completion of the core and support courses. General education courses are not required.

Theatre Production Organization Career Certificate

• Units: 22 [Non-Transcriptable]

Course List

Code	Title	Units
THTR 21A	SCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION	4
THTR 31	MANAGEMENT FOR THE THEATRE & STAGE	4
THTR 42	INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN	4
THTR 45A	TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I	4
THTR 45E	TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION	6
Total Units		22

Theatre Technology Career Certificate

• Units: 20-22 [Non-Transcriptable]

Course List

Code	Title	Units
THTR 21A	SCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION	4
THTR 42	INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN	4
THTR 45A	TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I	4-6
or THTR 45E	TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION
And eight units from the following:		8
MTEC 51A	STUDIO RECORDING I
or MTEC 57A	SOUND DESIGN FOR FILM & VIDEO
THTR 25	INTRODUCTION TO FASHION & COSTUME CONSTRUCTION
THTR 27	LIGHTING DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
THTR 40A	BASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP
Total Units		20-22

Theatre Costume and Makeup Career Certificate

• Units: 20-22 [Non-Transcriptable]

Course List

Code	Title	Units
THTR 21A	SCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION	4
THTR 25	INTRODUCTION TO FASHION & COSTUME CONSTRUCTION	4
THTR 25B	FASHION & COSTUME CONSTRUCTION II	4
or THTR 40B	THEATRICAL MAKEUP FOR PRODUCTION
THTR 40A	BASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP	4
THTR 45A	TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I	4-6
or THTR 45E	TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION
Total Units		20-22