Theatre Major
The Fordham theatre program is a B.A. program offering four pre-professional concentrations for theatre majors: performance, directing, playwriting, and design and production. Admission into the performance concentration is by audition only. Admission into the directing, playwriting, and design and production concentrations is by interview and a review of portfolio work (directing and design and production) or writing samples (playwriting). Directing applicants with a portfolio of work may submit that as well. Students should visit the Fordham theatre website to obtain extensive information regarding the program and to schedule an audition or interview via www.fordham.edu/theatre.
Please note that both the theatre major and minor include a lab requirement (THEA 1000 Theatre Practicum) each semester. If a student fails to complete a lab contract, then he or she loses eligibility to participate in any production (mainstage or studio) the following semester. If a student fails to complete a lab contract twice, then he or she may be dropped from the program.
The Fordham theatre program has a policy called warn/cut. In cases when the faculty has doubts about whether a student should continue in his or her concentration, a warning is given. Then the student has another semester to dispel the questions. If the evaluation remains unchanged after the following semester, then the student has the option of remaining a theatre minor, but must choose another major.
THEA 3004 Global Theatre History: Foundational Impulses and THEA 3005 Global Theatre History: Evolutions of the Present each fulfills the Advanced Literature Core requirement.
Theatre majors concentrating in design and production must substitute THEA 3920 History of Theatre Design for any of the two required theatre history courses. Students pursuing other concentrations may request permission to take THEA 3920 in place of one of the two courses.
Theatre majors are exempt from the fine arts requirement in the core curriculum. The minimum acceptable grade in a major course is C-.
CIP Code
50.0501 - Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General.
You can use the CIP code to learn more about career paths associated with this field of study and, for international students, possible post-graduation visa extensions. Learn more about CIP codes and other information resources.
The theatre major requires five foundation courses plus coursework in one of four concentrations: performance, design and production, playwriting, or directing.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 2080 | Collaboration I | 4 |
| THEA 2090 | Collaboration II | 4 |
| THEA 3011 | Text Analysis | 4 |
| THEA 1000 | Theatre Practicum 1 | 0 |
| Theatre History | 8 | |
| THEA 3004 | Global Theatre History: Foundational Impulses 2 | 4 |
| THEA 3005 | Global Theatre History: Evolutions of the Present 2 | 4 |
| THEA 3920 | History of Theatre Design 3 | 4 |
| Select a concentration: | ||
Performance | ||
Design and Production | ||
Playwriting | ||
Directing | ||
- 1
THEA 1000 Theatre Practicum, which is graded pass/fail, must be taken during each semester of the first and second years of study, and during one semester of the third year of study.
- 2
Each of these courses fulfills the Advanced Literature Core requirement.
- 3
Theatre majors concentrating in design and production must substitute THEA 3920 History of Theatre Design for any of the two required theatre history courses. Students pursuing other concentrations may request permission to take THEA 3920 History of Theatre Design in place of one of the other two theatre history courses.
Availability
Students who attend study abroad theatre programs may apply certain courses to their theatre major, and should consult with an advisor prior to attending a study abroad program.
The major in theatre is available at Fordham College at Lincoln Center. Students in Fordham's School of Professional and Continuing Studies may major in theatre only if they receive the approval of their advising dean and/or department, and their schedules are sufficiently flexible to permit them to take day courses at the Lincoln Center campus.
Fordham College at Lincoln Center students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the Core Curriculum.
Professional and Continuing Studies students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the PCS Core Curriculum and any additional electives that may be required to earn a minimum of 124 credits.
Performance Concentration Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 2010 | Acting I | 4 |
| THEA 2700 | Acting II | 4 |
| THEA 3000 | Acting III | 4 |
| THEA 3100 | Acting IV | 4 |
| THEA 3030 & THEA 3040 | Actor's Vocal Technique I and Actor's Vocal Technique II 1 | 4 |
| THEA 3050 & THEA 3060 | Movement for the Actor I and Movement for the Actor II 1 | 4 |
| One Advanced Performance course | 4 | |
| Any one Design and Production elective 2 | 3 to 4 | |
- 1
This sequential pair of two-credit courses, when completed successfully, will count as one course toward satisfying the graduation requirement of 36 courses.
Additionally, the sequential pair of two-credit courses THEA 4400 Senior Audition I and THEA 4410 Senior Audition II, when completed successfully, will also count as one course toward satisfying the graduation requirement of 36 courses.
- 2
Consult the Design and Production concentration section for the list of courses that may fulfill this requirement.
Performance Concentration Advanced Electives
These courses are advanced acting courses and are open to performance majors only. During junior and senior year, many theatre majors take more than the required number of electives. This is permitted as long as all Fordham core requirements have been completed.
Courses in this group have the THPE attribute.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 4000 | Creating a Character I | 4 |
| THEA 4001 | Creating a Character II | 4 |
| THEA 4030 | Rehearsal Technique | 3 |
| THEA 4100 | Acting Shakespeare | 4 |
| THEA 4250 | Acting for the Camera I | 4 |
| THEA 4260 | Acting for the Camera II | 4 |
| THEA 4305 | Clown and Improvisation | 4 |
| THEA 4306 | Clown and Improvisation II | 4 |
Design and Production Concentration Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 1160 | Design Fundamentals | 4 |
| THEA 2260 | Conceptual Foundations of Theatre Design | 4 |
| One of the following courses: | 4 | |
| Drafting for the Theatre I (Required for set, light, and sound designers, as well as for stage managers) | ||
| Drawing I (Required for costume designers) | ||
| One of the following courses: 1 | 4 | |
| From Page to Stage | ||
| Introduction to Directing | ||
| One of the following courses: | 3 to 4 | |
| Design Production Workshop (Required for design students) | ||
| Theatre Management (Required for stage managers) | ||
| One of the following courses: | 3 to 4 | |
| Drafting for the Theatre II (Required for set, light, and sound designers) | ||
| Production Management (Required for stage managers) | ||
| Figure Drawing (Required for costume designers) | ||
| Design & Production Electives | ||
| Choose three courses from the following options: | 9 | |
| Costume Design I | ||
| Stage Management I | ||
| Lighting Design I | ||
| Sound Design I | ||
| Set Design I | ||
| Producing through a Social Justice Lens | ||
or THEA 3530 | Creative Producing | |
Playwriting Concentration Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 3700 | Playwriting (taken five times) | 4 |
| THEA 3012 | New Play Dramaturgy | 3 |
| One Playwriting elective 1 | 4 | |
| One THEA elective 2 | 4 | |
- 1
Student and adviser will determine which class based on student's interest plus level of skill and experience in design.
- 2
Any course with the subject code THEA, numbered 2000-4999 (of 3 or more credits) fulfills this requirement.
Playwriting Electives
Courses in this group have the THPL attribute.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FREN 3253 | Moliere: From Page to Stage | 4 |
| THEA 2805 | Stage Management I | 3 |
| THEA 2815 | Stage Management II | 3 |
| THEA 2900 | Theatre Management | 3 |
| THEA 3253 | Moliere: From Page to Stage | 4 |
| THEA 3362 | Lighting Design I | 3 |
| THEA 3374 | Lighting Design II | 3 |
| THEA 3420 | Sound Design I | 3 |
| THEA 3455 | Projection Design I | 3 |
| THEA 3985 | Set Design I | 3 |
| THEA 4501 | Directing Production Workshop | 3 |
| THEA 4505 | Design Production Workshop | 3 |
Directing Concentration Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 2010 | Acting I | 4 |
| THEA 2700 | Acting II | 4 |
| THEA 2260 | Conceptual Foundations of Theatre Design | 4 |
| THEA 2045 | Introduction to Directing | 4 |
| THEA 3205 | From Page to Stage | 4 |
| THEA 4501 | Directing Production Workshop (must be taken twice) | 6 |
| One design course from the list below: | 3 | |
| Set Design I | ||
| Costume Design I | ||
| Lighting Design I | ||
| Sound Design I | ||