Getting Started (Majors Guide)

College: HFA

 (Revised Spring 2018)  

How to Explore / Get Started in the Major 

Suggested General Education Courses

Under the new guidelines students are still required to take two courses, one in U.S. Diversity and one in Global Diversity. Students entering in Fall 2018 are expected to take one of these diversity courses, either U.S. or Global, in their first year on campus.  For Fall 2018 Registration, look for courses with DU (formerly U) and DG (formerly G) to help students stay on track.  Any course labled DU will satisfy the requirement for a U.S. diversity course and any course labeled DG will satisfy the the requirement for Global diversity course. Course planning guidelines, including guidelines for students, are available at www.umass.edu/gened.

  • ART-HIST 115 - Introduction to the Visual Arts (ATDG)
  • CLASSICS 224 - Greek Mythology (AL)
  • ENGLISH 222 - Shakespeare (AL)
  • FRENCH 353 - African Film (ATDG)
  • GERMAN 270 - From Grimms to Disney (AL)
  • GERMAN 272 - History of Vienna (AL)
  • HISTORY 140 - European History 1500-1815 (HS)
  • HISTORY 141 - European History 1815-present (HS)
  • MUSIC 150 - Lively Arts (ATDG)
  • PUBHLTH 160 - My Body, My Health (SI)
  • THEATER 130 - Contemporary Playwrights of Color (ALDU)
  • LINGUIST 201 - Intro. To Linguistic Theory (R2)
  • MUSIC 110 - Fundamentals of Theory (R2)

Suggested Major and Pre-requisite Courses

  • THEATER 120 Play Analysis for Theatrical Production
  • THEATER 140 Beginning Techniques in Performance
  • THEATER 160 Beginning Techniques in Design
  • THEATER 110 Performance Management (1 credit)

NOTE: Majors must complete the 100-level prerequisite course before they go on to the 300-level advanced courses in each specific area of study. The exception to this rule is THEATER 110, a one-credit course which must be taken three times—during any of the semesters—before students complete the major.

NOTE: Enrollment in some upper-level Theater courses is by permission of the instructor. Students cannot register for these courses on SPIRE. Instead, they must meet with the instructor to gain consent and then fill out a Permission to Register form.

How to Declare the Major

Students should meet with the Undergraduate Program Director and process the change-of-major request in order to declare the major, preferably when they are second semester freshmen or at the beginning of their sophomore year. 

Transfer Students:

Transfers and any students declaring their major after the first semester of their sophomore year may have difficulty completing this major in two years; more time is generally needed in these casesTransfer students should see the Undergraduate Program Director as soon as possible. ALL majors are required to meet with their faculty advisors during the registration period each semester to lift their advising hold.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

Minimum total # of credits required: 36

Students must complete a total of at least 36 credits distributed among the areas of Dramaturgy; Performance; and Production.

Is there a minor? If so what are the requirements?
There is no minor in Theater.

For further information, contact:
Undergraduate Program Director
112 Fine Arts Center; 545-3490
miland@theater.umass.edu
department website: www.umass.edu/theater