Getting Started

College: HFA

 (Revised Spring 2019)  

Information below is meant to guide first year students in getting starting with this major and choosing appropriate courses.  More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn about the full major requirements.

How to Explore the Major 

Suggested General Education Courses

All Undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. 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 (SIDU)
  • 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/Change into the Major

For current & admitted students: This major is unrestricted, which means any student may declare the major. Unrestricted majors may still have an entry process such as meeting with an advisor or attending an informational meeting.

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

Transfer Students

Transfers and any students declaring/changing 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 cases transfer students should meet with the Undergraduate Program Director as soon as possible. ALL majors are required to meet with their faculty advisors during the registration period each semester in order to have their advising holds lifted.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

Refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn more.  Minimum total # of credits required: 36

Students must complete a total of at least 36 credits distributed among the areas of Dramaturgy; Performance; and Design, Technology and Management.

Is there a minor? If so what are the requirements?
Yes. (See specific requirements in The Minor section)

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