Getting Started

College: HFA

Information below is meant to guide first year students in getting started 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. Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience.

ART-HIST 115 - Visual Arts, Artists, and Cultures: An Introduction to Looking (ATDG)
CLASSICS 224 - Greek Mythology (AL)
ENGLISH 222 - Shakespeare (AL)
FRENCH 353 - African Film (ATDG)
GERMAN 270 - From Grimms to Disney (AL)
GERMAN 372 - Creating Modern Culture: Vienna around 1900 (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 - How Language Works: Intro. To Linguistic Theory (R2)
MUSIC 110 - Fundamentals of Theory (R2)

Suggested Major and Pre-requisite Courses

THEATER 130 Contemporary Playwrights Of Color (4 credits)
THEATER 140 Fundamentals of Acting (3 credits)
THEATER 160 Fundamentals of Stagecraft (3 credits)
THEATER 110 Backstage Practice (1 credit)

NOTE: In most cases, Majors must complete the 100-level prerequisite course before they go on to the 300-level advanced courses in each specific area of study.

An exception to this rule is THEATER 110, a one-credit course which must be taken two 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.

Transfer Students

The department has welcomed many successful transfer students who have contributed greatly to our community. It is important for transfer students to meet actively with their advisor to ensure timely graduation. ALL freshmen, sophomores and transfer students are required to meet with their faculty advisors during the enrollment 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 Randolph W. Bromery Center for the Arts; 413-545-3490

altadonna@theater.umass.edu

Department website: www.umass.edu/theater