Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
MAJOR AND MINOR DESCRIPTIONS BY DEPARTMENT
THEATRE ARTS
The Department of Theatre Arts offers training in both the practical and academic aspects of theatre. Undergraduates may specialize in acting, directing, design and technical theatre, theatre history and criticism, or any combination of these.
While the department is not a professional school, the presence of strong graduate programs creates the atmosphere of professional training. Instead of the protected environment of a conservatory, undergraduate theatre training at Pitt takes place within the context of the liberal-arts experience at a large, urban university.
The department recommends that students declare this major as early as possible. For more information, please feel free to contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Doug Mertz at dlm122@pitt.edu.
This major requires 42 credits of course work as follows.
Introductory courses
- THEA 0800 Theatre Collaboration
- THEA 0810 Introduction to Dramatic Art
Performance courses
THEA 0830 Introduction to Performance
THEA 1100 Voice and Movement 1
THEA 1101 Voice and Movement 2
THEA 1102 Acting 1
THEA 1103 Acting 2
THEA 1104 Acting 3
THEA 1110 Directing 1
THEA 1111 Directing 2
THEA 1121 Theater for Children
THEA 1229 Stage Management
THEA 1338 Musical Theatre
Design/Technical
THEA 1100 Voice and Movement 1
THEA 1101 Voice and Movement 2
THEA 1102 Acting 1
THEA 1103 Acting 2
THEA 1104 Acting 3
THEA 1110 Directing 1
THEA 1111 Directing 2
THEA 1121 Theater for Children
THEA 1229 Stage Management
THEA 1338 Musical Theatre
Choose one of the following courses.
THEA 0840 Introduction to Theatre Design
THEA 1235 Scenic Design 1
THEA 1230 Stage Lighting 1
THEA 1246 Costume Design 1
Playwriting, History, and Criticism
Choose two of the following courses.
THEA 1341 World Theatre: 500 BCE to 1640
THEA 1342 World Theatre: 1640 to 1890
THEA 1343 World Theatre: 1890 to 1970
Choose one of the following courses.
THEA 1360 Theatre Criticism (W)
THEA 1903 Theatre Seminar (W)
Choose one elective from the Playwriting, History, and Criticism category
THEA 1340 through THEA 1390
THEA 1903 Theatre Seminar
Elective course
Students must take one course selected from offerings in performance, design / tech, or playwriting / history / criticism. Directed study (THEA 1480 - THEA 1485) and independent study (THEA 1900 - 1901) courses cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.
In addition, theatre arts majors should adhere to these rules and requirements.
- Students are encouraged to declare this major early and register with the departmental advisor.
- Majors must maintain at least a 2.00 GPA in all theatre arts courses.
- Students must check with the program advisor to determine the appropriateness of using the S/NC grade option in departmental courses.
- A minimum of 12 credits is required in a related area. Any area that corresponds with the student’s interests is appropriate, but studio arts is strongly suggested. Also recommended are anthropology, Africana studies, classics, English, history of art and architecture, a second language, history, music, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and rhetoric and communication.
For more information on the major and the Department of Theatre Arts, see www.play.pitt.edu
Minor Requirements
Required courses for the minor
- THEA 0800 Introduction to Theatre Arts
- THEA 0810 Introduction to Dramatic Art
- THEA 0880 Theatrical Production
Choose three courses from among the Performance; Design/Technical; or Playwriting, History, and Criticism courses below.
Performance courses
- THEA 0830 Introduction to Performance
- THEA 1100 Voice and Movement 1
- THEA 1101 Voice and Movement 2
- THEA 1102 Acting 1
- THEA 1103 Acting 2
- THEA 1104 Acting 3
- THEA 1108 Theatre Practicum-Performance
- THEA 1109 Performance Lab
- THEA 1110 Directing 1
- THEA 1111 Directing 2
- THEA 1120 Creative Dramatics
- THEA 1121 Theater for Children
- THEA 1229 Stage Management
- THEA 1338 Musical Theatre
- THEA 1390 Special Topics in Theatre History, Literature, and Criticism
- THEA 1392 Special Topics in Performance
- THEA 1483 Directed Project: Directing and Performing
- THEA 1500 Modern Acting
- THEA 1501 Shakespeare Acting
- THEA 1900 Independent Study
- THEA 1901 Internship
Design/Technical courses
- THEA 0840 Introduction to Theatre Design
- THEA 0842 Introduction to Stagecraft
- THEA 0880 Theatrical Production
- THEA 1227 Rendering and Painting
- THEA 1230 Stage Lighting 1
- THEA 1235 Scenic Design 1
- THEA 1240 Costume Crafts
- THEA 1241 History of Costume
- THEA 1245 Stage Makeup
- THEA 1246 Costume Design 1
- THEA 1338 Musical Theatre
- THEA 1405 Costumes and Run Crew
- THEA 1480 Directed Project: Scenery and Props
- THEA 1481 Directed Project: Costume and Makeup
- THEA 1482 Directed Project: Lighting and Sound
- THEA 1484 Directed Project: Business Management
- THEA 1485 Directed Study: State Management
- THEA 1900 Independent Study
- THEA 1901 Internship
Playwriting, History, and Criticism courses
- THEA 1341 World Theatre: 500 BCE to 1640
- THEA 1342 World Theatre: 1640 to 1890
- THEA 1343 World Theatre: 1890 to 1970
- THEA 1350 American Theatre
- THEA 1360 Theatre Criticism
- THEA 1361 Forms of Japanese Theatre
- THEA 1365 Playwriting 1
- THEA 1366 Playwriting 2
- THEA 1390 Special Topic in Script Analysis
- THEA 1900 Independent Study
- THEA 1903 Theatre Seminar