The Drama/Theatre Major

Within the Department of Humanities and Arts, in the Drama/Theatre concentration, a student may choose to focus in the areas of theatre [including performance], drama [including literature, or theatre technology.  An HU&Arts major may satisfy the requirement of fifteen courses in many different ways because our guidelines are very broad.  Students may thus design unique programs suited to their own individual interests.  Students may also double major to combine a technical or scientific major with Drama/Theatre studies [which has many advantages].

The WPI campus offers unique opportunities for students interested in the high-tech areas of theatre technology due to the availability of courses and equipment not readily available to students at liberal arts colleges.  Theatre Technology students at WPI have many design opportunities, which are rare at other undergraduate universities.  WPI's dynamic theatre production schedule provides opportunities for directed majors in acting, directing, design, and production technology.  Majors graduating with a Drama/Theatre concentration earn a B.S. in Humanities and Arts. Career goals include work in theatre, theatre production or related fields, and could include graduate study.  Among the desirable attributes a WPI grad would bring to potential employers would be: the knowledge of theatre and related literature gained through the courses within the major, the ability to write clear and intelligent documents acquired through the project work, and a wide range of performance experiences in productions on and off campus.  [see catalog for other details]

Note:  this program concerns live performance, not film or video.  While film, video, virtual reality for the theatre, and other types of technology regularly appear in our productions, we do NOT have laboratory facilities or staff to support academic work in film or video.

The Sufficiency program in Drama/Theatre provides a student with the opportunity to attempt one of many types of projects including performance [acting, directing], production [managing, stage managing, design implementation of scenic, lighting, audio, and other designs], original [plays, designs, etc.], and research studies.  Each Sufficiency requires a substantial final, individual document that may be either a project portfolio, a documented original work [e.g. a play or a design], or a thesis [essay] paper.

The drama series, EN 1221 Introduction to Drama, EN 2221 American Drama, EN 2222 Theatre Workshop, and seminar courses EN 3222 Forms in World Drama and EN 3223 Forms in Modern Drama [offered in alternating years], would provide the 5 [five] courses necessary before beginning the Sufficiency project. Other courses which support specific interests may also be chosen from the EN series [including Shakespeare, British literature, poetry] or other HU&Arts offerings. Students who choose a performance, production, or original Sufficiency may accumulate 1/3 of their 5/3 required credit through performance credits earned in 1/6 increments.  See the performance ISP section following the EN listings in the Undergraduate Catalog.  NOTE:  all students should plan their course of study with a Sufficiency advisor to make sure the courses they take are appropriate to their Sufficiency project. The Department recommends that a Sufficiency series of courses include at least one 3000 level course, and not more than two 1000 level courses.

Detailed information about the Drama/Theatre, Humanities and Arts major, or concerning developing a double major [with Drama/Theatre as one of the majors], may be acquired by contacting Professor Susan Vick or Dean O’Donnell.