Liberal Arts & Sciences: Theater
68 Total CreditsOne of MVCC's newest majors, this degree makes use of a state-of-the art 450 seat theater as a classroom. Students will learn about the production process including the roles of actor, director and designer. This program also includes a variety of hands-on activities relating to theater projects. The degree provides the first two years of preparation for transfer to a four-year theater program or related program.
Goals & Outcomes
To provide students the opportunity to develop interpersonal & public communication skills appropriate to the field of theater.
- Students will be able to communicate effectively using written, oral, and physical modes of expression in the liberal arts and theater traditions.
- Students will create and deliver written discourse using expressive, informative, and persuasive aims.
- Students will respond to the work of others.
- Students will use non-verbal communication to communicate ideas.
To provide students the opportunity to interact with and analyze theatrical texts.
- Students will be able to interpret theatrical texts in a practical (production based) and critical (literary based) fashion.
To prepare students to transfer.
- Students are accepted at a four-year school.
- Students indicate satisfaction with preparation.
To provide students the opportunity to assess the practical needs of theatrical production.
- Students will be able to formulate practical approaches to theatrical production in acting, directing, or technical applications.
To provide students the opportunity to understand the nature of diversity and its relationship to the liberal arts.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the historical and current contributions of the culturally diverse theatrical tradition.
- Students will draw upon knowledge and experience of others to function as an ensemble.
To prepare students to demonstrate information literacy.
- Students will use traditional and contemporary information technology.
- Students will identify, access, and appropriately use authoritative sources of information.
First Semester16.5 Credits
ED100 College Seminar 1 cr
College Seminar is an opportunity for students to develop the skills necessary to improve the chances for success in the college environment. General College procedures, the fundamental notions of time management and study skills, and the specific responsibilities of today's students in a variety of local and global environments are discussed. One or more collaborative projects will be an integral part of the course. Corequisites: The course must be taken in the student's first thirty hours of study. General first year courses would usually be taken at the same time.
EN101 English 1: Composition 3 cr
English 1 is a composition course. By focusing on several kinds of writing--self expressive, informative, argumentative/persuasive, and others--it teaches the student to produce the clear, correct and effective prose required in a wide variety of professions and occupations. Class meetings are a blend of lecture and discussion with frequent in-class writing activities. Conferences may be required. Readings are studied as models of good writing and for the ideas they contain. There are eight writing assignments altogether, including an in-class essay, a research-based assignment, and a business writing assignment. Prerequisites: Appropriate evaluation on the placement test writing sample, or successful completion of EN099 Introduction to College English, or successful completion of SL116 ESL4 Advanced Composition, or permission of Humanities Department Head or course instructor.
Mathematics Elective
MA108 Concepts in Mathematics 3 cr
This course is a survey of mathematics for students in those programs that do not require a mathematics sequence. It provides an appreciation of mathematical ideas in historical and modern settings. Topics include problem solving, logic, geometry, statistics, and consumer mathematics. Prerequisite: An appropriate placement test result or MA045 Basic Math Skills or MA050 Introductory Mathematics.
MA110 Elementary Statistics 3 cr
This course introduces probability and statistics. Topics include graphs, tables, frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, correlation and regression, probability, and inferential statistics. This course is available in two formats: lecture only, or lecture plus laboratory using technology. Prerequisite: An appropriate placement test result or MA045 Basic Math Skills or MA050 Introductory Mathematics.
MA131 Finite Mathematics 3 cr
This course emphasizes conceptual understanding and practical applications of logic, sets, probability, matrices, and linear programming. Prerequisite: An appropriate placement test result or MA108 Concepts in Mathematics.
HU191 Acting 1: Principles of Acting 3 cr
This course is an introduction to the principles of acting for the stage. Topics include: relaxation, energizing, stage sense and improvisation. Physical, emotional and imaginative exercises help to prepare the beginning actor for the performance situation.
TH193 Introduction to the Theater 3 cr
This course introduces the student to the foundations of theater art. Emphasis is placed on the theatrical production process and may include such topics as theater spaces, directing, acting, scenic design and professional work opportunities. In addition, the varieties of theater experience from the Greek festival theater to the present are discussed. Students are required to see a play out of class.
Foreign Language
- A minimum of two semesters in the same language will be required. The student will meet with the Humanities Department Head and Coordinator of International studies to assess existing foreign language competency in order to determine proper placement or possible exemption. In the case of an ESL student, for example, English may satisfy the foreign language requirement.
PE Physical Education .5 cr
A wide variety of credit courses including but not limited to swimming, fitness center, badminton, tennis, golf, bowling and aerobic dance.
Second Semester18.5 Credits
EN102 English 2: Ideas & Values in Literature 3 cr
This course seeks to deepen the students' understanding of human nature and the human condition through the study of ideas and values expressed in both imaginative literature and a full-length book of non-fiction. To this end, students use and develop critical thinking and language skills. They do so mainly in their attempts to raise and answer questions in their readings, discussions, and expository writing tasks, which may include exploratory writing, an academic journal, reports and essays. A library-oriented research project is required. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1: Composition or EN105 English Composition for Speakers of Other Languages
Math Elective
MA108 Concepts in Mathematics 3 cr
This course is a survey of mathematics for students in those programs that do not require a mathematics sequence. It provides an appreciation of mathematical ideas in historical and modern settings. Topics include problem solving, logic, geometry, statistics, and consumer mathematics. Prerequisite: An appropriate placement test result or MA045 Basic Math Skills or MA050 Introductory Mathematics.
MA131 Finite Mathematics 3 cr
This course emphasizes conceptual understanding and practical applications of logic, sets, probability, matrices, and linear programming. Prerequisite: An appropriate placement test result or MA108 Concepts in Mathematics.
Social Science Elective
PY101 Introduction to General Psychology 3 cr
This course is designed to introduce students to the many and varied facets of psychology. Emphasis throughout the course will be on interactions of individuals in their cultural, social and economic environments as determined by their cognitive, behavioral and emotional experiences and training.
SO101 Introduction to Sociology 3 cr
SO101 is an introductory sociology course. Its main objective is not to make sociologists, but rather to give an understanding of and a feeling for the society in which we live. The concepts and theories discussed in this course relate to humanity, its culture and society, to those forces which contribute to the smooth operation of this society as well as those forces which contribute to conflict and social problems. Key topics include culture, socialization, stratification, population and patterns of social organization. Various forms of media will be used to present the topics of this course.
BM101 Survey of Economics 3 cr
This course introduces economic theory and its relevance to daily life in a market economy. Topics include scarcity, supply and demand, choice, economic growth, taxation, and the role of government in the economy. Attention is given to current economic issues and their impact upon everyday life.
AN101 Biological Anthropology 3 cr
This course presents the biological and evolutionary history of humans. Basic concepts of evolutionary theory, human genetics, human biological adaptation and diversity, and the hominid fossil record are explored. It includes the behavior and ecology of living non-human primates.
Humanities Elective
HU186 Music Appreciation 3 cr
This course is designed to develop musical perception, understanding, and appreciation. It is appropriate for those students who have had no formal training in music. The course features direct listening and live performances and demonstrations in classical, romantic and other musical styles. There are quizzes, a midterm and a final exam.
HU187 Art Appreciation 3 cr
This course is designed to develop perception, understanding, and appreciation of the visual arts. Knowledge regarding the role of the artist in a diverse society through an introduction to Western and non-Western historical and cultural contexts of visual art is developed. Various materials and techniques of art are studied with emphasis on the elements of artistic expression. The elements of art (line, shape, color texture) and the principles of design are studied. A field trip to a gallery exhibit is included. Skill in art is not required.
PE Physical Education .5 cr
A wide variety of credit courses including but not limited to swimming, fitness center, badminton, tennis, golf, bowling and aerobic dance.
Third Semester16.5 Credits
EN280 Dramatic Literature: The Classic Theatre 3 cr
The classic period of drama will be studied, from the ancient Greek theatre of 400 B.C., to the neoclassic French theatre of the 18th century. The plays, theatres, audiences, and theatrical techniques of such playwrights as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Plautus, the medieval playwrights, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Jonson, Racine and Moliere will be discussed. Instruction will be primarily discussions and lectures, with occasional in-class viewing of plays and possible student scene work in selected plays. In addition to papers, exams, and quizzes, the student will be required to attend and critique a play seen outside of class. Prerequisites: EN101 English 1 and EN102 English 2.
Humanities Elective
HI101 History of Civilization 1 3 cr
This course introduces the nature and study of history, and covers the emergence and development of Eurasian civilization to about 1500 A.D. in the Near East, India, China, Europe, the Western Hemisphere, and Africa. Attention is given to religion in these civilizations and on the rise of the West to a position of world power during the Middle Ages.
HU204 History of Art 1 3 cr
This course provides an introduction to the history of art from prehistoric times through the Sixteenth Century. Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, and Mannerist painting, sculpture, and architecture are covered. Art is studied within its cultural context, and the course will focus on the interrelationship among the arts. Students use critical skills to analyze art through reading, writing, and discussion. A field trip to an art exhibit is included. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1.
HU192 Acting 2: Characterization and Scene Stdy 3 cr
This course emphasizes the development of character within specific textual situations. Students analyze, rehearse, and perform roles from written texts. Continued emphasis is placed on the actor's physical and emotional work. Collaborative projects are required. Prerequisite: HU191 Acting 1: Principles of Acting, or permission of the instructor.
Natural Science Elective
- Any Tier 1 Natural Science Course.
Theater Elective 6 cr
EN152 Oral Interpretation 3 cr
This course involves the use of public speaking skills and techniques as an art form. It emphasizes the use of voice and body to interpret poems, passages from fiction, etc. in a public reading situation. Group readings of short plays or scenes from plays are included. Highly recommended for students considering teaching, broadcasting, acting and/or interpretive arts. Prerequisite: EN 150 Effective Speech or permission of the instructor.
EN282 Contemporary Drama 3 cr
This course introduces students to dramatic literature from about 1950 to the present. Major authors and plays from the world stage are discussed. New performance conventions are introduced in an historical context. Prerequisites: EN 101 and EN 102 or permission of the instructor.
TH195 Musical Theater 3 cr
This course is a survey of the musical theater from the late nineteenth century until the present. Emphasis is placed on the American musical, its historical antecedents, and recent production trends. Students discuss and critique live and filmed musical theater.
TH196 Theater Practicum 1-3 cr
Theater Practicum gives the student a chance to participate in a variety of theater activities such as acting, stage management, and crew work. Students work under the supervision of instructional faculty. Audition and/or interview required. Prerequisites: Approval by instructional faculty. HUI9I or HUl92.
TH283 Topics in Theater 3 cr
Topics in Theater provides the opportunity to explore a specific area or topic in the theater. Flexibility regarding traditional boundaries of disciplines, genre, time periods, and media gives the student fresh perspectives and knowledge of theater. Prerequisite: THI93 Introduction to the Theater.
- Some electives have prerequisites. Theater practicum must be approved by the appropriate Theater faculty. Theater Practicum can be taken for a maximum of three credits to complete degree of requirements.
PE Physical Education .5 cr
A wide variety of credit courses including but not limited to swimming, fitness center, badminton, tennis, golf, bowling and aerobic dance.
Fourth Semester16.5 Credits
EN281 Dramatic Literature: Modern Drama 3 cr
The period of drama beginning in the 19th century and running to the present will be studied. Such dramatic movements as Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Expressionism, and Absurdity; such playwrights as Goethe, Schiller, Ibsen, Strindberg, Chekhov, O'Neill, Pirandello, Brecht, Williams, Miller, Albee, Shepard, Beckett, Pinter, and Stoppard; and the theatres, audiences and theatrical techniques of the period will be investigated. Instruction will be through discussion, lecture, in-class viewing of plays, and possible student scene work. In addition to papers, exams and quizzes, each student will attend and critique a play seen outside of class. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1 and EN102 English 2.
Natural Science Elective
Humanities Elective
HU205 History of Art 2 3 cr
This course provides an introduction to the history of art from the Seventeenth Century to the present. Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicisms, Romanticism, Impressionism, Post-impressionism, and major twentieth-century styles of painting, sculpture, and architecture are covered. Art is studied within its cultural context, and the course focuses on the interrelationship among the arts. Students use critical skills to analyze art through reading, writing, and discussion. A field trip to an art exhibit is included. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1.
HI102 History of Civilization 2 3 cr
This course is concerned with civilizations and their influences on each other in the modern world. It traces the rise of the West to a position of world dominance and its impact on non-Western societies. Emphasis is placed on the major forces that have shaped the contemporary world - industrialization, urbanization, nationalism, militarism, imperialism, democracy, and communism.
Theater Elective
EN152 Oral Interpretation 3 cr
This course involves the use of public speaking skills and techniques as an art form. It emphasizes the use of voice and body to interpret poems, passages from fiction, etc. in a public reading situation. Group readings of short plays or scenes from plays are included. Highly recommended for students considering teaching, broadcasting, acting and/or interpretive arts. Prerequisite: EN 150 Effective Speech or permission of the instructor.
EN282 Contemporary Drama 3 cr
This course introduces students to dramatic literature from about 1950 to the present. Major authors and plays from the world stage are discussed. New performance conventions are introduced in an historical context. Prerequisites: EN 101 and EN 102 or permission of the instructor.
TH195 Musical Theater 3 cr
This course is a survey of the musical theater from the late nineteenth century until the present. Emphasis is placed on the American musical, its historical antecedents, and recent production trends. Students discuss and critique live and filmed musical theater.
TH196 Theater Practicum 1-3 cr
Theater Practicum gives the student a chance to participate in a variety of theater activities such as acting, stage management, and crew work. Students work under the supervision of instructional faculty. Audition and/or interview required. Prerequisites: Approval by instructional faculty. HUI9I or HUl92.
TH283 Topics in Theater 3 cr
Topics in Theater provides the opportunity to explore a specific area or topic in the theater. Flexibility regarding traditional boundaries of disciplines, genre, time periods, and media gives the student fresh perspectives and knowledge of theater. Prerequisite: THI93 Introduction to the Theater.
Social Science Elective
PY101 Introduction to General Psychology 3 cr
This course is designed to introduce students to the many and varied facets of psychology. Emphasis throughout the course will be on interactions of individuals in their cultural, social and economic environments as determined by their cognitive, behavioral and emotional experiences and training.
SO101 Introduction to Sociology 3 cr
SO101 is an introductory sociology course. Its main objective is not to make sociologists, but rather to give an understanding of and a feeling for the society in which we live. The concepts and theories discussed in this course relate to humanity, its culture and society, to those forces which contribute to the smooth operation of this society as well as those forces which contribute to conflict and social problems. Key topics include culture, socialization, stratification, population and patterns of social organization. Various forms of media will be used to present the topics of this course.
BM101 Survey of Economics 3 cr
This course introduces economic theory and its relevance to daily life in a market economy. Topics include scarcity, supply and demand, choice, economic growth, taxation, and the role of government in the economy. Attention is given to current economic issues and their impact upon everyday life.
AN101 Biological Anthropology 3 cr
This course presents the biological and evolutionary history of humans. Basic concepts of evolutionary theory, human genetics, human biological adaptation and diversity, and the hominid fossil record are explored. It includes the behavior and ecology of living non-human primates.
PE Physical Education .5 cr
A wide variety of credit courses including but not limited to swimming, fitness center, badminton, tennis, golf, bowling and aerobic dance.
Prerequisites
- High School Math Course 1 or its equivalent.
- High School Chemistry or its equivalent.
- Typing 1 or its equivalent.
- All incoming students must meet with the program coordinator prior to progression.
- We will accept you at your current level of readiness and provide opportunities for you to be successful at the college.
