General College Requirements
General College Requirements (see Curriculum section), including the following requirements to satisfy the major
Required Core Courses
Critical Creativity in the Performing Arts (4 credits, lower-level).
Performing Arts “gateway” course, ideally to be taken in the first year. This course introduces students to the various tools employed by artists in the fields of music, theater, dance, and performance studies, and how the configuration of those tools are employed in different ways based on social, cultural and historical context, purpose, and audience. The course encourages students not only to think critically about how context affects artistic practice, but to imagine how their own creative work is affected by current conditions, and how they might imagine new ways of working for artists and audiences in the future.
The Performing Arts Today (4 credits, upper-level).
To be taken in the final year. Focuses on vocational and practical issues in the world of the performing arts. Topics could include career preparation, sound recording, stagecraft etc. It asks the question “What kind of artist/scholar/citizen do you want to be? What are some steps you can take in the world of the performing arts now to make that happen?”
Capstone Course in Ensemble Performance Creation (8 credits – 4 in fall, 4 in spring) OR SMP
The capstone course in ensemble performance creation will be a course taught in the fall semester in which students from any concentration in the major imagine, create and plan a performance together. The second half of this experience, happening in the spring semester, involves producing the performance the group planned in the fall. Students may choose this option OR an individual SMP.
The requirements for each separate concentration are shown within their concentration area:
- Music
- Theater, Dance & Performance Studies
- Integrated Performing Arts
Music
Critical Creativity in the Performing Arts
This introduction to the study and creation of the Performing Arts is designed to give students a foundation in the tools used by artists in music, theater, dance and performance to connect and communicate with audiences in various contexts. As students engage with the basic concepts of the performing arts, they will also begin to analyze how social, cultural and historical contexts influence the choices artists make, and how systems and structures of power operate within those contexts. Students should expect to collaborate with others to imagine and create brief performances of their own and imagine what kind of artists they consider themselves to be and what kinds of structures would be most conducive to the kind of work they want to create. This course satisfies the Core Exploration in the Arts.
The Performing Arts Today
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the various tools required for job, graduate school, and internship application as well as for auditioning and freelancing in the fields of theater, film, and media. Additionally, it will introduce students to various life mechanics for success in these fields. During the half-semester, students will generate a resume, business card, website, social media presence, cover letter, personal statement, as well as other materials required by each TFMS area (performance, design/technology, film/video, media practices, dance). Life mechanics to be addressed include: “side hustles,” filing taxes as a freelance artist, grant-writing, acquiring union membership, and budgeting on a non-fixed income. This course is meant to provide upper-level students with the resources to apply for internships, auditions, graduate school interviews, and design portfolio presentations.
Capstone Course – Ensemble Performance Creation (8)
The Capstone Course in Ensemble Performance Creation entails a fall course in which students envision together whatever project they want to pursue in the spring: a showcase, concert, full play or musical, devised project, etc. Each student takes on a different role in the planning/production process. The second half, which is a production, happens in the spring – likely the first slot in our season but could be the second. Students would also each produce a reflection paper about the performance OR the SMP is still an option. Like the SMP, the project should include a research process and a reflection written by each student on the social context, the body of literature, or the conceptual framework to which it is a contribution.
MUSA 18-/48-. Ensemble (1E)
Experience in performing groups with repertoire selected from a wide spectrum of literature. Limited outside engagements. May be repeated for credit. Junior and senior students will receive upper-division credit. Four semesters of MUSA 18-/48- and/or MUSA 23-/38- fulfills the Core Exploration Arts requirement. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor.
MUSA 200. Concert Attendance (0E)
A co-requisite course with any private music instruction. Students taking private instruction will be required to attend eight concerts per semester. Each concert designated as acceptable towards satisfying the requirement will have an attendance sheet at the door for the students to sign as they arrive and leave. Acceptable concerts include student recitals in which one performs.
Exceptions are the ensemble concerts, for which the performers do not receive attendance credit.
MUSA 28-/38-. Private Instruction (1E)
Intensive study of techniques and repertory. Juniors and seniors will receive upper-division credit. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. An additional fee must be paid for private instruction. (See “Expenses and Financial Aid” section.)
Co-requisite: MUSA 200.
MUSC 201. Sight Singing and Dictation I (1F)
Elements of pitch and rhythmic training from the recognition and performance standpoint. Includes rhythmic and melodic sight singing and dictation (one- and two-part) with keyboard harmony. MUSC 201 (with co-requisite MUSC 203) fulfills the Core Exploration Arts requirement. Co-requisite: MUSC 201.
MUSC 202. Sight Singing and Dictation II (1S)
A continuation of MUSC 201. Prerequisite: MUSC 201.
MUSC 203. Music Theory I (3F)
Review of such fundamentals as notation, intervals, scales, key signatures, chord construction, and study of Western common practice harmony. MUSC 203 (with co-requisite MUSC 201) fulfills the Core Exploration Arts requirement. Co-requisite: MUSC 201
MUSC 204. Music Theory II (3S)
A continuation of MUSC 203. Prerequisite: MUSC 203; Co-requisite: MUSC 202.
MUSC 216. Introduction to the World’s Music (4F)
Designed for the general student, this course serves as an introduction to music and musical practices around the world. This course addresses the challenge of listening to unfamiliar sounds as “music” and explores the relationship between music and society. This course satisfies the Core Exploration Cultural Literacy requirement.
MUSC 318. Music History Survey I (4F)
A study of the development of music in the Western world from the advent of music notation in the middle ages to 1900. Prerequisite: MUSC 204.
MUSC 319. Music History Survey II (4S)
A continuation of MUSC 318 encompassing music from 1900 to the present day. Prerequisite: MUSC 318.
MUSC 493. St. Mary’s Project (4F)
Guided by a faculty mentor designated by the Music Department chair, students will design, prepare, and execute a project that features performance and research. Often the performance will be a public, full- length recital, but other options are possible. In the case of a recital, the research component normally will consist of scholarly program notes related to the public performance that demonstrate the student’s ability in music history and theory.
MUSC 494. St. Mary’s Project (4S)
A continuation of MUSC 493 (see above). Guided by a faculty mentor designated by the Music Department chair, students will design, prepare, and execute a project that features performance and research. Often the performance will be a public, full- length recital, but other options are possible. In the case of a recital, the research component normally will consist of scholarly program notes related to the public performance that demonstrate the student’s ability in music history and theory.
Theater & Dance
Critical Creativity in the Performing Arts
This introduction to the study and creation of the Performing Arts is designed to give students a foundation in the tools used by artists in music, theater, dance and performance to connect and communicate with audiences in various contexts. As students engage with the basic concepts of the performing arts, they will also begin to analyze how social, cultural and historical contexts influence the choices artists make, and how systems and structures of power operate within those contexts. Students should expect to collaborate with others to imagine and create brief performances of their own and imagine what kind of artists they consider themselves to be and what kinds of structures would be most conducive to the kind of work they want to create. This course satisfies the Core Exploration in the Arts.
The Performing Arts Today
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the various tools required for job, graduate school, and internship application as well as for auditioning and freelancing in the fields of theater, film, and media. Additionally, it will introduce students to various life mechanics for success in these fields. During the half-semester, students will generate a resume, business card, website, social media presence, cover letter, personal statement, as well as other materials required by each TFMS area (performance, design/technology, film/video, media practices, dance). Life mechanics to be addressed include: “side hustles,” filing taxes as a freelance artist, grant-writing, acquiring union membership, and budgeting on a non-fixed income. This course is meant to provide upper-class students with the resources to apply for internships, auditions, graduate school interviews, and design portfolio presentations.
Methods of Study in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies
This course is designed to introduce students to the methods used by scholars and artists to interpret and analyze work, processes, and contexts of theater, dance and performance studies. This course serves as a prerequisite for more advanced history and literature courses. Topics of study include historiography, performance studies, feminist and queer theory, theories of race, postcolonial theory, visual literacy, script analysis and movement notation, as well as some theories of adaptation. This course satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement in humanities.
Performance Studies
This course serves as an introduction to performance studies, which is an interdisciplinary field of study that includes a wide range of performance practice including theater, dance, music, film and new media, everyday life, ritual and religious practices, sports and politics, among others. Students will learn the fundamental concepts of performance studies through applying them to contemporary and historical examples. Prerequisite: Methods of Study.
Capstone Course – Ensemble Performance Creation (8)
The Capstone Course in Ensemble Performance Creation entails a fall course in which students envision together whatever project they want to pursue in the spring: a showcase, concert, full play or musical, devised project, etc. Each student takes on a different role in the planning/production process. The second half, which is a production, happens in the spring – likely the first slot in our season but could be the second. Students would also each produce a reflection paper about the performance OR the SMP is still an option. Like the SMP, the project should include a research process and a reflection written by each student on the social context, the body of literature, or the conceptual framework to which it is a contribution.
TFMS 170. Stagecraft (4F)
An introduction to technical theater, this course will provide the student with a background in the tools, materials, techniques, and processes used in the execution of theatrical designs. Scenery, lighting, stage electrics, and scene painting will be discussed along with such specialty areas as plastics, woodworking joints, and new materials. This course includes a production/crew component as a means of applying the lecture material in an actual production setting. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 171. Elements of Design (4S)
This class will provide an introduction to the language and processes of design for theater and film. Areas covered will include the following: design language and terminology, rendering techniques, script analysis and interpretation, drafting, research techniques, introduction to computer aided design and the designer/director relationship. Students are required to purchase basic art and drafting supplies for this class. Classes will include both lecture and laboratory work. This course includes a production/crew component as a means of applying the lecture material in an actual production setting. This course includes a lab fee. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 199/299/399/499. Independent Study (1-4E)
This course consists of an independent creative or research project designed by the student and supervised by a TFMS faculty member. The nature of the project, the schedule for accomplishment, and the means of evaluation must be formalized prior to registration in a learning contract. May be repeated for credit.
TFMS 200. Theater in History (4AF)
This course is designed to provide methods and materials for the study of theater history and historiography. Students will undertake a historical exploration of the cultural, theoretical, literary, and practical components of performance practices in a range of periods and cultures. Using selected works of dramatic literature and theatrical performance as a basis for study, the course will introduce concepts in three areas of historical performance: text, performance conventions, and audience. Students will examine major periods of theatrical activity as specific cultural constructions and will learn how the elements of theater are historically determined and how they combine to make meanings on the stage. Sample topics of study will include Asian, Indonesian, African, Western classical, Iberian, European, and American performance traditions from their origins through the mid-19th century. Prerequisite: Methods of Study
TFMS 230. Acting I (4E)
An introduction to the fundamentals of acting, this course will introduce acknowledged approaches to the craft and then begin the process by which students will develop their own system of approaching a role. Improvisation, scene study, voice, and a variety of other acting resources will be explored. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 250. Movement I (4E)
This course is designed for students interested in self-growth and/or performance: to heighten students’ awareness and understanding of their own bodies and movement habits and the process and importance of non-verbal communication. Corrective work in basic movement mechanics leads to increased flexibility and fitness, better alignment and less stress in performing everyday movements, and to a more relaxed, confident presence on stage. Tools of movement analysis and terminology are presented. Improvisation frees inhibitions, challenges the imagination, and develops students’ abilities to work well within a group. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 251. Introduction to Traditional African Dance (4E)
This course will provide an introduction to traditional dance and music of selected African cultures. Through learning basic patterns of selected dances, students will develop a technical base serving the specific requirements of performance of African dance. In addition to the learning and performance of dances, course methods and materials include readings, video viewing, and discussion designed to provide students with an understanding and appreciation of the significance of the dance in traditional African society and its relation to the other arts. This course satisfies the Core Exploration Cultural Literacy requirement as well as a minor requirement in African and African Diaspora studies.
TFMS 255. Modern Dance I (4E)
This course covers technique and fundamental principles of modern dance. Emphasis is on the intelligent, informed use of the body applied to dance as a performance art form. Theory and practice of improvisation will be introduced, and classes are designed to stimulate mind and body. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 260/460. Topics in Dance/Movement (4)
This course involves study of an aspect of dance or movement technique or theory (jazz dance, dance therapy, mask study, international dance, stage combat). Subject matter will be announced prior to each offering of the course. Depending on topic, may be repeated for credit. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 275. Costumes and Clothes in History (4AF)
A survey of the evolution of clothing styles through history with an emphasis on Western costume. Study of historical costume as it reflects sociological, psychological, economic, political, artistic, technological, and other factors. Among the topics discussed in the class are the ways in which social rank, ethnicity, and gender manifest themselves through clothing and adornment, and how the historic evolution of clothing reflects changing roles of women and various historically marginalized groups. Satisfies a requirement for a minor in women, gender, and sexuality studies. Satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 280/480. Topics in Production (4)
A study of several aspects of theatrical or film production at an introductory level will constitute the topic area for this course. Exemplary areas may include, but are not limited to, makeup, scenic painting, and costume construction. The subject matter for the semester will be announced prior to each offering of the course. Depending on topic, may be repeated for credit and a lab fee may be assessed. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 290/490. Practicum (1-4E)
A student may receive one to four credit hours for working on a major dramatic production. Practicum can be earned through participation in all facets of production from performing to technical work. A minimum of 50 hours of work is required for one credit hour. A student may earn up to four credit hours by participating in two major productions during a semester or four credit hours for participating in a single semester-long production. Rigorous grading standards will apply. Practicum may be repeated for credit. A maximum of 12 credit hours of practicum credit may be applied toward graduation. Prerequisite: Permission of TFMS staff required.
TFMS 300. Modern Theater (4S)
As the second course in the theater history sequence, the subject for study will be the recent sources and forms of contemporary theater. Course work will begin with the advent of Realism in Western drama and will explore its transformation into other modes of signification as a consequence of political conflicts, technological developments, social movements, intercultural influences, and critical theories. This course may be used to satisfy an elective requirement for the English major. Satisfies a requirement for a minor in women, gender, and sexuality studies. Prerequisite: Methods of Study.
TFMS 331. Acting II (4)
This course will emphasize scene work and continue the actor’s development toward a personal, systematic approach to building characters. Exercises in observation, behavior patterns, character psychology, improvisation, voice, and movement will be included. Prerequisite: TFMS 230 or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 340. Directing for the Stage (4AF)
This course will introduce the fundamentals of stage directing through the execution of projects designed to provide a range of experiences in approaching particular problems of stage directing. Students will develop strategies for analyzing scripts in order to make directorial choices that are responsive, legible, and manageable, and they will learn the processes for communicating these choices to actors and designers. Prerequisite: TFMS 230 or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 370. Studio (0E)
Enrollment is co-requisite for any student participating in a main stage theater production.
TFMS 371. Production Lab (1E)
All declared theater studies majors in theater, film, and media studies must complete four credit hours of Production Lab. Each credit is equivalent to 30 hours, to be distributed in the following areas: a) Scenery & Paint; b) Costumes & Wardrobe; c) Production Assistance (crew, lights, props, etc.); and d) Student’s Choice. The technical director and scenographer/designer will assign students to an area each semester. The purpose of the course is to provide students with experience in the practices of technical theater as well as to lead them to a fuller understanding of the contributions of this work to the creative process. Students must participate fully in all main stage light hang and focus sessions each semester before credit will be awarded. Open to all students. May be repeated for credit.
TFMS 374. Lighting Design (4AS)
A study of the theories, principles, and tools of lighting design for theater, film, and video, this course will focus primarily on developing the student’s ability to see, understand, and manipulate light in respect to its physical and psychological properties. Topics will include properties and functions of light, color theory, instrumentation and placement, script analysis, drafting, and basic electricity. Projects will include analysis of light in various media (paintings, film, photographs) and a design for a theoretical production. Students will be required to participate on the lighting crew for one production during the semester. This course includes a lab fee. Prerequisites: TFMS 170, 171, or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 375. Costume Design for Stage and Screen (4AS)
The goal of this course is to introduce students to costuming and costume design for theater and film. Students will apply sketching, drawing skills, and elements of design in order to develop clothing choices for film and theater characters. An understanding and visualization of character will be realized through research, clothing analysis, and appropriate textile applications. Students will learn how to design costume plots and charts, how to manage budgets, and how to prepare for portfolio presentations. Students will be required to participate in a design-related production crew during the semester. This course includes a lab fee. Prerequisites: TFMS 171, 275, or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 376. Scenic Design for Stage and Screen (4AS)
A study of the processes and techniques of creating scenic environments for theatrical and film productions, this course will approach scene design from such perspectives as realism, conceptual or thematic aesthetics, cultural traditions, and/or period styles. An understanding of the visualization of space and place will be realized through research, script analysis and interpretation, drawing, painting, drafting, model making, computer aided design/rendering, and portfolio presentation. Students will be required to participate in a design-related production crew during the semester. This course includes a lab fee. Prerequisites: TFMS 170, 171, or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 390. Theater Seminar: Production Contexts (2-4)
This seminar will be offered in conjunction with particular main stage productions and will examine artistic practices and contextual issues associated with the processes of creating the work. Topics will vary according to specific productions but may explore related problems of dramaturgy, history, culture, or craft. The course may be offered in full- or half-semester formats and will sometimes be taught by guest artists. May be repeated for credit.
TFMS 398/498. Off-Campus Internship (8-16E)
A variety of off-campus experiential learning opportunities can be arranged through the Career Development Center. The off-campus internship is an individually designed experience that allows the student to explore the relationship between learning in the classroom and the practical application of knowledge in everyday work situations. Prerequisites: Admission to the Internship Program and approval of the TFMS faculty. Credit/no credit grading. May be repeated for credit.
TFMS 405. Topics in Theater, Dance and Performance Studies (4)
Consideration of a theme, problem, movement, or major figure(s) in dramatic literature, history, theory, criticism, or performance studies will make up the topics field for this course. The method of study might include intersections of scholarship and practice. The subject matter for the semester will be announced prior to each offering of the course. Depending on the topic, it may be repeated for credit and prerequisites may apply.
TFMS 480. Advanced Topics in Production (4AS)
This course offers specialized study of an aspect of theatrical or film production and, as such, may be used to satisfy the senior capstone experience for TFMS majors (in theater studies or film and media studies). The subject matter for the semester will be announced prior to each offering of the course. Depending on the topic, the course may be repeated for credit, may include a lab fee, and prerequisites may apply.
TFMS 493/494. St. Mary’s Project (8E)
This project, which may take many forms, draws on and extends knowledge, skills of analysis, and creative achievement developed through previous academic work. The student initiates the project, identifies an area to be explored, and proposes a method of inquiry appropriate to the topic. The project should include a reflection on the social context, the body of literature, or the conceptual framework to which it is a contribution. It must be shared with the College community through posters, presentations, or other means. Open to non-majors. Prerequisites: Senior standing and approval of faculty mentor and department chair(s) of the student’s major(s). Consult faculty mentor for project guidelines
Integrated Performing Arts
Critical Creativity in the Performing Arts
This introduction to the study and creation of the Performing Arts is designed to give students a foundation in the tools used by artists in music, theater, dance and performance to connect and communicate with audiences in various contexts. As students engage with the basic concepts of the performing arts, they will also begin to analyze how social, cultural and historical contexts influence the choices artists make, and how systems and structures of power operate within those contexts. Students should expect to collaborate with others to imagine and create brief performances of their own and imagine what kind of artists they consider themselves to be and what kinds of structures would be most conducive to the kind of work they want to create. This course satisfies the Core Exploration in the Arts.
The Performing Arts Today
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the various tools required for job, graduate school, and internship application as well as for auditioning and freelancing in the fields of theater, film, and media. Additionally, it will introduce students to various life mechanics for success in these fields. During the half-semester, students will generate a resume, business card, website, social media presence, cover letter, personal statement, as well as other materials required by each TFMS area (performance, design/technology, film/video, media practices, dance). Life mechanics to be addressed include: “side hustles,” filing taxes as a freelance artist, grant-writing, acquiring union membership, and budgeting on a non-fixed income.
This course is meant to provide upper-class students with the resources to apply for internships, auditions, graduate school interviews, and design portfolio presentations.
Capstone Course – Ensemble Performance Creation (8)
The Capstone Course in Ensemble Performance Creation entails a fall course in which students envision together whatever project they want to pursue in the spring: a showcase, concert, full play or musical, devised project, etc. Each student takes on a different role in the planning/production process. The second half, which is a production, happens in the spring – likely the first slot in our season but could be the second. Students would also each produce a reflection paper about the performance OR the SMP is still an option. Like the SMP, the project should include a research process and a reflection written by each student on the social context, the body of literature, or the conceptual framework to which it is a contribution.
Methods of Study in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies
This course is designed to introduce students to the methods used by scholars and artists to interpret and analyze work, processes, and contexts of theater, dance and performance studies. This course serves as a prerequisite for more advanced history and literature courses. Topics of study include historiography, performance studies, feminist and queer theory, theories of race, postcolonial theory, visual literacy, script analysis and movement notation, as well as some theories of adaptation. This course satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement in humanities.
Performance Studies
This course serves as an introduction to performance studies, which is an interdisciplinary field of study that includes a wide range of performance practice including theater, dance, music, film and new media, everyday life, ritual and religious practices, sports and politics, among others.
Students will learn the fundamental concepts of performance studies through applying them to contemporary and historical examples. Prerequisite: Methods of Study.
MUSA 18-/48-. Ensemble (1E)
Experience in performing groups with repertoire selected from a wide spectrum of literature. Limited outside engagements. May be repeated for credit. Junior and senior students will receive upper-division credit. Four semesters of MUSA 18-/48- and/or MUSA 23-/38- fulfills the Core Exploration Arts requirement. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor.
MUSA 200. Concert Attendance (0E)
A co-requisite course with any private music instruction. Students taking private instruction will be required to attend eight concerts per semester. Each concert designated as acceptable towards satisfying the requirement will have an attendance sheet at the door for the students to sign as they arrive and leave. Acceptable concerts include student recitals in which one performs.
Exceptions are the ensemble concerts, for which the performers do not receive attendance credit.
MUSA 28-/38-. Private Instruction (1E)
Intensive study of techniques and repertory. Juniors and seniors will receive upper-division credit. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. An additional fee must be paid for private instruction. (See “Expenses and Financial Aid” section.)
Co-requisite: MUSA 200.
MUSA 473. Alba, Italy Program (2SU)
Participation at the Alba International Music Festival, a two-week intensive musical experience involving the study of European music in a European environment. Singers will rehearse and perform with the St. Mary’s College Chamber Singers. Instrumentalists will rehearse and perform chamber music and sit in with various professional ensembles. All students attend daily concerts and numerous master classes. Students in composition will have private lessons and daily composition master classes. This course may be repeated for credit.
MUSA 492. Opera Scenes Class (1S)
Opera Scenes Class is designed for the student of singing interested in the various elements which comprise the preparation and performance of opera scenes. The class will treat such issues as text and musical interpretation, characterization, blocking, movement and scenic elements.
Students will be cast in various scenes appropriate to their development and will present their work in a public performance at the conclusion of the semester. Enrollment is by audition.
MUSC 201. Sight Singing and Dictation I (1F)
Elements of pitch and rhythmic training from the recognition and performance standpoint. Includes rhythmic and melodic sight singing and dictation (one- and two-part) with keyboard harmony. MUSC 201 (with co-requisite MUSC 203) fulfills the Core Exploration Arts requirement. Co-requisite: MUSC 201.
MUSC 202. Sight Singing and Dictation II (1S)
A continuation of MUSC 201. Prerequisite: MUSC 201.
MUSC 203. Music Theory I (3F)
Review of such fundamentals as notation, intervals, scales, key signatures, chord construction, and study of Western common practice harmony. MUSC 203 (with co-requisite MUSC 201) fulfills the Core Exploration Arts requirement. Co-requisite: MUSC 201
MUSC 204. Music Theory II (3S)
A continuation of MUSC 203. Prerequisite: MUSC 203; Co-requisite: MUSC 202. MUSC 216. Introduction to the World’s Music (4F)
Designed for the general student, this course serves as an introduction to music and musical practices around the world. This course addresses the challenge of listening to unfamiliar sounds as “music” and explores the relationship between music and society. This course satisfies the Core Exploration Cultural Literacy requirement.
MUSC 316. Arts Administration: The Business Behind the Curtain (4)
This course provides an overview of the industries that form the foundation and provide the delivery of the arts to the public. Topics include: Non-profit 501c3s, Grants, Boards, Artist Management, Marketing, Publicity, Fundraising, Administrative Structure, Publishing, Recording, Unions, Arts Councils, the NEA, Project Development, and Audience Engagement and Building. With special guest speakers.
MUSC 318. Music History Survey I (4F)
A study of the development of music in the Western world from the advent of music notation in the middle ages to 1900. Prerequisite: MUSC 204.
MUSC 319. Music History Survey II (4S)
A continuation of MUSC 318 encompassing music from 1900 to the present day. Prerequisite: MUSC 318.
MUSC 360. Choral and Instrumental Conducting (4)
Study of beat patterns, baton techniques, and rehearsal techniques using critical score analysis of choral and instrumental literature. Class functions as its own performing laboratory.
MUSC 365. Diction for Singers (2)
Designed for singers, this survey course introduces singers to the International Phonetic Alphabet and its use; the rules of correct pronunciation in English, Italian, German, French, and Spanish lyric (sung) diction; and the use of diction as an interpretive tool. Prerequisite: Music major status, or permission of the instructor.
MUSC 398. Off-Campus Internship (4-16E)
A variety of off-campus experiential learning opportunities can be arranged through the Career Development Center. The off-campus internship is an individually designed experience that allows the student to explore the relationship between learning in the classroom and the practical application of knowledge in everyday work situations. Prerequisites: Admission to the Internship Program and approval of the department chair. (See “Internships” under “Academic Policies” section.) Credit/no credit grading.
MUSC 399/499. Independent Study (1-4E)
This course consists of an independent creative or research project designed by the student and supervised by a music faculty member. The nature of the project, the schedule for accomplishment, and the means of evaluation must be formalized prior to registration in a learning contract. May be repeated for credit.
MUSC 493. St. Mary’s Project (4F)
Guided by a faculty mentor designated by the Music Department chair, students will design, prepare, and execute a project that features performance and research. Often the performance will be a public, full- length recital, but other options are possible. In the case of a recital, the research component normally will consist of scholarly program notes related to the public performance that demonstrate the student’s ability in music history and theory.
MUSC 494. St. Mary’s Project (4S)
A continuation of MUSC 493 (see above). Guided by a faculty mentor designated by the Music Department chair, students will design, prepare, and execute a project that features performance and research. Often the performance will be a public, full- length recital, but other options are possible. In the case of a recital, the research component normally will consist of scholarly program notes related to the public performance that demonstrate the student’s ability in music history and theory.
TFMS 170. Stagecraft (4F)
An introduction to technical theater, this course will provide the student with a background in the tools, materials, techniques, and processes used in the execution of theatrical designs. Scenery, lighting, stage electrics, and scene painting will be discussed along with such specialty areas as plastics, woodworking joints, and new materials. This course includes a production/crew component as a means of applying the lecture material in an actual production setting. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 171. Elements of Design (4S)
This class will provide an introduction to the language and processes of design for theater and film. Areas covered will include the following: design language and terminology, rendering techniques, script analysis and interpretation, drafting, research techniques, introduction to computer aided design and the designer/director relationship. Students are required to purchase basic art and drafting supplies for this class. Classes will include both lecture and laboratory work. This course includes a production/crew component as a means of applying the lecture material in an actual production setting. This course includes a lab fee. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 200. Theater in History (4AF)
This course is designed to provide methods and materials for the study of theater history and historiography. Students will undertake a historical exploration of the cultural, theoretical, literary, and practical components of performance practices in a range of periods and cultures. Using selected works of dramatic literature and theatrical performance as a basis for study, the course will introduce concepts in three areas of historical performance: text, performance conventions, and audience. Students will examine major periods of theatrical activity as specific cultural constructions and will learn how the elements of theater are historically determined and how they combine to make meanings on the stage. Sample topics of study will include Asian, Indonesian, African, Western classical, Iberian, European, and American performance traditions from their origins through the mid-19th century. Prerequisite: Methods of Study
TFMS 230. Acting I (4S)
An introduction to the fundamentals of acting, this course will introduce acknowledged approaches to the craft and then begin the process by which students will develop their own system of approaching a role. Improvisation, scene study, voice, and a variety of other acting resources will be explored. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 250. Movement I (4E)
This course is designed for students interested in self-growth and/or performance: to heighten students’ awareness and understanding of their own bodies and movement habits and the process and importance of non-verbal communication. Corrective work in basic movement mechanics leads to increased flexibility and fitness, better alignment and less stress in performing everyday movements, and to a more relaxed, confident presence on stage. Tools of movement analysis and terminology are presented. Improvisation frees inhibitions, challenges the imagination, and develops students’ abilities to work well within a group. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 251. Introduction to Traditional African Dance (4E)
This course will provide an introduction to traditional dance and music of selected African cultures. Through learning basic patterns of selected dances, students will develop a technical base serving the specific requirements of performance of African dance. In addition to the learning and performance of dances, course methods and materials include readings, video viewing, and discussion designed to provide students with an understanding and appreciation of the significance of the dance in traditional African society and its relation to the other arts. This course satisfies the Core Exploration Cultural Literacy requirement as well as a minor requirement in African and African Diaspora studies.
TFMS 255. Modern Dance I (4E)
This course covers technique and fundamental principles of modern dance. Emphasis is on the intelligent, informed use of the body applied to dance as a performance art form. Theory and practice of improvisation will be introduced, and classes are designed to stimulate mind and body. This course satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 275. Costumes and Clothes in History (4AF)
A survey of the evolution of clothing styles through history with an emphasis on Western costume. Study of historical costume as it reflects sociological, psychological, economic, political, artistic, technological, and other factors. Among the topics discussed in the class are the ways in which social rank, ethnicity, and gender manifest themselves through clothing and adornment, and how the historic evolution of clothing reflects changing roles of women and various historically marginalized groups. Satisfies a requirement for a minor in women, gender, and sexuality studies. Satisfies the Core Exploration requirement in Arts.
TFMS 300. Modern Theater (4S)
As the second course in the theater history sequence, the subject for study will be the recent sources and forms of contemporary theater. Course work will begin with the advent of Realism in Western drama and will explore its transformation into other modes of signification as a consequence of political conflicts, technological developments, social movements, intercultural influences, and critical theories. This course may be used to satisfy an elective requirement for the English major. Satisfies a requirement for a minor in women, gender, and sexuality studies. Prerequisite: Methods of Study.
TFMS 331. Acting II (4)
This course will emphasize scene work and continue the actor’s development toward a personal, systematic approach to building characters. Exercises in observation, behavior patterns, character psychology, improvisation, voice, and movement will be included. Prerequisite: TFMS 230 or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 340 Directing I
This course is an introduction to the tools directors use to guide and shape live theater projects. In this course, students will engage with some of the history and theories of directing for the stage, analyze the work of other theater directors and classmates, experiment in practice with some guidelines for making choices that create meaningful interpretations of plays and other texts together with designers and actors, and propose and direct a very short play with a particular audience in mind. Prerequisite: TFMS 230 or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 345 Playwriting
This class serves as an introduction to the process of writing plays for live theater, with the assumption that writers learn, in part, by reading. Students will begin to develop a process of their own through reading and analyzing play scripts, engaging in weekly writing exercises, doing dramaturgical work on plays written by classmates, and drafting and revising two
ten-minute plays for the stage.
TFMS 371. Production Lab (1E)
All declared theater studies majors in theater, film, and media studies must complete four credit hours of Production Lab. Each credit is equivalent to 30 hours, to be distributed in the following areas: a) Scenery & Paint; b) Costumes & Wardrobe; c) Production Assistance (crew, lights, props, etc.); and d) Student’s Choice. The technical director and scenographer/designer will assign students to an area each semester. The purpose of the course is to provide students with experience in the practices of technical theater as well as to lead them to a fuller understanding of the contributions of this work to the creative process. Students must participate fully in all main stage light hang and focus sessions each semester before credit will be awarded. Open to all students. May be repeated for credit.
TFMS 374. Lighting Design (4AS)
A study of the theories, principles, and tools of lighting design for theater, film, and video, this course will focus primarily on developing the student’s ability to see, understand, and manipulate light in respect to its physical and psychological properties. Topics will include properties and functions of light, color theory, instrumentation and placement, script analysis, drafting, and basic electricity. Projects will include analysis of light in various media (paintings, film, photographs) and a design for a theoretical production. Students will be required to participate on the lighting crew for one production during the semester. This course includes a lab fee. Prerequisites: TFMS 170, 171, or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 375. Costume Design for Stage and Screen (4AS)
The goal of this course is to introduce students to costuming and costume design for theater and film. Students will apply sketching, drawing skills, and elements of design in order to develop clothing choices for film and theater characters. An understanding and visualization of character will be realized through research, clothing analysis, and appropriate textile applications. Students will learn how to design costume plots and charts, how to manage budgets, and how to prepare for portfolio presentations. Students will be required to participate in a design-related production crew during the semester. This course includes a lab fee. Prerequisites: TFMS 171, 275, or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 376. Scenic Design for Stage and Screen (4AS)
A study of the processes and techniques of creating scenic environments for theatrical and film productions, this course will approach scene design from such perspectives as realism, conceptual or thematic aesthetics, cultural traditions, and/or period styles. An understanding of the visualization of space and place will be realized through research, script analysis and interpretation, drawing, painting, drafting, model making, computer aided design/rendering, and portfolio presentation. Students will be required to participate in a design-related production crew during the semester. This course includes a lab fee. Prerequisites: TFMS 170, 171, or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 390. Theater Seminar: Production Contexts (2-4)
This seminar will be offered in conjunction with particular main stage productions and will examine artistic practices and contextual issues associated with the processes of creating the work. Topics will vary according to specific productions but may explore related problems of dramaturgy, history, culture, or craft. The course may be offered in full- or half-semester formats and will sometimes be taught by guest artists. May be repeated for credit.
TFMS 398/498. Off-Campus Internship (8-16E)
A variety of off-campus experiential learning opportunities can be arranged through the Career Development Center. The off-campus internship is an individually designed experience that allows the student to explore the relationship between learning in the classroom and the practical application of knowledge in everyday work situations. Prerequisites: Admission to the Internship Program and approval of the TFMS faculty. Credit/no credit grading. May be repeated for credit.
TFMS 399/499 Independent Study in Theater, Dance, Performance Studies
This course consists of an independent creative or research project designed by the student and supervised by a TFMS faculty member. The nature of the project, the schedule for accomplishment, and the means of evaluation must be formalized prior to registration in a learning contract. May be repeated for credit.
TFMS 405. Topics in Theater, Dance and Performance Studies (4)
Consideration of a theme, problem, movement, or major figure(s) in dramatic literature, history, theory, criticism, or performance studies will make up the topics field for this course. The method of study might include intersections of scholarship and practice. The subject matter for the semester will be announced prior to each offering of the course. Depending on the topic, it may be repeated for credit and prerequisites may apply.
TFMS 460 Advanced Topics in Dance/Movement
This course involves advanced study of an aspect of dance or movement technique or theory (for example, jazz dance, dance therapy, mask study, international dance, stage combat). Subject matter and credit value will be announced prior to each offering of the course. Depending on the topic, it may be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: TFMS 255 or consent of the instructor.
TFMS 480. Advanced Topics in Production (4AS)
This course offers specialized study of an aspect of theatrical or film production and, as such, may be used to satisfy the senior capstone experience for TFMS majors (in theater studies or film and media studies). The subject matter for the semester will be announced prior to each offering of the course. Depending on the topic, the course may be repeated for credit, may include a lab fee, and prerequisites may apply.
TFMS 490 Practicum (1-4E)
Students who are involved in theater production may register for 1-4 credits depending upon the number of work hours their positions require. TFMS490 is graded, while the studio credit (TFMS370) is a zero-credit placeholder to designate participation in production whether the student desires academic credit or not.