Effective Fall 2023
Through careful, intentional choices, the CFA School of Theatre Faculty & Staff worked for over two years to develop an elegant, sophisticated curriculum for the future of theatre teaching.
The new BFA Theatre and BFA Theatre Arts programs begin in the fall of 2023, with the first-year class, and will roll out each year moving forward, to complete in the spring of 2027. This careful, methodical implementation is a symbol of the thorough commitment our community made to achieve this effort.
Curriculum highlights:
- Strong, interdisciplinary foundation of language and skills in the first year, including coursework on equitable & inclusive theatre practices
- Focused study in a major core sequence and craft/skills courses in years 2-4
- More flexibility for electives and/or fulfilling HUB requirements.
Table of Contents
First-Year Theatre Core
All first-year BFA-Theatre students are admitted into the Theatre Core curriculum for either Performance or Design, Production & Management. The Theatre Core helps establish a common vocabulary, instills the School of Theatre’s core values, and encourages students to acquire tools and practice techniques that sharpen inherent instincts and intellects, encourage creativity, and open them up to broader levels of awareness, imagination, and expression. By acquiring a base of artistic, expressive, and collaborative skills, students begin to discover the breadth and depth of what it means to be a professional theatre artist today and explore all facets of theatre making before committing to a specific area of study.
At the end of their first year in the program, each student declares a major. This decision is reviewed by all members of the School of Theatre faculty before a student is officially enrolled in their major.
Successful completion of the Performance Core will result in the choosing of a major for advancement in:
- Acting
- Theatre Arts-Performance
Successful completion of the Design, Production & Management Core will result in the choosing of a major for advancement in:
- Costume Design & Production
- Lighting Design
- Scene Design
- Sound Design
- Stage Management
- Technical Production
- Theatre Arts-Design & Production
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate a foundational understanding of the art and craft of theatre through its historical significance and contemporary impact.
- Demonstrate the ability to think, create, and collaborate in the art and craft of theatre.
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of visual communication and collaborative storytelling within all aspects of Design, Production, & Management (Design, Production & Management Core only).
- Demonstrate the ability to embody the interconnectedness of intellect, emotion, voice, body, and context as a self-aware theatre artist (Performance Core only).
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. As part of the Theatre Core, CFA theatre students will begin to fulfill BU Hub requirements, ordinarily including at least two writing courses in the Communication area, as well as requirements in Philosophical Inquiry & Life’s Meanings, Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, Oral and Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Individual in the Community, and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied in the second, third, and fourth years through coursework within and outside the major or, in some cases, through cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study
Theatre Core |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
^ CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
Performance Core
|
1st |
2nd |
CFA TH 121 & 124 Acting 1: Personal Approach to Acting & Acting 2: Intro to Scene Study |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 131 & 134 Movement 1: Expressive Human Instrument & Movement 2: Expressive Human Instrumentalist |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 111 & 114 Voice & Speech 1: Experiencing Voice & Voice & Speech 2: Exploring Voice |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 142 Somatic Practice 1 |
– |
1 |
CFA TH 146 Artists in Community |
– |
1 |
Total Credits – Theatre Core + Performance Core: |
18 |
17 |
Design, Production, & Management Core
|
1st |
2nd |
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 |
2 |
– |
Drafting Elective* |
– |
2 |
Total Credits – Theatre Core + DP&M Core: |
18 |
15 |
- Drafting Electives:
-
- CFA TH 353 AutoCAD (recommended for students intending Technical Production as their major)
- CFA TH 391 Vectorworks (recommended for students intending Lighting Design or Sound Design as their major)
- CFA TH 333 Figure Drawing (recommended for students intending Costume Design & Production as their major)
- CFA TH 174 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 2 (recommended for students intending Scene Design as their major)
BFA Acting
The Performance programs prepare talented and committed students for careers in the professional world of theatre and related entertainment media. The program curriculum stresses the development of imagination, intellect, physical and vocal skills, technique, as well as preparation for a professional career. This allows students to create a wide range of roles in performances of varying styles.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in the major follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and related public performance. Committed students who pursue an acting degree at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be believable interpreters of a role, to work creatively within the context of professional standards and, most importantly, to integrate performance skills with personal sensibility. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, rehearsal & performance opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through studio class work, hands-on, in-process Rehearsal & Performance advising, and end-of semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Acting program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, performance, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework, Acting students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic risks.
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre artists.
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in performance as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Acting will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year+ |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 121 & 124 Acting 1: Personal Approach to Acting & Acting 2: Intro to Scene Study |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 131 & 134 Movement 1: Expressive Human Instrument & Movement 2: Expressive Human Instrumentalist |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 111 & 114 Voice and Speech 1: Experiencing Voice & Voice and Speech 2: Exploring Voice |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 142 Somatic Practice 1 |
– |
1 |
CFA TH 146 Artists in Community 1 |
– |
1 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
17 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 429 Intro to Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 245 & 246 Artists in Community 2 & 3 |
1 |
1 |
CFA TH 221 & 225 Acting 3: Advanced Scene Study & Acting 4: Acting Methods |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 231 & 234 Movement 3: The Transformative Instrument & Movement 4: The Transformative Instrumentalist |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 211 & 213 Voice and Speech 3: Experiencing Speech & Voice and Speech 4: Accents, Dialects, and Sociolects |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 237 & 242 Somatic Practice 2 & 3 |
1 |
1 |
Approved elective(s)* |
2 |
– |
Dramatic Literature elective* |
– |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
17 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 345 Artists in Community 4 |
1 |
– |
CFA TH 325 Acting 5: Questioning Shakespeare |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 331 Movement 5: 360 Physical Storytelling |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 311 Voice and Speech 5: Heightened Text |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 337 Somatic Practice 4 |
1 |
– |
Approved elective(s)* |
4 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework† |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 445 & 446 Artists in Community 5 & 6 |
1 |
1 |
CFA TH 420 & 424 Acting 6: On Camera & Acting 7: Professional Audition Skills |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 415 & 416 Embodied Skills Lab 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 435 Senior Capstone Project Development |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 450 Senior Capstone Project |
– |
2 |
Approved elective(s)* |
3 |
3 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
15 |
15 |
+Please see the Theatre Core section for complete distribution guidelines for the first year.
^CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
*Students select Approved Electives and Dramatic Literature Electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Students may complete the 2-credit approved elective with two 1-credit courses (PDP), or with a 3-credit course, if this does not take them into a credit overload during that semester. Courses from which a student may select include, but are not limited to:
Approved Electives (12.0 credits)
- Any course offered by the School of Theatre (CFA TH), including:
- CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 507 Extreme Acting: Stage Combat
- CFA TH 210 Music Theatre Performance Skills 1
- CFA TH 310 Music Theatre Performance Skills 2
- CFA TH 410 Music Theatre Performance Lab
- CFA TH 433 Senior Showcase 1
- CFA TH 434 Senior Showcase 2
- CFA TH 240 Directing 1
- CFA TH 509 Choreography and Design: Experiments in Light and Movement
- Any course offered by the College of Fine Arts (CFA FA)
- Fitness/Dance/Mindfulness courses offered by the PDP Department (PDP DA, PDP FT, PDP MB)
- Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Dramatic Literature Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
- CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre in a Postwar World (abroad)
- CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Approved Electives and Dramatic Literature Electives that are not listed above require the approval of the Shool of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.
BFA Costume Design & Production
The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the Performing Arts. The program curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in major core principles follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA–Theatre degree in Design, Production, or Stage Management at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today’s audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework, hands- on, in-process Production advising, and end-of-semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Costume Design & Production program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Costume Design & Production students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic.
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre.
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in costume design and production as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Costume Design & Production will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year+ |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 |
2 |
– |
Drafting Elective* |
– |
2 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
15 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 257 & 258 Scenography 1 & 2 |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 279 & 292 Costume Production 1 & 2 |
3 |
3 |
Approved Elective(s) |
2 |
4 |
Dramatic Literature elective* |
4 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
18 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 375 Costume Design 3 OR CFA TH 343 Costume Production 3: Modern Tailoring 1 OR CFA TH 357 Costume Production 5: Historical Tailoring |
3 |
– |
Approved Elective(s) |
4 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework† |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
15 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 539 Production |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 475 & 478 Costume Design 5 & 6 OR CFA TH 479 & 490 Costume Production 7 & 8 Advanced Draping |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 473 Intro to Textiles 1 |
2 |
– |
Approved elective(s)* |
6 |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
15 |
+Please see the Theatre Core section for complete distribution guidelines for the first year. The recommended Drafting elective for Costume Design & Production majors in the Theatre Core is CFA TH 333 Figure Drawing.
^CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
*Students select Approved Electives and Dramatic Literature Electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Courses from which a student may select include but are not limited to:
Approved Electives (20.0 credits)
- CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 375 Costume Design 3
- CFA TH 378 Costume Design 4
- CFA TH 475 Costume Design 5
- CFA TH 478 Costume Design 6
- CFA TH 343 Costume Production 3: Modern Tailoring 1
- CFA TH 344 Costume Production 4: Modern Tailoring 2
- CFA TH 357 Costume Production 5: Historical Tailoring
- CFA TH 358 Costume Production 6: Ladies Tailoring
- CFA TH 479 Costume Production 7: Advanced Draping – 19th Century
- CFA TH 492 Costume Production 8: Advanced Draping – 20th Century
- CFA TH 333 Figure Drawing
- CFA TH 575 Fabric Dyeing 1
- CFA TH 576 Fabric Dyeing 2
- CFA TH 577 Millinery 1
- CFA TH 578 Millinery 2
- CFA TH 363 Scene Design 3
- CFA TH 368 Scene Design 4
- CFA TH 383 Lighting Design 3
- CFA TH 394 Lighting Design 4
- CFA TH 348 Scene Painting 1
- CFA TH 350 Scene Painting 2
- CFA TH 584 Designing for Opera
- CFA TH 586 Color Interaction
- CFA AR 121 Foundation Sculpture
- CFA AR 131 Drawing 1
- CFA AR 132 Drawing 1: Drawing as Visual Language
- CFA AR 141 Foundation Painting
- CFA AR 193 Visual Arts Drawing
- CFA AR 221 Materials and Methods in Sculpture
- CFA AR 223 Installation Art: Subject-Object Relationship in Contemporary Landscape
- Any course listed as a Dramatic Literature Elective
- Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Dramatic Literature Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
- CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre (abroad)
- CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Approved Electives and Dramatic Literature Electives that are not listed above require the approval of the School of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.
BFA Lighting Design
The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the Performing Arts. The program curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in major core principles follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA–Theatre degree in Design, Production, or Stage Management at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today’s audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework, hands- on, in-process Production advising, and end-of-semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Lighting Design program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Lighting Design students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic.
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre.
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in lighting design and production as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Lighting Design will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year+ |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 |
2 |
– |
Drafting Elective* |
– |
2 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
15 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 257 & 258 Scenography 1 & 2 |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 392 Vectorworks 2 |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 318 Automated Lighting Technology |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 285 & 286 Lighting Crafts 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
Approved Elective(s) |
3 |
3 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
16 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 383 Lighting Design 3 |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 319 Automated Lighting Design |
2 |
– |
Dramatic Literature elective* |
4 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework† |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 539 Production |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 483 & 486 Lighting Design 5 & 6 |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 450 Senior Capstone Project |
– |
2 |
Approved Elective(s)* |
– |
4 |
Art History elective* |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 240 Directing 1 |
2 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
15 |
+Please see the Theatre Core section for complete distribution guidelines for the first year. The recommended Drafting elective for Lighting Design majors in the Theatre Core is CFA TH 391 VectorWorks 1.
^CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
*Students select Approved Electives and Dramatic Literature Electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Courses from which a student may select include but are not limited to:
Approved Electives (10.0 credits)
- CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 339 Production
- CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 539 Production
- CFA TH 394 Lighting Design 4
- CFA TH 139 20th Century Dance History
- CFA TH 239 Aesthetics and Philosophy of Dance
- CFA TH 509 Choreography and Design: Experiments in Light and Movement
- CFA TH 584 Color Interaction
- CFA TH 586 Designing for Opera
- CFA TH 571 Media Design 1
- CFA TH 572 Media Design 2
- CFA TH 573 Media Production 1
- CFA TH 574 Media Production 2
- CFA TH 352 Technical Production 2
- CFA TH 307 History of Period Styles 1
- CFA TH 308 History of Period Styles 2
- CFA AR 121 Foundation Sculpture
- CFA AR 131 Drawing 1
- CFA AR 132 Drawing 1: Drawing as Visual Language
- CFA AR 141 Foundation Painting
- CFA AR 193 Visual Arts Drawing
- CFA AR 221 Materials and Methods in Sculpture
- CFA AR 223 Installation Art: Subject-Object Relationship in Contemporary Landscape
- CFA AR 243 Photography 1
- CFA AR 589 Interactive Design
- CFA MT 105 Elements of Music Theory
- CFA MT 435 Composing with Electronic Sounds & Computers 1
- CFA MT 436 Composing with Electronic Sounds & Computers 2
- Any course listed as a Dramatic Literature or Art History Elective
- Any course listed as Architecture
Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Dramatic Literature Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
- CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre (abroad)
- CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
Art History Electives (4.0 credits)
- CAS AH 111 Introduction to Art History 1: Antiquity to the Middle Ages
- CAS AH 112 Introduction to Art History 2: Renaissance to Today
- CAS AH 201 Understanding Architecture
- CAS AH 205 History of World Architecture
- CAS AH 215 Arts of Africa and Its Diaspora
- CAS AH 220 Islamic Art
- CAS AH 222 Art and Architecture in Ancient America
- CAS AH 225 The Arts of Asia
- CAS AH 233 Art of Greece
- CAS AH 234 The Art of Rome
- CAS AH 240 Medieval Art
- CAS AH 242: Latin American Art Since Contact
- CAS AH 284 Arts in America
- CAS AH 331 Archaic Greece
- CAS AH 333 Classical Art
- CAS AH 353 Renaissance Architecture
- CAS AH 377 American Furniture
- CAS AH 379 Nineteenth Century American Art
- CAS AH 387 Boston Architecture & Urbanism
- CAS AH 391 Twentieth Century Art to 1940
- CAS AH 392 Twentieth Century Art 1940 to 1980
- CAS AH 395 History of Photography
- CAS AH 398 Twentieth-Century Architecture
- CAS AH 399 History & Theory of Landscape Architecture
- CAS AH 500 Global Perspectives on Modern Architecture and Urbanism
- CAS AH 563 Global Baroque: Art and Power in the Seventeenth Century
- CAS HI 480 The Theater of History
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Approved Electives and Dramatic Literature Electives that are not listed above require the approval of the School of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.
BFA Scene Design
The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the Performing Arts. The program curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in major core principles follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA–Theatre degree in Design, Production, or Stage Management at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today’s audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework, hands- on, in-process Production advising, and end-of-semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Scene Design program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Scene Design students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic.
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre.
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in scenic design as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Scene Design will ordinarily,through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year+ |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 |
2 |
– |
Drafting Elective* |
– |
2 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
15 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 257 & 258 Scenography 1 & 2 |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 273 & 274 Graphic Rendering 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 307 & 308 History of Period Styles 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
Approved Elective(s)* |
3 |
3 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
16 |
18 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 363 Scene Design 3 |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 348 Scene Painting 1 |
2 |
– |
Dramatic Literature Elective* |
4 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework† |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 539 Production |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 463 & 466 Scene Design 5 & 6 |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 240 Directing 1 |
2 |
– |
Approved Elective(s)* |
6 |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
15 |
+Please see the Theatre Core section for complete distribution guidelines for the first year. The recommended Drafting elective for Scene Design majors in the Theatre Core is CFA TH 174 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 2.
^CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
*Students select Approved Electives and Dramatic Literature Electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Courses from which a student may select include but are not limited to:
Approved Electives (16.0 credits)
- CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 339 Production
- CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 539 Production
- CFA TH 368 Scene Design 4
- CFA TH 350 Scene Painting 2
- CFA TH 467 Scene Painting 3
- CFA TH 468 Scene Painting 4
- CFA TH 455 History of Period Styles 3
- CFA TH 460 History of Period Styles 4
- CFA TH 563 Drawing for Designers
- CFA TH 333 Figure Drawing
- CFA AR 121 Foundation Sculpture
- CFA AR 131 Drawing 1
- CFA AR 132 Drawing 1: Drawing as Visual Language
- CFA AR 141 Foundation Painting
- CFA AR 193 Visual Arts Drawing
- CFA AR 221 Materials and Methods in Sculpture
- CFA AR 223 Installation Art: Subject-Object Relationship in Contemporary Landscape
- Any course listed as a Dramatic Literature Elective
- Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Dramatic Literature Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
- CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre (abroad)
- CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Approved Electives and Dramatic Literature Electives that are not listed above require the approval of the School of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.
BFA Sound Design
The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the Performing Arts. The program curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in major core principles follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA–Theatre degree in Design, Production, or Stage Management at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today’s audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework, hands- on, in-process Production advising, and end-of-semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Sound Design program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Sound Design students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic.
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre.
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in sound design and audio production as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Sound Design will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year+ |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 |
2 |
– |
Drafting Elective* |
– |
2 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
15 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 257 & 258 Scenography 1 & 2 |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 335 Production Audio 1 |
3 |
– |
Dramatic Literature elective* |
4 |
– |
Music Appreciation elective* |
– |
4 |
Approved elective(s)* |
– |
3 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
16 |
18 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 487 Sound Design 3 |
3 |
– |
Approved Elective(s)* |
3 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework† |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
14 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 539 Production |
2 |
2 |
COM FT 502 Sound Design for Film & Television |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 488 Sound Design 4 |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 240 Directing 1 |
– |
2 |
Approved Elective(s)* |
8 |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
17 |
+Please see the Theatre Core section for complete distribution guidelines for the first year. The recommended Drafting elective for Sound Design majors in the Theatre Core is CFA TH 391 VectorWorks 1.
^CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
*Students select Dramatic Literature, Music Appreciation, and Approved Electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Courses from which a student may select include but are not limited to:
Approved Electives (18.0 credits)
- CFA TH 336 Production Audio 2
- CFA TH 581 Audio System Design 1
- CFA TH 582 Audio System Design 2
- CFA TH 353 Technical Production 2
- CFA TH 383 Lighting Design 3
- CFA TH 394 Lighting Design 4
- CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 339 Production
- CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 539 Production
- CFA MT 105 Elements of Music Theory
- CFA MT 435 Composing with Electronic Sounds & Computers 1
- CFA MT 436 Composing with Electronic Sounds & Computers 2
- Any course listed as a Dramatic Literature or Music Appreciation Elective
- Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Dramatic Literature Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
- CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre (abroad)
- CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
Music Appreciation Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA MH 106 Music and Culture
- CFA MH 211 History & Literature of Music 1
- CFA MH 212 History & Literature of Music 2
- CFA MH 246 Popular Music: The Rolling Stones
- CFA MH 331 Music and Social Protest
- CFA MH 344 Music & Society
- CFA MH 353 Popular Music: World Beat
- CFA MH 400 Music of Black Americans
- CFA MH 403 Latinos Making Music in the United States
- CFA MH 432 History of Jazz
- CFA MH 433 The Beatles
- CFA MU 343 Popular Music & Culture
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Dramatic Literature, Music Appreciation, and Approved Electives with courses that are not listed above require the approval of the School of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.
BFA Stage Management
The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the Performing Arts. The program curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in major core principles follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA–Theatre degree in Design, Production, or Stage Management at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today’s audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework, hands- on, in-process Production advising, and end-of-semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Stage Management program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Stage Management students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic.
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre.
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in stage management as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Stage Management will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year+ |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 |
2 |
– |
Drafting Elective* |
– |
2 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
15 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 339 Production |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 294 & 299 Stage Management 1 & 2 |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 257 Scenography 1 |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 240 Directing 1 |
– |
2 |
Dramatic Literature elective* |
4 |
– |
Approved elective(s)* |
4 |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
17 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 399 Stage Management 3 |
3 |
– |
Approved elective(s)* |
4 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework† |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
15 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 539 Production |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 494 Stage Management 4 |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 493 Production Management 1 |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 590 Theatre Management |
– |
3 |
Theatre History or Art History elective* |
4 |
– |
Approved elective(s)* |
4 |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
15 |
18 |
+Please see the Theatre Core section for complete distribution guidelines for the first year.
^CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
*Students select Approved Electives, Dramatic Literature Electives, and Theatre/Art History electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Courses from which a student may select include but are not limited to:
Approved Electives (20.0 credits)
- Any course offered by the School of Theatre (CFA TH), including:
- CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice and CFA TH 339 Production (Stage Management majors must enroll in both courses for the semester)
- CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice and CFA TH 539 Production (Stage Management majors must enroll in both courses for the semester)
- CFA TH 258 Scenography 2
- CFA TH 120 Acting & Performance 1
- CFA TH 131 Movement 1: Expressive Human Instrument
- CFA TH 134 Movement 2: Expressive Human Instrumentalist (prereq: CFA TH 131)
- CFA TH 496 Production Management 2
- Any course offered by the College of Fine Arts (CFA FA)
- Any course listed as a Dramatic Literature or Art/Theatre History Elective
- CFA AR 121 Foundation Sculpture
- CFA AR 131 Drawing 1
- CFA AR 132 Drawing 1: Drawing as Visual Language
- CFA AR 141 Foundation Painting
- CFA AR 193 Visual Arts Drawing
- CFA AR 221 Materials and Methods in Sculpture
- CFA AR 223 Installation Art: Subject-Object Relationship in Contemporary Landscape
- CFA AR 243 Photography 1
- CFA AR 589 Interactive Design
- QST SM 101 Introduction to Management
- QST SM 131 Business, Ethics, and the Creation of Value
- Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Dramatic Literature Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
- CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre (abroad)
- CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
Theatre or Art History Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 307 History of Period Styles 1
- CFA TH 308 History of Period Styles 2
- CFA TH 555 History of Theatre 1
- CFA TH 556 History of Theatre 2
- CFA MH 211 History & Literature of Music 1
- CFA MH 212 History & Literature of Music 2
- CAS AH 111 Introduction to Art History 1: Antiquity to the Middle Ages
- CAS AH 112 Introduction to Art History 2: Renaissance to Today
- CAS AH 201 Understanding Architecture
- CAS AH 215 Arts of Africa and Its Diaspora
- CAS AH 220 Islamic Art
- CAS AH 222 Art and Architecture in Ancient America
- CAS AH 225 The Arts of Asia
- CAS AH 233 Art of Greece
- CAS AH 234 The Art of Rome
- CAS AH 240 Medieval Art
- CAS AH 242: Latin American Art Since Contact
- CAS AH 284 Arts in America
- CAS AH 333 Classical Art
- CAS AH 377 American Furniture
- CAS AH 379 Nineteenth Century American Art
- CAS AH 387 Boston Architecture & Urbanism
- CAS AH 391 Twentieth Century Art to 1940
- CAS AH 392 Twentieth Century Art 1940 to 1980
- CAS AH 395 History of Photography
- CAS AH 398 Twentieth-Century Architecture
- CAS AH 399 History & Theory of Landscape Architecture
- CAS AH 500 Global Perspectives on Modern Architecture and Urbanism
- CAS AH 563 Global Baroque: Art and Power in the Seventeenth Century
- CAS HI 480 The Theater of History
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Approved Electives, Dramatic Literature Electives, and Theatre/Art History electives that are not listed above require the approval of the School of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.
BFA Technical Production
The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the Performing Arts. The program curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in major core principles follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA–Theatre degree in Design, Production, or Stage Management at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today’s audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework, hands-on, in-process Production advising, and end-of-semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Technical Production program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Technical Production students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic.
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre.
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in technical production as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Technical Production will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year+ |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 |
2 |
– |
Drafting Elective* |
– |
2 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
15 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 351 & 352 Technical Production 1 & 2 |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 305 Theatrical Welding 1 |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 354 AutoCAD 2: 3D Theatrical Drafting & CNC Layout |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 257 Scenography 1 |
3 |
– |
Approved Elective(s)* |
2 |
3 |
Dramatic Literature elective* |
– |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
18 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 561 Scenic Automation for Theatre |
3 |
– |
Approved Elective(s)* |
4 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework† |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
15 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 539 Production |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 471 & 472 Technical Production 3 & 4 |
3 |
3 |
Art/Theatre History Elective |
4 |
– |
Approved elective(s)* |
4 |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
15 |
+Please see the Theatre Core section for complete distribution guidelines for the first year. The recommended Drafting elective for Technical Production majors in the Theatre Core is CFA TH 353 AutoCAD 1: 2D Theatrical Drafting.
^CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
*Students select Approved Electives, Dramatic Literature Electives, and Theatre/Art History electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Courses from which a student may select include but are not limited to:
Approved Electives (17.0 credits)
- CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice
- CFA TH 258 Scenography 2
- CFA TH 306 Theatrical Welding 2
- CFA TH 348 Scene Painting 1
- CFA TH 350 Scene Painting 2
- CFA TH 467 Scene Painting 3
- CFA TH 468 Scene Painting 4
- CFA TH 279 Costume Production 1
- CFA TH 292 Costume Production 2
- CFA TH 575 Fabric Dyeing 1
- CFA TH 576 Fabric Dyeing 2
- CFA TH 577 Millinery 1
- CFA TH 578 Millinery 2
- CFA TH 285 Lighting Crafts 1
- CFA TH 286 Lighting Crafts 2
- CFA TH 335 Production Audio 1
- CFA TH 336 Production Audio 2
- CFA TH 363 Scene Design 3
- CFA TH 368 Scene Design 4
- CFA TH 375 Costume Design 3
- CFA TH 396 Costume Design 4
- CFA TH 383 Lighting Design 3
- CFA TH 394 Lighting Design 4
- CFA TH 487 Sound Design 3
- CFA TH 488 Sound Design 4
- CFA TH 294 Stage Management 1
- CFA TH 299 Stage Management 2
- CFA TH 399 Stage Management 3
- CFA TH 494 Stage Management 4
- CFA TH 493 Production Management 1
- CFA TH 496 Production Management 2
- CFA TH 590 Theatre Management
- CFA AR 121 Foundation Sculpture
- CFA AR 131 Drawing 1
- CFA AR 132 Drawing 1: Drawing as Visual Language
- CFA AR 141 Foundation Painting
- CFA AR 193 Visual Arts Drawing
- CFA AR 221 Materials and Methods in Sculpture
- CFA AR 223 Installation Art: Subject-Object Relationship in Contemporary Landscape
- CFA AR 243 Photography 1
- CFA AR 589 Interactive Design
- QST SM 101 Introduction to Management
- Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Dramatic Literature Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
- CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre (abroad)
- CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
Theatre or Art History Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 307 History of Period Styles 1
- CFA TH 308 History of Period Styles 2
- CFA TH 555 History of Theatre 1
- CFA TH 556 History of Theatre 2
- CAS AH 111 Introduction to Art History 1: Antiquity to the Middle Ages
- CAS AH 112 Introduction to Art History 2: Renaissance to Today
- CAS AH 201 Understanding Architecture
- CAS AH 215 Arts of Africa and Its Diaspora
- CAS AH 220 Islamic Art
- CAS AH 222 Art and Architecture in Ancient America
- CAS AH 225 The Arts of Asia
- CAS AH 233 Art of Greece
- CAS AH 234 The Art of Rome
- CAS AH 240 Medieval Art
- CAS AH 242: Latin American Art Since Contact
- CAS AH 284 Arts in America
- CAS AH 333 Classical Art
- CAS AH 377 American Furniture
- CAS AH 379 Nineteenth Century American Art
- CAS AH 387 Boston Architecture & Urbanism
- CAS AH 391 Twentieth Century Art to 1940
- CAS AH 392 Twentieth Century Art 1940 to 1980
- CAS AH 395 History of Photography
- CAS AH 398 Twentieth-Century Architecture
- CAS AH 399 History & Theory of Landscape Architecture
- CAS AH 500 Global Perspectives on Modern Architecture and Urbanism
- CAS AH 563 Global Baroque: Art and Power in the Seventeenth Century
- CAS HI 480 The Theater of History
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Approved Electives, Dramatic Literature Electives, and Theatre/Art History electives that are not listed above require the approval of the School of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.
BFA Theatre Arts – Design & Production
The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the Performing Arts. The program curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.
The Theatre Arts–Design & Production major offers in-depth and integrated training for students seeking a broad and holistic approach to the art form, allowing students to deeply explore a wider range of areas of interest, including but not limited to design, production, management, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, and producing. This program will best serve a student who demonstrates the maturity to create an interdisciplinary program that will allow for more flexibility and movement within the art form, as well as possible outside academic pursuits.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA Theatre Arts-Design & Production major at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today’s audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework, hands-on, in-process Production advising, and end-of-semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Theatre Arts Design & Production program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework, Theatre Arts Design & Production students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in theatre-making as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Theatre Arts–Design & Production will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year+ |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals |
– |
3 |
CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 |
2 |
– |
Drafting Elective* |
– |
2 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
15 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
– |
Theatre elective(s)* |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 257 Scenography 1 |
3 |
– |
Approved elective(s) |
3 |
6 |
Dramatic Literature elective* |
– |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
17 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 339 Production |
2 |
– |
Theatre elective(s)* |
3 |
– |
Art/Theatre History Elective* |
4 |
– |
Approved elective(s)* |
3 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework† |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 539 Production |
– |
2 |
Theatre elective(s)* |
3 |
4 |
Approved elective(s) |
8 |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
15 |
16 |
+Please see the Theatre Core section for complete distribution guidelines for the first year.
^CFA FA 100 is not required for transfer students.
*Students select Theatre Electives, Approved Electives, Dramatic Literature Electives, and Theatre/Art History Electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Courses from which a student may select include but are not limited to:
Theatre Electives (16.0 credits)
Theatre Arts Design & Production students will select two theatrical disciplines that will serve to focus their journey as an interdisciplinary theatre maker, and select courses offered within the School of Theatre (CFA TH) to fulfill their Theatre Electives in support of those areas. Two paths are available within the Theatre Arts Design & Production Program:
- Design & Production: Students will select two disciplines from the following areas at the end of their First-year:
- Costume Design & Production – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 258 Scenography 2
- CFA TH 279 Costume Production 1
- CFA TH 280 Costume Production 2
- CFA TH 375 Costume Design 3
- CFA TH 378 Costume Design 4
- CFA TH 475 Costume Design 5
- CFA TH 478 Costume Design 6
- CFA TH 343 Costume Production 3: Modern Tailoring 1
- CFA TH 344 Costume Production 4: Modern Tailoring 2
- CFA TH 357 Costume Production 5: Historical Tailoring
- CFA TH 358 Costume Production 6: Ladies Tailoring
- CFA TH 479 Costume Production 7: Advanced Draping – 19th Century
- CFA TH 492 Costume Production 8: Advanced Draping – 20th Century
-
- Lighting Design – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 258 Scenography 2
- CFA TH 285 Lighting Crafts 1
- CFA TH 286 Lighting Crafts 2
- CFA TH 383 Lighting Design 3
- CFA TH 394 Lighting Design 4
- CFA TH 483 Lighting Design 5
- CFA TH 486 Lighting Design 6
- CFA TH 318 Automated Lighting Technology
- CFA TH 319 Automated Lighting Design
-
- Scene Design – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 258 Scenography 2
- CFA TH 363 Scene Design 3
- CFA TH 368 Scene Design 4
- CFA TH 463 Scene Design 5
- CFA TH 466 Scene Design 6
- CFA TH 265 Scene Painting 1
- CFA TH 266 Scene Painting 2
- CFA TH 273 Graphic Rendering 1
- CFA TH 274 Graphic Rendering 2
-
- Sound Design – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 258 Scenography 2
- CFA TH 487 Sound Design 3
- CFA TH 488 Sound Design 4
- CFA TH 335 Production Audio 1
- CFA TH 336 Production Audio 2
- CFA TH 581 Systems Design 1
- CFA TH 582 Systems Design 2
- COM FT 502 Sound Design for Film & Television
-
- Stage Management – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 294 Stage Management 1
- CFA TH 299 Stage Management 2
- CFA TH 399 Stage Management 3
- CFA TH 494 Stage Management 4
- CFA TH 493 Production Management 1
- CFA TH 496 Production Management 2
- CFA TH 590 Theatre Management
-
- Technical Production – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 351 Tech Production 1
- CFA TH 352 Tech Production 2
- CFA TH 471 Tech Production 3
- CFA TH 472 Tech Production 4
- CFA TH 561 Scenic Automation for Theatre
- Design & Production with Dramaturgy, Playwriting or Directing: Students will select a primary discipline from the Design & Production options listed above at the end of their first-year. Students will enroll in CFA TH 235 Theatre Collaboration 2: Theatre Arts Introduction during the Fall of their Sophomore year. Upon completion of this course, students will then select a second discipline in:
- Dramaturgy – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
-
- Playwriting – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 227 Dramatic Writing 1: Autobiography
- CFA TH 228 Dramatic Writing 2: Adaptation
- CFA TH 303 Dramatic Writing 3: Essentials of Structure
- CFA TH 403 Dramatic Writing 4: Advanced Playwriting
- CFA TH 404 Dramatic Writing 5: Playwriting Colloquium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
-
- Directing – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 240 Directing 1
- CFA TH 327 Directing 2: Directing and Acting Lab
- CFA TH 341 Directing Colloquium: Directors’ Project
- CFA TH 441 Directing Colloquium: Senior Capstone Project Development
- CFA TH 442 Directing Colloquium: Senior Capstone Project
Dramatic Literature Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
- CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre in a Postwar World (abroad)
- CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
Theatre or Art History Electives (4.0 credits)
- CFA TH 307 History of Period Styles 1
- CFA TH 308 History of Period Styles 2
- CFA TH 555 History of Theatre 1
- CFA TH 556 History of Theatre 2
- CFA MH 211 History & Literature of Music 1
- CFA MH 212 History & Literature of Music 2
- CAS AH 111 Introduction to Art History 1: Antiquity to the Middle Ages
- CAS AH 112 Introduction to Art History 2: Renaissance to Today
- CAS AH 201 Understanding Architecture
- CAS AH 215 Arts of Africa and Its Diaspora
- CAS AH 220 Islamic Art
- CAS AH 222 Art and Architecture in Ancient America
- CAS AH 225 The Arts of Asia
- CAS AH 233 Art of Greece
- CAS AH 234 The Art of Rome
- CAS AH 240 Medieval Art
- CAS AH 242: Latin American Art Since Contact
- CAS AH 284 Arts in America
- CAS AH 333 Classical Art
- CAS AH 377 American Furniture
- CAS AH 379 Nineteenth Century American Art
- CAS AH 387 Boston Architecture & Urbanism
- CAS AH 391 Twentieth Century Art to 1940
- CAS AH 392 Twentieth Century Art 1940 to 1980
- CAS AH 395 History of Photography
- CAS AH 398 Twentieth-Century Architecture
- CAS AH 399 History & Theory of Landscape Architecture
- CAS AH 500 Global Perspectives on Modern Architecture and Urbanism
- CAS AH 563 Global Baroque: Art and Power in the Seventeenth Century
- CAS HI 480 The Theater of History
Approved Electives (24.0 credits)
- Any course offered by the School of Theatre (CFA TH)
- Any course offered by the College of Fine Arts (CFA FA)
- Any course listed as a Dramatic Literature or Art/Theatre History Elective
- CFA AR 121 Foundation Sculpture
- CFA AR 131 Drawing 1
- CFA AR 132 Drawing 1: Drawing as Visual Language
- CFA AR 141 Foundation Painting
- CFA AR 193 Visual Arts Drawing
- CFA AR 221 Materials and Methods in Sculpture
- CFA AR 223 Installation Art: Subject-Object Relationship in Contemporary Landscape
- CFA AR 243 Photography 1
- CFA AR 589 Interactive Design
- Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Theatre Electives, Approved Electives, Dramatic Literature Electives, and Theatre/Art History electives that are not listed above require the approval of the School of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.
BFA Theatre Arts – Performance
The Performance programs prepare talented and committed students for careers in the professional world of theatre and the related media of film and television. The program curriculum stresses the development of a student as a full theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, intellect, communication skills, technical skills, and oral critique, as well as professional behavior and opportunities.
The Theatre Arts–Performance major offers in-depth and integrated training for students seeking a broad and holistic approach to the art form, allowing students to deeply explore a wider range of areas of interest, including but not limited to acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, and producing. This program will best serve a student who demonstrates the maturity to create an interdisciplinary program that will allow for more flexibility and movement within the art form, as well as possible outside academic pursuits.
During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in acting, movement, voice and speech, and dramatic literature follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and related public performance. The committed students who pursue an acting degree at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be believable actors and to work productively under the stress of the theatrical profession and, most importantly, they learn to integrate performance skills with personal sensibility. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, rehearsal & performance opportunities, and collaboration with professionals through our Professional Theatre Initiative. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through studio class work, hands-on, in-process Rehearsal & Performance advising, and end-of-semester conferences.
Learning Outcomes
The Theatre Arts Performance program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework, Theatre Arts Performance students will:
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
- Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
- Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic.
- Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre.
- Demonstrate a high-level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in theatre-making as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.
Hub Requirements
All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Theatre Arts–Performance will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.
Program of Study (minimum of 132 credits)
First Year |
1st |
2nd |
CFA FA 100 Doing, Making, & Knowing: The CFA Experience^ |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice |
– |
2 |
CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance |
3 |
– |
CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of theatre to the early 19th century |
– |
4 |
First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120) |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 121 & 124 Acting 1: Personal Approach to Acting & Acting 2: Intro to Scene Study |
3 |
3 |
CFA TH 131 & 134 Movement 1: Expressive Human Instrument & Movement 2: Expressive Human Instrumentalist |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 111 & 114 Voice and Speech 1: Experiencing Voice & Voice and Speech 2: Exploring Voice |
2 |
2 |
CFA TH 142 Somatic Practice 1 |
– |
1 |
CFA TH 146 Artists in Community 1 |
– |
1 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
17 |
|
|
|
Second Year |
|
|
CFA TH 249 Introduction to Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 245 & 246 Artists in Community 2 & 3 |
1 |
1 |
CFA TH 235 Theatre Collaboration 2: Theatre Arts Introduction |
3 |
– |
Theatre elective(s) |
– |
3 |
Approved Elective(s) |
4 |
4 |
CFA TH 205 Drama Lit 2: 1850-1950 |
4 |
– |
CFA TH 206 Drama Lit 3: 1950-the Millennium |
– |
4 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., WR 151/152/153) |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
18 |
16 |
|
|
|
Third Year |
|
|
CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 345 Artists in Community 4 |
1 |
– |
Theatre elective(s) |
6 |
– |
Approved Elective(s) |
4 |
– |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
– |
Study Abroad or additional coursework |
– |
16 |
Total Credits: |
17 |
16 |
|
|
|
Fourth Year |
|
|
CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 445 & 446 Artists in Community 5 & 6 |
1 |
1 |
CFA TH 435 Senior Capstone Project Development |
2 |
– |
CFA TH 450 Senior Capstone Project |
– |
2 |
Theatre Elective(s) |
2 |
2 |
Approved Elective(s) |
4 |
4 |
CFA TH 430 Professional Theatre Initiative Lab: Professional Preparation |
– |
2 |
BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major |
4 |
4 |
Total Credits: |
15 |
15 |
*Students select Theatre Electives and Approved Electives in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor and academic advisor. Courses from which a student may select include but are not limited to:
Theatre Electives (14.0 credits)
Theatre Arts Performance students will select a Primary and Secondary Discipline that will serve to focus their journey as an interdisciplinary theatre maker and select courses offered within the School of Theatre (CFA TH) to fulfill their Theatre Electives in support of those areas. Students will enroll in CFA TH 235 Theatre Collaboration 2: Theatre Arts Introduction during the Fall of their Sophomore year. Upon completion of this course, students will then select a Primary and Secondary Discipline in:
- Acting – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 221 Acting 3: Advanced Scene Study
- CFA TH 225 Acting 4: Acting Methods
- CFA TH 325 Acting 5: Questioning Shakespeare
- CFA TH 421 Acting 6: On Camera
- CFA TH 424 Acting 7: Professional Audition Skills
- CFA TH 231 Movement 3: The Transformative Instrument
- CFA TH 234 Movement 4: The Transformative Instrumentalist
- CFA TH 331 Movement 5: 360 Physical Storytelling
- CFA TH 211 Voice & Speech 3: Experiencing Speech
- CFA TH 213 Voice & Speech 4: Accents, Dialects, and Sociolects
- CFA TH 311 Voice & Speech 5: Heightened Text
- CFA TH 237 Somatic Practice 2
- CFA TH 242 Somatic Practice 3
- CFA TH 337 Somatic Practice 4
- CFA TH 415 Embodied Skills Lab 1
- CFA TH 416 Embodied Skills Lab 2
- CFA TH 210 Music Theatre Performance Skills 1
- CFA TH 310 Music Theatre Performance Skills 2
- CFA TH 410 Music Theatre Performance Lab
- CFA TH 507 Extreme Acting: Stage Combat
- CFA TH 509 Choreography and Design: Experiments in Light and Movement
- CFA TH 433 Senior Showcase 1
- CFA TH 434 Senior Showcase 2
- Dramaturgy – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- Playwriting – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 227 Dramatic Writing 1: Autobiography
- CFA TH 228 Dramatic Writing 2: Adaptation
- CFA TH 303 Dramatic Writing 3: Essentials of Structure
- CFA TH 403 Dramatic Writing 4: Advanced Playwriting
- CFA TH 404 Dramatic Writing 5: Playwriting Colloquium
- CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
- CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
- Directing – suggested courses:
- CFA TH 240 Directing 1
- CFA TH 327 Directing 2: Directing and Acting Lab
- CFA TH 341 Directing Colloquium: Directors’ Project
- CFA TH 441 Directing Colloquium: Senior Capstone Project Development
- CFA TH 442 Directing Colloquium: Senior Capstone Project
Approved Electives (20.0 credits)
- Any course offered by the School of Theatre (CFA TH)
- Any course offered by the College of Fine Arts (CFA FA)
- CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
- CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840-1945
- CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945-Present
- CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
- CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
- CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
- CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
- CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
- Students, in consultation with the academic advisor, may utilize Approved Electives to fulfill Hub units as advised.
Students electing to take courses to fulfill their Theatre Electives and Approved Electives that are not listed above require the approval of the School of Theatre Academic Advisor and completion of a course substitution form.
†In this semester, students will complete up to 16 credits of additional coursework toward their degree, including major requirements, minor requirements, and/or the BU Hub. These credits may be fulfilled through a Study Abroad experience or elective coursework inside or outside the major.