Academic Program


Course Major | Course Minor | Honors Major | Honors Minor


Below are the requirements for Course Majors, Course Minors, Honors Majors & Honors Minors. These courses are available without a prerequisite, and these courses will be offered next semester. Please direct any further questions to Jean Tierno, Administrative Assistant for the Theater Department at x8149 or jtierno1@swarthmore.edu. This information is subject to change. 

Course Major Requirements:

Minimum for all Course Majors: 9 Credits.

  • THEA 001: Theater and Performance
  • THEA 002A: Acting I (or ARTT001: Foundation Drawing for design emphasis students)
  • Any course in design such as THEA 004A: Set Design, 004B: Lighting Design, 004C: Costume Design, 004D: Media Design, or 004E: Sound Design
  • THEA 015: Performance Theory and Practice or THEA 021A: Fundamentals of Dramaturgy
  • THEA 022: Production Ensemble or THEA 034: Special Project in Design
  • THEA 099: Senior Company
  • Any 100-level Theater Seminar
  • One additional credit in Acting, Design, Directing, Playwriting, Solo Performance, Theater History or Dramaturgy
  • Fulfillment of production hours on a Theater Department show.

Prospective majors should consult with the chair of the department or their faculty advisor about their choices.

NB: Written and oral comprehensive exams are also required in the Spring of the senior year.

Course Minor Requirements:

Minimum for all Course Minors: 6 Credits.

  • THEA 001: Theater and Performance 
  • THEA 002A: Acting I (or ARTT 001: Foundation Drawing for design-emphasis students)
  • Any course in design, such as THEA 004A: Set Design, 004B: Lighting Design, 004C: Costume Design, 004D: Media Design, or 004E: Sound Design
  • THEA 015: Performance Theory and Practice or THEA 021: Fundamentals of Dramaturgy 
  • THEA 022: Production Ensemble or THEA 034: Special Project in Design
  • One additional credit in Acting, Design, Directing, Solo Performance, Playwriting, Dramaturgy, Theater Seminar or production work
  • Fulfillment of production hours on a Theater Department show.

Prospective minors should consult with the chair of the department or their faculty advisor about their choices.

NB: No comprehensive exams are required.

Honors Major Requirements:

Total credits for Honors Majors will vary depending on the student's program of study.

  • THEA 001: Theater and Performance
  • THEA 002A: Acting I (or ARTT 001: Foundations of Drawing for design-emphasis students)
  • Any course in design such as THEA 004A: Set Design, 004B: Lighting Design, 004C: Costume Design, 004D: Media Design, or 004E: Sound Design
  • THEA 015: Performance Theory and Practice or THEA 021: Fundamentals of Dramaturgy
  • THEA 022: Production Ensemble or THEA 034: Special Project in Design
  • THEA 099: Senior Company
  • Any 100-level Theater Seminar (counts as one honors preparation credit)
  • One additional credit in Acting, Design, Directing, Playwriting, Solo Performance, Theater History or Dramaturgy
  • Two additional thesis projects or seminars in the student's areas of interest to be arranged individually in consultation with the student's major advisor. (See details in the College catalogue.)
  • Fulfillment of production hours on a Theater Department show.

Honors Minor Requirements:

Minimum for Honors Minors: 7 Credits.

  • THEA 001: Theater and Performance
  • THEA 002A: Acting I (or ARTT 001: Foundation Drawing for design-emphasis students)
  • Any course in design such as THEA 004A: Set Design, 004B: Lighting Design, 004C: Costume Design, 004D: Media Design, or 004E: Sound Design
  • THEA 015: Performance Theory and Practice or THEA 021: Fundamentals of Dramaturgy 
  • Any 100-level Theater Seminar or two-credit THEA 180E + 181E: Honors Thesis in Dramaturgy or two-credit THEA 180C + 181C: Honors Thesis in Playwriting
  • One additional credit in Acting, Design, Directing, Playwriting, Solo Performance, Dramaturgy or Theater Seminar
  • Fulfillment of production hours on a Theater Department show.

NB: Honors Minors in Playwriting or Dramaturgy must take both THEA 006: Playwriting Workshop and THEA 021: Fundamentals of Dramaturgy.
NB: Students combining an honors minor with a course major in Theater have the option of doing an honors thesis in acting, directing, dramaturgy, or design, but must still take a 100-level seminar for their general requirements for the course major.