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The courses listed herein have been approved by the faculty as authorized by the Board of Trustees. Prerequisites (if any) and the General Education Requirement(s) which each course fulfills (if any) are noted following each course description.
4.00 credit hours Basic theory in finance, budgeting and economics are explored. Financial decision-making, including cash management; ratio analysis; asset management; short, intermediate and long-term financing are a course focus. Different types of budgets are reviewed with students learning the budget preparation and approval process. Accounting trends and economic theory are also applied to sport settings/organizations.
4.00 credit hours Exposure to and analysis of legal and ethical issues surrounding the sport industry. Topics may include negligence, liability, and risk management; employment law, contract law, and negotiations; regulatory agencies and governance structures; theories of ethics, concepts of morality, personal philosophy regarding social responsibility, and professional code of ethics; the application of federal legislation, including Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act; and social issues such as sportsmanship, fan behavior, performance enhancing drugs, drug testing, and hazing. Students are provided a synopsis of applicable case law to support the issues and legislation presented.
2.00-4.00 credit hours Each version of this course will feature a selected topic relevant to the dynamic field of sport management. Repeatable with different topics.
4.00 credit hours Provides an overview of the entire sales process with hands-on training and experience. Students learn best practices for ticket sales, corporate sales, client management and customer service. Current trends and issues are also discussed.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing and Sport Management major.
4.00 credit hours A complete investigation into sport facilities, venues, and events. Introduces students to the development of a venue, the event bid and creation process, financing and ownership structures of facilities and events, operational aspects of facilities and events, evaluation of the customer experience, and recent trends in facility/event management. Students will further develop their understanding of accessibility in sport, risk management, emergency planning, volunteer services, and budgeting. A Community Engaged Learning Experience is built into this course.
Prerequisite(s): SMGT 220. Concurrent enrollment in SMGT 230. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Community Engaged Learning.
4.00 credit hours Each version of this course features a selected topic relevant to the dynamic field of sport management. Repeatable with different topics.
4.00 credit hours The culminating experience for all majors and minors in the Sport Management program. The aim of the capstone is to assess students’ ability to synthesize and integrate the knowledge and skills they have developed throughout their coursework and experiences. Students plan and manage an event.
2.00 credit hours Students engage with their internship cohort and reflect on the internship experience. Course includes reflections of the internship experience, group discussions of discipline related topics and a culminating project.
Prerequisite(s): 20 credit hours in Sport Management core. Concurrent enrollment in SMGT 497.
10.00 credit hours A full-time immersed experience in service to a community partner in the student’s interest area. The agency is selected through cooperation between the student, the Sport Management Clinical Coordinator and an agency supervisor. Students must apply one term in advance through the Sport Management Clinical Coordinator.
Prerequisite(s): 20 credit hours in Sport Management core.
4.00 credit hours Introduces analytical methods for examining scripts of all forms and genres. Students learn to identify, describe and interpret various components of a script and to apply a critical vocabulary to evaluate how meaning is produced in dramatic texts.
4.00 credit hours Designed for students with previous acting experience including high school and/or community theatre. This course consists of exercises in voice, movement, improvisation and text study. The course seeks to give the student an awareness of what acting is in both theory and performance. Presentation of scenes and attendance at productions are required.
4.00 credit hours A comprehensive overview of the process of creating a theatre production, this course explores theatre through criticism, history, design and aesthetic principles. Students gain the knowledge to become informed theatre spectators and the skills to engage with foundational theatre-making techniques.
4.00 credit hours Introduction and integration of Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates and meditation. The discipline of somatic studies emphasizes the unity of mind and body, and an integrated experience for increased self-awareness.
0.00-1.00 credit hours The staging, mounting, and production of a fully realized theatre production. This course—designed for actors and crew members working on a theatre production—is repeatable up to a maximum of six credit hours earned. Students are expected to take practicum for credit unless exceeding 18 credit hours in a semester.
0.00-2.00 credit hours The staging, mounting, and production of a fully realized theatre production. This course—designed for stage managers, designers, and those with larger production responsibilities—is repeatable up to a maximum of six credit hours earned. Students are expected to take practicum for credit unless exceeding 18 credit hours in a semester.
0.00-1.00 credit hours The staging, mounting, and production of a fully realized musical theatre production. This course—designed for actors and crew members working on a theatre production—is repeatable up to a maximum of six credit hours earned. Students are expected to take practicum for credit unless exceeding 18 credit hours in a semester.
0.00-2.00 credit hours The staging, mounting, and production of a fully realized musical theatre production. This course—designed for stage managers, designers, and those with larger production responsibilities—is repeatable up to a maximum of six credit hours earned. Students are expected to take practicum for credit unless exceeding 18 credit hours in a semester.
2.00 credit hours Introduction to jazz, ballet and tap techniques for the stage. Practical dance coursework is also supplemented with the basic building blocks of choreography. No prior dance experience is necessary and this course is open to all students interested in dance training for performance. This course may be repeated for credit once.
Prerequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in THEA 224.
4.00 credit hours Through the study and practice of common theatrical design elements, students learn to analyze, collaborate, and implement theatrical designs. Students explore basic theories and design principles including script analysis, research methodology, conceptual development, color theory, balance and proportion, visual composition, and other elements of design.
2.00 credit hours Fundamentals of scenic construction and scenic painting. Students gain knowledge of basic construction and painting techniques for stage scenery. Tool use and shop equipment are introduced along with the safety regulations that are essential and mandatory for running an effective scenic shop.
Prerequisite(s): Concurrent Enrollment in THEA 144.
2.00 credit hours Introduces the principles and techniques of theatrical makeup, design and application. Equally appropriate for beginning design students and actors who have no prior design experience.
Prerequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in THEA 141.
4.00 credit hours Designed for dedicated theatre students with previous acting experience, this course consists of exercises in voice, movement, improvisation and character study. Provides students with necessary theory and performance skills required to pursue further specialized acting training.
4.00 credit hours Introduces fundamental music theory, sight singing and aural skills for the musical theatre performer. Students emerge from this course with practical sight reading skills, aural recognition skills, notational skills and other theoretical tools that help them with cold-read auditions, musical sides preparation, the learning of roles and the achievement of a higher level of musicianship.
0.00-1.00 credit hours Practical instruction in piano playing for musical theatre performers. In the form of piano lessons with a music theory component, this course introduces practical sight reading and aural skills to enable actors to prepare for musical theatre auditions and rehearsals. Available to all students.
2.00 credit hours Continuing instruction of jazz, ballet and tap techniques for the stage, building upon skills obtained in THEA 120. Practical dance coursework is also supplemented with the basic building blocks of choreography. This course is open to all students interested in dance training for performance. This course may be repeated for credit once.
0.00-1.00 credit hours Practical instruction in vocal performance for musical theatre performers. In the form of voice lessons with a music theory component, this course introduces practical sight reading and aural skills to enable actors to prepare for musical theatre auditions and rehearsals. Available to all students.
2.00 credit hours A concentration on jazz dance, particularly as it appears in a variety of musical theatre styles. Builds and expands upon the jazz dance portion of THEA 220. This course may be repeated for credit once.
Prerequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in THEA 120.
2.00 credit hours A concentration on tap dance, particularly as it appears in a variety of musical theatre styles. Builds and expands upon the tap dance portion of THEA 220. This course may be repeated for credit once.
2.00 credit hours A concentration on ballet, particularly as it appears in a variety of classical theatre styles and as it underpins modern dance styles. Builds and expands upon the ballet portion of THEA 220. This course may be repeated for credit once.
Prerequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in THEA 120.
2.00 credit hours A study of modern and postmodern dance techniques. Students become equally proficient in traditional modern technique and the latest developments in contemporary dance. This course may be repeated for credit once.
4.00 credit hours Introduces students to the history and development of dramaturgy, including literary management, new play dramaturgy and production dramaturgy. Students become conversant with elements of storytelling for the stage by applying script work and critical inquiry to the creative processes involved in theatre-making.
4.00 credit hours Introduction to the artistic and technical skillsets required of a theatrical scenic designer. Students learn how to identify location requirements of a play, create a dynamic environment and craft required props. Students develop these skillsets through a series of theoretical projects as they simultaneously begin to develop their own design aesthetic.
4.00 credit hours Introduction to the artistic and technical skillsets required of a theatrical lighting designer. Students identify seasonal and time of day requirements of a play, employ advanced color theory and craft a flexible but dynamic light plot. Students develop these skillsets through a series of theoretical projects as they simultaneously begin to develop their own design aesthetic.
4.00 credit hours Introduction to the artistic and technical skillsets required of a theatrical costume designer. Students learn to identify the period requirements of a play, create fully developed costume renderings and craft a costume tracking chart. Students develop these skillsets through a series of theoretical projects as they simultaneously begin to develop their own design aesthetic.
4.00 credit hours Introduces the administrative skills sets of stage management, while exploring the relationship between the artistry and execution of producing plays and musicals. Students learn production protocols, create a prompt book and explore the forms and formats needed to maintain professional standards while working with directors, actors and the technical crew.
4.00 credit hours Advanced and intensive scene work focusing on contemporary trends in realism. Approaches to building character are integrated with voice, movement and textual improvisation. Builds on the foundational work of THEA 150.
4.00 credit hours Focuses on voice and movement techniques and the actor’s use of body and mind to create character and achieve a higher level of expressiveness in the art of theatre. Centers on training the actor to strengthen and free the voice and body, enliven the imagination and enable the actor to create a character’s vocal and physical life. Students expand their comprehension of space and rhythm as it relates to body and character.
4.00 credit hours A practical application of the actor’s craft to musical theatre performance, with emphasis on transitioning from scene to song. Students explore the acting methods used specifically for the musical stage. Combines script analysis, character analysis, choreography and acting through the song itself for the purposes of both auditions and performances.
4.00 credit hours A study of the theatre and its literature from its ancient beginnings through the English Restoration. Students examine theatrical events, figures and dramatic works in their aesthetic, cultural and historical contexts and synthesize analytical writing and research skills with appropriate knowledge of course material.
4.00 credit hours Investigates influential texts, performances and theatrical movements following the English Restoration through to the present day, with critical attention to how accounts of history are created and remembered. Students examine theatrical events, figures and dramatic works in their aesthetic, cultural and historical contexts and synthesize analytical writing and research skills with appropriate knowledge of course material.
4.00 credit hours The comprehensive history of Western theatrical dance from the first court ballets of the late 16th century through early 21st century Postmodernism. The course explores dance aesthetics, choreographers, dancers and critical theory in the cultural context of each period and culture.
4.00 credit hours Survey of major trends of the American musical theatre from the 19th century to present. Addresses representative composers and librettists such as George M. Cohan, Victor Herbert, Jerome Kerr, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim.
2.00 credit hours Advanced study of jazz technique including more complex steps and sequences. Emphasizes technique and styling, building upon the foundational skills introduced in THEA 222. This course may be repeated for credit once.
2.00 credit hours Advanced study of tap dance technique, building upon the foundational skills introduced in THEA 223. Students develop more complex steps, variations, sequences, rhythmic patterns, increased tempo and duration. Emphasis is on technique, musicality and styling, including an introduction to improvisation. Tap shoes are required. This course may be repeated once for credit.
2.00 credit hours Continues the development of all foundational areas of classical ballet, and expands the ballet vocabulary for dancers pursuing both classical and contemporary practice. Builds upon the skills introduced in THEA 224. This course may be repeated once for credit.
2.00 credit hours A survey of techniques and skills required to create and notate dance and movement for the stage. Exploring methods for approaching various types of work, students develop and stage their own dance creations. This course may be repeated once for credit.
4.00 credit hours An introduction to the art of directing plays for the theatre. It utilizes background information and experience with acting, stagecraft and dramatic literature to provide the groundwork for discussion of various approaches to, and techniques of, play production. The course culminates in the public performance of student-directed short scenes and one acts.
4.00 credit hours Develops the skills required for the communication of designs for a theatrical environment. The course focuses on hand drafting, the creation of 2D drawings that give detailed information regarding the layout and look of a scenic design. Model making techniques are also emphasized so that students learn to provide 3D information for a stage design. Rendering techniques are also mastered through concepts such as linear perspective, shade and shadow and watercolor rendering.
4.00 credit hours An intensive study of Shakespeare for the actor. Building on foundational acting skills, students integrate text analysis, scene and character study, style and metric form for interpreting and staging Shakespearian characters.
4.00 credit hours Advanced and intensive improvisational work is integrated with performance theory, research and reflection. Builds on the improvisational skills introduced in foundational acting coursework to instill confidence with spontaneity and trust, communication, active listening and kinesthetic response.
4.00 credit hours This course explores the acting methods used for film and television. Students are trained in camera techniques used for commercial, industrial, film and television auditions. Students work in front of the camera each week utilizing actual copy from popular shows, commercials and movies. Students leave this course audition ready. The course includes extensive scene memorization, class discussions, performance critique writing and journal self-assessment writing.
THEA 370 - Musical Theatre: Audition and Portfolio
4.00 credit hours Examines the different vocal techniques and movement styles necessary for the musical theatre performer. It focuses on a performer’s approach to developing a song in the context of contemporary musical theatre, examining the work in terms of form, structure and content.
0.00-12.00 credit hours Internships in the Department of Theatre take the form of pre-professional placement in the entertainment industries. Learning objectives and outcomes are developed in consultation with the student, the host institution and faculty in accordance with college guidelines.
1.00-12.00 credit hours Students pursue highly individualized and specialized topics, research questions or scholarship not otherwise available as a course in consultation with a faculty member. Aims and objectives are agreed in advance by the student and faculty supervisor in accordance with college policy. Students meet weekly with the instructor.
THEA 405 - Advanced Topics in History, Literature and Critical Theory
2.00-4.00 credit hours Occasional seminar topic allowing for advanced study in the history, literature or critical theory of drama and theatre. This advanced seminar investigates artists and artistic work in order to analyze how representation in theatre and drama may advance, reflect, or interact with larger historical or societal movements. Special topics may include in depth exploration of a single period or aesthetic trend in theatre history, a reading emphasis on an individual playwright or genre, or engagement with current trends in critical and cultural theory for the theatre. Students learn to define, articulate and defend a well-supported point of view in response to given performances and scripts.
THEA 429 - Advanced Topics in Dance and Choreography
2.00-4.00 credit hours Occasional seminar topic or studio workshop allowing for advanced study of dance or choreography. Special topics may include the in depth exploration of a single style, technique or aesthetic trend in dance history, the exploration of a single choreographer and her work or engagement with current trends in contemporary dance practice and choreography.
THEA 430 - Advanced Topics in Directing/Dramaturgy
2.00-4.00 credit hours Occasional seminar topic or studio workshop allowing for advanced research in directing and dramaturgy. Special topics may include the in depth exploration of a single period or aesthetic trend in theatre history, an emphasis on an individual director or theatre-making technique or engagement with current trends in aesthetics, multi-disciplinary staging or dramaturgy.
4.00 credit hours Designed to give students a clearer, more mature understanding of the way in which members of a production team can work together to create a theatrical production. Designers, directors, performers and writers have the opportunity to work together while developing processes for utilizing each other’s strengths to create imaginative and powerful works of theater. While students present and critique these final performances, the focus of this course is the process by which those performances came to be. The aim is that students leave this course with developed leadership skills, cooperative working relationships and more sophisticated creative processes.
4.00 credit hours An exploration of three overlapping subfields in theatre and performance studies: devised theatre, radical theatre and community-based theatre. The course conceptually explores how community-based engagement necessitates radical theatre aesthetics that do not rely on traditionally authored plays. Students learn radical theatre aesthetics and techniques by examining case studies of groundbreaking companies and artists. Finally, students apply their theoretical comprehension of radical theatres by selecting a community and envisioning a radical theatre project to serve its needs.
Prerequisite(s): THEA 330. iCon(s): Challenging Inequity, Engaging Civic Life.
THEA 445 - Advanced Topics in Design and Technology
4.00 credit hours Occasional seminar topic allowing for advanced study of theatre design or technology. Special topics may include in depth exploration of a single technology or design medium like projection design, draping or mask-making, theatre automation or computer assisted design, among others. Topics may also explore interdisciplinary approaches to design for live performance or contemporary trends in design and technology.
4.00 credit hours An exploration of the components of a professional portfolio and resume for students interested in theatre design, technology and management. Students develop portfolios of their own work as well as learn about the professional opportunities and career paths that are typically taken by theatre professionals.
4.00 credit hours An integration of body, mind and voice techniques for the purpose of developing a way to conventionalized period acting. For the intermediate and advanced student actor, this course places primary emphasis on the development of characterization techniques, participation in physical and vocal acting exercises and practical performance application through stylistic scene and monologue work. Period/Styles covered in this course may include Ancient Greek, Commedia, Restoration Comedy and Absurdism.
4.00 credit hours Exploration of the requirements for the business portion of theatre; from building a theatrical resume, to selecting a head shot, to registering with an agent. Students learn to manage their creative work according to the professional expectations of the collective entertainment industries.
2.00-4.00 credit hours Occasional seminar topic or studio workshop allowing for advanced research in acting and performance. Special topics may include the in depth exploration of a single acting theory or technique, a single period or aesthetic trend for developing character or engagement with current leading artists or trends in actor training.
4.00 credit hours Graduating seniors work with a mentoring faculty instructor to select a show, divide responsibilities for production and present a fully mounted production on the stage. The course is intended as a culminating and capstone experience for students pursuing musical theatre degrees.
4.00 credit hours The culmination of a competitive process from which students are chosen to mount their proposed play as part of the North Central College Theatre Department season. Students are responsible for the concept and execution of a fully staged theatrical piece, running their production from preparation and auditions through final performance.
0.00-12.00 credit hours Internships in the Department of Theatre take the form of pre-professional placement in the entertainment industries. Learning objectives and outcomes are developed in consultation with the student, the host institution, and faculty in accordance with college guidelines.
1.00-12.00 credit hours Students pursue highly individualized and specialized topics, research questions, or scholarship not otherwise available as a course in consultation with a faculty member. Aims and objectives are agreed in advance by the student and faculty supervisor in accordance with college policy. Students meet weekly with the instructor.