Theatre Division
The Theatre division of the Department of Theatre and Dance offers three main types of courses: Lecture, Studio and Practicum.
1. Lecture
One lecture credit hour equals 50 minutes of in classroom instruction and a minimum of 100 minutes of student work outside of class, per week per semester (15 weeks).
(Note – that’s about five hours a week of work outside of class for a three credit course.)
Example: THTR 210 Theatre History I, three credits, meeting twice a week for an hour and 15 minutes per meeting, for a total of two and a half hours of class meeting per week. Examples of outside of class work: reading, studying for quizzes and exams, researching and writing papers.
2. Studio
One studio credit hour equals a minimum of 50 minutes of in-classroom faculty interaction and instruction, with an expectation of a minimum of 100 minutes of student work outside of class, per week per semester (15 weeks).
(Note – that’s about five hours a week of work outside of class for a three credit course.)
Example: THTR 222 Acting III, three credits, meeting twice a week for an hour and forty minutes per meeting, for a total of three hours and twenty minutes of class meeting per week. Examples of outside of class work: reading, memorizing and rehearsing scenes and monologues for in-class presentation, studying for quizzes, researching and writing papers.
3. Practicum
One studio credit hour equals 180 minutes of in-class faculty instruction, demonstration and interaction, with a variable expectation of very minimal outside of class work, to about 64 hours of outside work – over a period of about two and a half weeks for a theatre production.
Example: THTR 200 Production Stagecraft, one credit, meeting once a week for three hours. Usually, virtually all work is completed in class – in this case in the scene shop: learning and practicing fundamental theatrical carpentry skills, painting techniques and construction of scenic elements.
In addition to the above, students may assist with “loading the show” into the theatre, which is about an additional 12 hours of work.
Dance Division
The Dance division of the Department of Theatre and Dance offers three main types of courses: Lecture, Studio and Practicum.
1. Lecture
One lecture credit hour equals 50 minutes of in classroom instruction and a minimum of 100 minutes of student work outside of class, per week per semester (15 weeks).
(Note – that’s about five hours a week of work outside of class for a three credit course.
Example: DNCE 317 Dance History, three credits, meeting twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes per meeting, for a total of two and a half hours of class meeting per week. Examples of outside of class work: reading, studying for quizzes and exams, researching and writing papers.
2. Studio
One studio credit hour equals a minimum of 100 minutes of in classroom faculty interaction and instruction, with an expectation of a minimum of 150 minutes of student work outside of class, per week per semester (15 weeks).
(Note – that’s about 3.5 hours a week of work outside of class for a three credit course.)
Example: DNCE 255 Ballet II, three credits, meeting four days a week for an hour and twenty minutes per meeting, for a total of two hours and forty minutes of class meeting per week. Examples of outside of class work: reviewing and practicing dance techniques for in-class presentation, studying for quizzes, researching and writing papers.
3. Practicum
One half (0.5) studio credit hour equals up to 100-330 minutes of weekly in class faculty choreography, instruction, demonstration and interaction (although most students do not attend every daily rehearsal/class meeting), with a variable expectation of outside of class work of about 60 hours – over a period of about two and a half weeks for a dance production.
Example: DNCE 485 Dance Repertory, .5 credit, meeting four days a week for an hour and fifty minutes, and one day a week for four hours.
However, because students only attend rehearsals for the dance piece(s) in which they have been cast, a student cast in one dance piece can expect to rehearse a minimum of two hours a week in class, plus about an additional 60 hours total outside of class in dress and technical rehearsals, and performances.