Undergraduate
Certificate Programs
Theatre
Certificate in Theatre
The Undergraduate Certificate in Theatre is designed to develop competencies in the analysis, creation, production, and pedagogies of performance with a particular focus on original small group and solo performance in the urban context. Students will be exposed to numerous cultural and theoretical perspectives from which to engage current scholarship, creativity activity, and “art-repreneurship” in the fields of Theatre, Performance, Applied Theatre Praxis, and Teaching Artistry. Students develop skills in multiple aspects of the discipline which include vocal and physical awareness, acting, directing, creating devised work, literary and textual analysis, applied theatre, educational theatre, and creative production.
Students will accomplish this by being exposed to a broad interdisciplinary background in the field of Theatre and Performance, while examining the present role theatre serves in society and expanding its future role in the effort to address issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and facilitating challenging dialogues. Students can also authentically engage with artists and practitioners of various types in the “greater Indianapolis” community and activate personal interests with target communities, co-learners and audiences that serve in the development of a creative Independent Study project, completed as a capstone during their final year of degree completion.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Know- Identify and Evaluate one’s place and time in society and culture from a variety of perspectives conveyed in the diverse sub-disciplines, canons and practices of theatre
- Understand- appreciate, respect, and value the variety and complexity of other societies and, as a basis for meaningful interaction and growth in the global context of the 21st century.
- Be able to
- find, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and apply information, drawing effectively on a variety of information sources and tools;
- pose general as well as particular questions and propose creative solutions to those problems in different contexts—working independently and as members of teams;
- communicate effectively to peers and professionals making effective use of a variety of communication modes, methods, and technologies; and
- exercise ethically sound judgment in personal and professional situations by demonstrating responsible behavior as artists, learners, facilitators, and leaders that work effectively independently and as members of teams, artistic ensembles and learning cohorts.
Admission to the Certificate program in Theatre (COMM) requires the following:
- completion of 55 credit hours towards an IU Indianapolis degree or of transferrable work,
- at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA,
- to declare the certificate, complete the School of Liberal Arts online declaration form here.
Students who have not enrolled at IU Indianapolis may be considered for this certificate if they meet the above criteria and apply for Undergraduate Admission to IU Indianapolis and specify the Undergraduate Theatre and Performance Certificate as their objective.
The Certificate in Theatre and Performance (COMM) requires satisfactory completion of the following:
- completion of a total of 18 credit hours, with a minimum grade of C in each course,
- completion of a bachelor’s degree (concurrently or previously),
- declare the certificate
Certificate Requirements:
Required core courses (9 credits):
- COMM-T 130: Introduction to Theatre (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 437: Creative Dramatics (3 cr.)
- COMM-G 300/G400: Independent Study: Creative Project (3 cr.)
Select three of the following elective courses (9 credits):*
Students will select the remaining 9 hours of electives in consultation with the Director of the Theatre and Performance Certificate to to ideally personalize and tailor your individual course selections to best support your Independent Creative Project Proposal, which will be facilitated and executed in COMM-G 300/400. Your electives must be approved prior to registration.
Theatre Emphasis:
- COMM-C 104: Voice and Diction (3 cr.)
- COMM-G 300: Independent Study: Practicum in Debate and Forensics (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 100: Rehearsal and Performance (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 133: Introduction to Acting (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 205: Introduction to Oral Interpretation (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 265: Fundamentals of Applied Theatre (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 333: Acting II (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 337: History of the Theatre I (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 338: History of the Theatre II (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 339: Play Directing (3 cr.)
- COMM-T 431: Playwriting (3 cr.)
Drama/English Emphasis:
- CLAS-C 310: Classical Drama (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 205: Introduction to Poetry (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 207: Women and Literature (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 245: Introduction to Caribbean Literature (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 315: Major Plays of Shakespeare (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 365: Modern Drama: Continental (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 366: Modern Drama: English, Irish, and American (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 370: Black American Writing (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 379: American Ethnic and Minority Literature (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 390: Children’s Literature (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 433:Conversations with Shakespeare (3 cr.)
- ENG-W 302: Screenwriting (3 cr.)
Anthropology/Women/Cultural Diversity Emphasis:
- WGSS-W 105: Introduction to Women’s Studies (3 cr.)
- WGSS-W 300: Topics in Women’s Studies (3 cr.)
- HIST-A 355: African-American History I (3 cr.)
- ANTH-E 404: Field Methods in Ethnography (3 cr.)
- ENG-L 406: Topics in African American Literature (3 cr.)
- MSTD-A 460: Current Topics in Museum Studies- Museum Theatre (3 cr.)
Note: This is a sample list of elective courses. See the faculty advisor for more details.
