Courses in Undergraduate Theater

At the upper division level, students choose from an array of advanced elective courses allowing them to specialize in an area such as acting, design, or musical theater.

The four-year degree program consists of five sets of curricular requirements:

• Theater Major Requirements
• General Education Requirements
• School of Theater, Film, and Television Requirements
• University Requirements
• Theater Specialization Requirements (Acting [PDF], Design / Production [PDF], Directing [PDF], General Theater Studies, Musical Theater [PDF], Playwriting [PDF], Teaching Artist Program)

In the first year of the program students are immersed in the "freshman experience" (fall and winter quarters). In the fall quarter all freshman are together for:

• Tai Chi
• Theater 12 Introduction to Performance
• Theater 13 Play Reading and Analysis
• Theater 14a Scenic Design

All freshmen are encouraged to take ballet this year as well! The department counselors will enroll all theater freshmen in their classes and studios. In the fall quarter freshmen are not allowed to take any courses other than these.

In addition to the above, in the winter quarter, all theater freshmen are together for:

• Tai-Chi
• Theater 11 Approaches to Interpretation of Theater and Performance
• Theater 14b Costume Design

Freshmen can add Theater 15 directing, ballet, and perhaps a general elective course (or two) to their class lists.

In the spring quarter, all theater freshmen take Theater 14c Lighting Design. They can also include Theater 160 Advanced Directing, and ballet. In this quarter freshmen are highly encouraged to take general elective courses and other university and school requirements for a minimum of 12 units.

In the sophomore year students are required to take a year of theater history as well as begin their elective (acting, design, playwriting, etc.) specialization courses (acting classes begin in the winter quarter of the sophomore year and continue on through the spring quarter of the senior year). Also, students continue to take classes which fulfill their other requirements as described in the list above. Students are expected to have completed half of their general elective courses by the end of the sophomore year.

Theater students also must begin their crew assignments in the sophomore year. Four crews (8 units total) are required. Four of these units can be satisfied by acting in certain productions.

The junior and senior years build upon the sophomore year with more advanced courses in each of the specializations.

Junior transfer students must take the year-long theater history course series in the junior year if they do not transfer in with an upper division equivalent. Junior transfer students might also find that they have to "make-up" certain UCLA theater freshmen courses if they do not transfer in with an equivalent from their previous college(s).

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