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

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

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.)

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

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.