Vanguard University of Southern California

Current Students' Academic Advising Information

 

Graduating from VUSC

  1. Core Curriculum: You must take all the core curriculum either at VUSC or another accredited college or university. You can check the requirements on your checksheet or at http://access.vanguard.edu.� If you have problems with transferring units, please see your advisor.� You may only transfer 70 units from a junior college; there is no limit on transfer units from a 4-year institution. All double majors: it is wise to take as many core curriculum classes as possible at your local junior college in order to graduate in 4-5 years. Check with the Records Department to verify the course(s) you wish to take will fulfill the requirements (there is a form for this purpose in Records).
  2. Major Requirements: You must take all the classes listed for theatre majors, choosing the ones that fit your emphasis where indicated. MAJOR REQUIREMENTS WILL NOT BE WAIVED. If you would like to discuss the possibility of substituting another appropriate class for a major requirement, please talk with your advisor. You must substitute an upper division course with another upper division course.
  3. 124 Unit Minimum: You will have 7 elective units left to fulfill after completing the core curriculum and theatre major course requirements. You must take enough classes to accumulate 124 units; completion of the core curriculum and theatre major course requirements is not enough to earn a degree in Theatre.
  4. 40 Unit Upper Division Minimum: You must take at least 40 units of Junior/Senior level courses (300/400 level). Transfer units from junior colleges are all lower division units. They have no impact on the 40 unit upper division requirement.
  5. 24 of the last 30 units minimum: At least 24 of your last 30 units must be taken at VUSC. This prohibits you from going to another college for 3 years and then transferring to VUSC for your senior year and getting a diploma from VUSC.
  6. 1/2 of your total major minimum: One-half of the total number of units required for the theatre major must be taken at VUSC. 72 units are required for the major, meaning at least 36 of those 72 units must be taken at VUSC.

What you need to know about classes and credits

  1. Theatre Major Production Policy: Each major is expected to fulfill a production assignment each semester. Exceptions are made for the following: multiple casting, junior project, THEA 206 Crew, THEA 239 Makeup Design, and Rehearsal / Performance conflicts. Lab hours for the following courses do not fulfill production assignments: THEA 320 Lighting Design: Fundamentals, THEA 318 Drafting and Scenic Design, THEA 309 Costume Design: Fundamentals.
  2. THEA 206 Crew: All theatre majors must take this course. If you are assigned to a crew and it is not to fulfill a theatre major production requirement or another production class, you must register for the appropriate section for 1 unit. Each section in the course schedule corresponds to a specific show. Please be sure you are enrolling in the correct section.
  3. PERFORMANCE EMPHASIS: THEA 132-432 AB / THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE I, II, III, and IV: If you are cast in 1 of the 6 mainstage productions, you must register for the appropriate section of Theatrical Performance for 1-2 units. Theatrical Performance I is for freshman, II for sophomores, III for juniors, and IV for seniors. Each section listed in the Course Schedule corresponds to a specific show. Please be sure you are enrolling in the correct course number and section. If you have fulfilled your 6 required performance units, you must still enroll in the class for 1 unit and the unit becomes an elective unit. Alternately, you may enroll in THEA 480--Individual Studies for 1 unit.
    *Showcase: 1 unit of performance credit if authorized by Chair.
  4. PRODUCTION EMPHASIS: THEA 108-408 AB / THEATRICAL PRODUCTION I, II, III, and IV: If you are assigned to a crew and it is not to fulfill a theatre major scholarship, you must register for the appropriate section of Theatrical Production for 1 unit. Theatrical Production I is for freshman, II for sophomores, III for juniors, and IV for seniors. Each section listed in the Course Schedule corresponds to a specific show. Please be sure you are enrolling in the correct course number and section. If you have fulfilled your required units, you must still enroll in the class for 1 unit and the unit becomes an elective unit. Alternately, you may enroll in THEA 480--Individual Studies for 1 unit.
  5. THEA 386: Junior Project: This entails being head of a production crew (sound, lighting, stage managing, assistant stage managing, house managing twice, green room manager twice, props, assistant designing, assistant technical director). Generally, meet with your advisor to�fill out and submit the proposal form at the beginning of April for all projects to be completed the following school year.
  6. THEA 492 / THEA 494: SENIOR PROJECT: Meet with your advisor to discuss possible Senior Projects. Fill out and submit a Senior Project Proposal form at least by the middle of the semester previous to your planned date of completion. The project must be approved by both your advisor and the Associate Chair before you register and begin your project. The majority of Senior Projects for performance/directing emphasis majors will be producing a one-act the last week of April during Showcase Week. The majority of Senior Projects for technical emphasis majors will involve design assignments for a mainstage show. You should register for Senior Project: Planning and Senior Project: Production THEA 492 and THEA 494 at the same time in the semester the project will be completed. You must have 88 units to be an official senior.
  7. THEA 200c: INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE: Theatre majors cannot use this class to satisfy the fine arts core curriculum requirement.
  8. THEA 252: THEATRE MANAGEMENT: can be taken as a freshman.
  9. THEA 410: ADVANCED ACTING: Performance emphasis majors should take this class the spring of their sophomore year.
  10. THEA 309, 318, and 320: COSTUME, SCENIC, and LIGHTING DESIGN: all majors need to take these classes during their sophomore year and the fall of their junior year. These classes need to be taken before Directing for Theatre/THEA 430 or Computer Aided Design for Theatre/THEA 465 for the best possible learning experience.
  11. THEA 430: DIRECTING FOR THEATRE: For performance emphasis majors: This class needs to be taken the spring of your junior year. It is considered a capstone course and it provides the necessary foundation for your senior project.
  12. THEATRE MAJORS / MINORS: are privileged to closed theatre classes. If during your junior or senior year you cannot get into a required theatre course because it is closed, show up to it and the professor will add you.
  13. ART 275: Technical emphasis majors should take this class the spring of their freshman year.

To Do

  1. INTERNSHIPS: The best time to fulfill this requirement is the summer between your junior and senior years. Start meeting with your advisor the fall of your junior year to begin planning. Internship proposal forms must be completed, submitted, and approved by both your advisor and the Associate Chair before the Internship begins.
  2. DIRECTING SHOWCASE and SENIOR PROJECTS: Additional performance and technical opportunities exist in directing class showcases and senior projects. Students may not perform in more than 2 senior projects over the course of the school year.
  3. AUDITIONS There are 6 mainstage shows per year. Auditions are held the first day of class in the fall for shows B, C, and D (the first show of the spring semester). Auditions for shows E & F (the musical) are held at the end of the fall semester. Auditions for show A (the first show in the fall) are held during finals week the previous spring. Rehearsals for show A begin the week before school starts. Come prepared with 1 or 2 contrasting pieces that do not exceed 2 minutes. We will stop you. If you are auditioning for a musical show, also come with a prepared musical selection as noted on the audition sign-up sheet. Do not ask the Chair what monologues to use. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! READ MICHAEL SHURTLEFF'S BOOK, AUDITION. Sign-up for the auditions on the sheets posted on the front counter of the Fine Arts office. Take these auditions seriously. Come prepared or you may not get cast. It is highly recommended you audition for all the shows in each audition grouping. Choosing to audition for just one show can seriously limit your castability.
  4. PRODUCTION POSITIONSThose interested in design, technical, management, and or crew positions need to contact David Pecoraro in person or via email at dpecoraro@vanguard.edu.

Theatre Department Employment Opportunities

Every theatre production requires the work of many hands in sets, lighting, costumes, stage management, house management, box office, etc. Scholarship, federal work study, and student employment are often available on a department and student need basis. If you are interested, contact David Pecoraro at dpecoraro@vanguard.edu.

 

Some final thoughts . . .

Hold your head high and be proud and encouraged to be a theatre major! Let God lead you in this calling. Trust in Him with all of your heart, and He will guide your path! If this is where the Lord is leading you, claim it and trust Him and He will not let you go! He will provide you with an anointed job! Do not let the world scare you away from this calling! God needs Christians in the arts! Trust in Him!