The Theatre School’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Playwriting focuses on helping students explore and identify their voice and unique process of working as a writer in a variety of circumstances. The four-year curriculum provides students with the primary tools of dramatic writing and the space and opportunity to use them through a variety of classroom and workshop production experiences.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Liberal Studies Requirements | 52 |
| Major Requirements | 162 |
| Total hours required | 214 |
Learning Outcomes
Core Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Identify and describe the historical and theoretical significance of a range of theatrical artists, works, and artistic approaches from antiquity to present.
- Synthesize and apply elements of their education and training to the preparation, rehearsal, and presentation of theatrical productions with discipline, respect, and maturity.
- Identify and explain their theatrical work in the context of the cultural and social impact of the arts.
Program Specific Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Create compelling dramatic texts that explore universal issues through detailed and specific characters and actions.
- Communicate their intentions to collaborators and be able to respond to and incorporate the responses of collaborators from all disciplines.
- Explain how their writing fits into contemporary and historical contexts.
Liberal Studies Requirements
Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Writing | ||
| WRD 103 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 | 4 |
| WRD 104 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| MAT 120 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 | 4 |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Race, Power, and Resistance | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Not Required | ||
- 1
Students must earn a C- or better in this course.
- 2
Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162 MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 1 Course Required
Math and Computing (MC)
- Not Required
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 1 Course Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 1 Course Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- 1 Lab Course or 1 SWK Course Required
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- Not Required
Other
- Choose 1 course from the above learning domains as an elective
Notes
Specified required courses within Liberal Studies may have grade minimums (e.g. C- or better). Please consult your advisor or your college and major requirements.
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.
Major Requirements
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST YEAR | ||
| THE 210 | SCRIPT ANALYSIS | 4 |
| THE 212 | INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE STUDIES | 4 |
| THE 268 | INTRODUCTION TO THE PRODUCTION PROCESS | 4 |
| THE 291 | PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP I | 4 |
| History of Dramatic Literature Sequence (Arts and Literature Requirement) | ||
| THE 204 | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE | 4 |
| THE 205 | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE | 4 |
| THE 206 | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE | 4 |
| Three Quarters of Theatre Crew | 6 | |
| TEC 107 | THEATRE CREW | 2 |
| SECOND YEAR | ||
| Playwriting I Sequence | ||
| THE 227 | PLAYWRITING I | 4 |
| THE 228 | PLAYWRITING I | 4 |
| THE 229 | PLAYWRITING I | 4 |
| THE 232 | PLAYWRIGHT'S SEMINAR I | 4 |
| Principles of Design Sequence | ||
| THE 141 | DESIGN WORKSHOP | 4 |
| DES Elective | 4 | |
| Theatre Studies Core Requirements | ||
| THE 292 | PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP II | 4 |
| THE 324 | DRAMATIC THEORY | 4 |
| Dramatic Literature Electives: Select three courses in consultation with advisor | 12 | |
| THIRD YEAR | ||
| Playwriting II Sequence | ||
| THE 327 | PLAYWRITING II | 4 |
| THE 328 | PLAYWRITING II | 4 |
| THE 329 | PLAYWRITING II | 4 |
| THE 332 | PLAYWRIGHT'S SEMINAR II | 4 |
| ENG 328 | STUDIES IN SHAKESPEARE | 4 |
| Theatre Studies Core Requirements | ||
| THE 325 | DRAMATIC CRITICISM | 4 |
| PRF 374 | DIRECTING | 4 |
| PRF 375 | DIRECTING | 4 |
| Completion of Common Core: Select two of the following: | 8 | |
DES elective | ||
| PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP III | ||
| DIRECTING | ||
| FOURTH YEAR | ||
| Playwriting III Sequence | ||
| THE 427 | PLAYWRITING III | 4 |
| THE 429 | PLAYWRITING III | 4 |
| THE 430 | TOPICS IN PLAYWRITING I | 4 |
| THE 431 | TOPICS IN PLAYWRITING II | 4 |
| Writing electives approved by advisor | 8 | |
| Select three English or Communication Electives in consultation with advisor | 12 | |
| Capstone Sequence | ||
| THE 412 | PORTFOLIO PREPARATION | 4 |
| Capstone elective approved by advisor | 4 | |
| Production Practice III and/or Internship: Select three of the following: | 12 | |
| THEATRE STUDIES PRODUCTION PRACTICE III | ||
| THEATRE STUDIES PRODUCTION PRACTICE III | ||
| THEATRE STUDIES PRODUCTION PRACTICE III | ||
| THEATRE STUDIES INTERNSHIP | ||
Open Electives
Open elective credit may also be required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.
Work on The Theatre School’s production season extends outside of the university’s academic calendar. Some production assignments may require participation up to two weeks before the beginning of fall quarter, during a portion of the winter break, or during spring break. Specific details pertaining to different programs, specific assignments, and options for students not able to participate outside of the university’s academic calendar are available in the Theatre School Student Handbook and the Theatre School website.