Learn More and ApplyScene Design (BFA)

The Theatre School’s Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) degree in Scenic Design is designed to give students the opportunity to explore and expand their artistic and visual expression and provides them the opportunity to practice their craft. The four-year curriculum in many ways simulates a scenic designer’s professional experience and process. Designers learn to visualize and create the physical world of plays by collaborating with directors, dramaturgs, other designers and technicians and our professional scene shop staff who build the sets they design.

Program Requirements

Program Requirements	Quarter Hours
Liberal Studies Requirements	52
Major Requirements	161
Total hours required	213

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:

• Read and interpret theatrical text and apply research, imagination, and personalization to create a unique, insightful, and compelling design concept.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the history of the visual art and architecture in the context of social and cultural development.
• Create the appropriate plans, drawings, and documents for the fabrication of their design concept.

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.

Plan of Study Grid

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. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam, or by credit earned for advanced math coursework 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 any transfer, CLEP, IB, or AP Calculus credit. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfil any of the three QR/MCD requirements.

Learning Domains

Arts and Literature (AL)

• THE 204
• THE 205
• THE 206

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

Plan of Study Grid

First Year		Hours
DES 284	MODEL BUILDING	3
Drawing for Designers Sequence:
DES 111	DRAWING FOR DESIGNERS I	2
DES 112	DRAWING FOR DESIGNERS II	2
Technical Drawing I Sequence:
TEC 151	TECHNICAL DRAWING I	2
TEC 152	TECHNICAL DRAWING I	2
TEC 153	TECHNICAL DRAWING I	2
Principles of Design Sequence:
DES 141	ELEMENTS OF DESIGN	4
DES 142	PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN	4
DES 143	SCRIPT ANALYSIS	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
Second Year
DES 250	MATERIALS AND PROCESSES	4
Rendering for Designers Sequence:
DES 384	RENDERING FOR DESIGNERS I	3
DES 385	RENDERING FOR DESIGNERS II	3
DES 386	RENDERING FOR DESIGNERS III	3
Scenographic Drafting Sequence:
DES 252	SCENOGRAPHIC DRAFTING	3
DES 253	SCENOGRAPHIC DRAFTING	3
Scene Design Sequence I:
DES 241	SCENE DESIGN I	4
DES 242	SCENE DESIGN I	4
DES 243	SCENE DESIGN I	4
Scene Painting Sequence:
DES 387	SCENE PAINTING	2
DES 388	SCENE PAINTING	2
DES 389	SCENE PAINTING	2
Production Practice Sequence I:
DES 271	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I	3
DES 272	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I	3
DES 273	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I	3
Theatrical Collaboration Sequence
DES 641	THEATRICAL COLLABORATION	3
DES 642	THEATRICAL COLLABORATION	3
Third Year
Scene Design Sequence II:
DES 341	SCENE DESIGN II	4
DES 342	SCENE DESIGN II	4
DES 343	SCENE DESIGN II	4
Survey Sequence:
THE 381	SURVEY OF THE ARTS FOR THEATRE	4
THE 382	SURVEY OF THE ARTS FOR THEATRE	4
Production Practice II: Select two of the following:		8
DES 371	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
DES 372	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
DES 373	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
Fourth Year
DES 486	PORTFOLIO PREPARATION	3
Scene Design Sequence III:
DES 441	SCENE DESIGN III	4
DES 442	SCENE DESIGN III	4
DES 443	SCENE DESIGN III	4
Design/Theatre Electives: Select in coordination with the area chair		12
Open Elective		4
Drawing Electives: Select in coordination with the area chair		9
Production Practice III and/or Internship: Select two of the following:		10
DES 471	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
DES 472	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
DES 473	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
DES 490	DESIGN INTERNSHIP

​Concentrations, tracks and specializations provide focus to the major. In addition to any college core requirements, liberal studies requirements and major requirements, students are required to choose one of the following: