Human Communication & Theatre

An overview of modern parliamentary practice as set forth in the standard work on the subject, Robert's Rules of Order, most newly revised. Consideration will be given to the purpose and functions of parliamentary procedure, the types of assemblies that employ it, and the significant differences between the standard rules of procedure and the specialized rules utilized by legislative bodies.

Leadership Academy is a one-credit comprehensive leadership course for first-year and sophomore students. It is an experiential leadership course where students learn leadership essentials and explore how their leadership impacts others. The course requires individuals to explore their own leadership through theory-to-practice transformational leadership activities, small and large group discussions, and reflection. Leadership Academy concludes with a service project.

Examines the foundations of human language including phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. (Also listed as LING 1300.)

Examines the performative and other critical approaches to the study of literature. Investigates and explores critical methods for analyzing texts and their application to the oral study and performance of a variety of literary genres. (Same as THTR 1306.)

Allows student to extend public speaking skills by refining all aspects of the public presentation of their character and material. This course focuses on the creation and delivery of organized discursive presentations for a public and oral venue. Prerequisite: HCOM 1333 or permission of instructor.

A basic course in the theory and practice of interpersonal communications with emphasis on intrapersonal concerns, development and maintenance of interpersonal relations through communication, and the practical skills necessary for interpersonal effectiveness.

Students will develop a foundation for voice work that focuses on freeing the instrument from tension as well as improving overall diction, articulation, tone, quality, and volume. By developing breath awareness and enhancing the responsiveness of the vocal resonating chambers, students will develop and strengthen their articulation, identify and address personal speech issues, and cultivate a free and expressive voice to address any audience. (Offered every year) (Also listed as THTR 2354.)

Conflict is an inevitable part of our daily lives, and occurs in multiple contexts. Many people view conflict as inherently destructive, yet this need not be the case. If handled correctly, conflict can serve as the basis for positive transformation and relational growth. This course will discuss how people can improve their communication skills to manage personal, professional, and social conflicts in a constructive manner.

This course examines the role of computer-mediated communication in social relationships. Students will gain practical and theoretical understanding of how communication technologies (e.g., email, social media, and mobile devices) are utilized to initiate, develop, maintain, and dissolve interpersonal and group communication. Additionally, students will gain knowledge regarding how traditional interpersonal communication concepts can be augmented to understand the increasingly mediated nature of social interaction. Such understanding will enable students to become more mindful regarding the positive and negative outcomes of using communication technology in such areas as constructing individual or multiple self-presentations, in managing interpersonal impressions and relations, in considering communication privacy, and in providing social support.

Examines approaches to the critical analysis of rhetorical discourse with emphasis on methodological issues as well as techniques for doing scholarly criticism.

This course provides an overview of quantitative research methods and statistical analysis. Students will learn the basic elements of social scientific inquiry, including: 1) quantitative research design and methodologies; and 2) statistical analysis and hypothesis testing procedures. Students will display their knowledge by applying quantitative research methods to help understand and predict social phenomena . (Also listed as COMM 3354.) (Offered every semester).

Studies the theory and practice of communication within organizations. Includes the fit of communication into organizational theory; communication climate and cultures; leadership and management styles; information networking; and the diagnosis and evaluation of communication problems. (Also listed as BUSN 3311.)

An introductory survey of the basic theories, research, and applications aimed at understanding and improving communication across racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural differences. It focuses on local, national, and global contexts with attention to the challenges created by identity, language, and nonverbal codes in achieving mutual understanding. (Also listed as COMM 3372.) (Offered every other year.) Prerequisite: COMM 1301

Independent study in selected areas in preparation for Honors Thesis. Prerequisite: Admission to Honors Program.

Gender is both personal and social. It is personal because it infiltrates our daily lives; it plays an important part in our identities, our relationships, the goals we set for ourselves, the things we value, and the ways we communicate. Gender is social in that it exists in and is created and sustained by social interactions, positions, and roles, as well as by cultural discourses and institutions. In this course, we will seek out the ways that gender is communicated and the ways communication is gendered.

Through extra- and co-curricular study, this course examines the philosophy, methods, and problems of teaching speech communication. Emphasis is given to the administration of high school forensic programs, including debate, oratory, extemporaneous speaking, and oral interpretation. Credit varies from 1 to 4 semester hours, depending on responsibilities and/or scope of the project. Course may be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours. Prerequisite: 12 hours of Human Communication or consent of instructor.

Independent work under faculty supervision. The nature of the project will be agreed upon by the student and participating faculty member prior to registration. Credit varies from 1 to 4 semester hours, depending on the scope of the project. Prerequisites: 15 hours in the discipline of Human Communication, documentation of ability to undertake study, consent of instructor.

A variable content seminar emphasizing selected topics in human communication theory, research, and/or application. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Maximum credit is nine credit hours.

Individual research and scholarly investigation under faculty supervision leading to the preparation of an Honors Thesis. To be taken only by senior Honors students in both semesters of their senior year.

Course focuses on specific responsibilities assigned by faculty and staff regarding University Theatre Productions. Included are performance, construction, running and operating crews, assistant stage management, and a weekly course meeting. May be repeated for four credit hours. Students working in University Theatre Productions who are neither drama majors nor minors are encouraged to enroll in THTR 1101 but are not required to do so.

A hands-on approach to the fundamentals of theatre including literature, acting, directing, and design. Intended as a survey, this course will provide an overview of theatre's numerous components, from the page to the stage, so that the beginning student may better understand the theatrical world.

A survey of dramatic literature in the western canon from Ancient Greeks to the contemporary era. Students will read and discuss a significant number and range of plays in their theatrical, social, and cultural contexts.

An introductory course that explores the fundamentals of costume construction, patterning and draping, textiles, and related crafts such as millinery and fabric painting and dyeing. May be taken instead of THTR 1320 as core credit toward the major.

This course teaches students to increase spontaneity and intuition. Students will practice generating scenes and creating hypothetical worlds without scripts or pre-planning. Using exercises drawn from theatre as well as from music, visual art, storytelling, writing, extemporaneous speaking, and dance, students will learn to develop the spontaneous aspects of creativity and to collaborate effectively with peers.

This class will provide acting students with a core of techniques from which to further develop their acting skills as individuals and as members of a theatrical ensemble. The course is suggested for students planning to major in Theatre. Open to all students by audition or permission of instructor. (Not available for P/F option.) Students may not receive credit for both THTR 1350 and 1352.

Studies of the source materials, stage and film adaptations, and integration of musical and dramatic elements that led to the development of the Broadway musical as an American tradition. (Also listed as MUSC-2301).

Experiential Design is a discussion and projects based course which studies the various interactive, immersive and experience based attractions that utilize theatre design as a basis. This includes theme parks, public art, museum exhibits, escape rooms, tradeshows and corporate events, and retail. Students will develop analytical and interpretive skills for devising environments that portray storylines to guests, customers, and audiences, while stressing research skills. We will also explore different methods of design presentation as a means to communicate one's visual interpretation of design ideas through sketching, collage making, Sketchup models and Photoshop. Basics tutorials for computer software will be given in class. Each student will be expected to develop basic creative communication and collaboration, research, sketching, collaging and presenting skills. Classes will be a combination of lectures, discussions, in class Studio work, and critiques. Through class presentations and discussions of their work, as well as evaluating choices made by the professional designers, students will develop skills for critical evaluation of their own work and that of others. Completion of THTR 2310 is recommended but not required. (Offered every Spring.)

An introductory course that explores the use of light as an artistic medium in theatrical productions. This overview course acquaints the students with the equipment, design elements, and conceptual processes employed in lighting design.

This course encourages students to synthesize a theoretical and experimental approach to the creative process as studied through the visual arts, music, creative writing, and theatre. Students enter into the creative process as a means to develop creative self-expression, aesthetic sensibility, and an understanding of the arts. The nature and drive of artistic endeavor is explored through studies of the lives of significant thinkers and artists, examinations of art works, guests lectures, and projects. Students will engage in activities and projects that will enable them to access and develop their own creative thinking skills in concert with traditional, analytic modes. (Also listed as ART 2314, GNED 2340, ENGL 2340, and MUSC 2340.)

Students will develop a foundation for voice work that focuses on freeing the instrument from tension as well as improving overall diction, articulation, tone, quality, and volume. By developing breath awareness and enhancing the responsiveness of the vocal resonating chambers, students will develop and strengthen their articulation, identify and address personal speech issues, and cultivate a free and expressive voice to address any audience. (Offered every year) (Also listed as HCOM 2313.)

A study of the evolution of western dress from the Greeks to the present, focusing on how, within each era, the social, political, and cultural environment shaped the fashions of rich and poor. In the course of the semester, students will learn how sex, politics, and self-expression have influenced dress throughout the ages.

Rooted in the discipline of theatre, this course explores the art of conceptualization, visualization, and creativity. Problem solving activities include the use of metaphor to communicate literature for live performance, the creation of sculptural installations for plays and poetry, and the management of scenic design projects. The course examines the various means necessary to communicate a design to a producer, director, or client (sketching, drafting, painter elevations, and model making). Prerequisite: ART 1310 or THTR 2310 or consent of instructor.

A study of color theory, scenic techniques, and painting styles introducing the student to the art of theatrical scene painting.

Provides the students with the opportunity to stage manage a university theatre production. Admission to course by consent of the Theatre Faculty and Staff.

This course explores the development of Western Theatre, covering Greek, Roman, medieval, Renaissance, and Enlightenment theatre and drama. Using historical and critical writings, dramatic texts, photography, and video resources, the course analyzes theatrical movements in their historical, aesthetic, and social context. (Offered every Spring.)

Study of trends in Greek and Roman dramatic literature, with attention to social, cultural, and political contexts. Topics will include the development of dramatic conventions and traditions of reception and performance. (Also listed as CLAS 3403.) Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor

Study of trends in dramatic literature from World War II through the present as manifested in the United States, Great Britain, Europe, and representative Third World Countries.

A study of the art of stage management, from the organizational paperwork to the running of a theatrical production. This course examines the necessary project management skills to communicate effectively with producers, directors, actors, designers, and technical staff. This class will identify and discuss the various responsibilities of theatrical stage managers and effective stage management techniques. Students will understand the working relationships with other theater professionals and unions, and learn proper stage management procedures for Trinity University Theater and other theater organizations.

Verse Drama offers the advanced student scene work in plays from Classical antiquity, Elizabethan drama, Seventeenth Century drama, and other verse dramas from various periods and styles. Exercises explore scansion, rhyme, and period movement. Prerequisites: THTR 1350 or THTR 1352 and THTR 2352

Students learn to use International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as an effective tool for identifying individual sounds of speech. This knowledge improves articulation, contributes to the development of good Standard American Speech, and provides the actor with an ability to play a range of performance roles. The course employs the use of visual and audio technology as well as phonetics to analyze, create, and perform stage dialects.

This course investigates and practices systematic methods for developing dramatic ideas and turning them into dramatic literature through readings, discussions, and exercises. Each student will, at the end of the semester, have written a one-act play.

Independent work under faculty supervision. The nature of the project will be agreed upon by the student and participating faculty member prior to registration. Credit may vary from 1 to 3 hours depending on the scope of the project. Maximum credit three hours. Prerequisites: 15 hours in Theatre, documentation of ability to undertake study, consent of instructor.

Independent study in selected areas in preparation for Honors Thesis. Prerequisite: Admission to Honors Program.

Provides the students with the opportunity to stage manage a university theatre production. Admission to course by consent of the Theatre Faculty and Staff.

Functioning as a peer mentor in introductory theatre courses students will examine the philosophy, methods, and challenges of teaching theatre arts under the direction of the theatre instructor for the course. Credit varies from 1 to 3 semester hours, depending on responsibilities and/or scope of the project. Course may be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours. Prerequisite: 15 hours of Theatre or consent of instructor.

An in-depth study of select design topics. May be repeated once when subject varies. Maximum credit is six semester-credit hours.

Theatre majors with senior standing will create a portfolio of Theatre coursework and production experiences, research career opportunities for the potential application of this portfolio, and present this synthesis to the Theatre faculty, staff, and students. Applicable guidelines are available from Theatre advisors. Prerequisite: Senior status

Individual research and scholarly investigation under faculty supervision leading to the preparation of an Honors Thesis. To be taken only by senior Honors students in both semesters of their senior year.