Disciplines and areas of study
Theatre and drama
Program Coordinator: Mr Geoffrey Milne.
The Theatre and Drama Program offers two introductory first year units and a range of second- and third year units.
Theatre and drama units include a variety of disciplinary approaches, some of which are theatre theory, performance, theatre history, dramatic literature, genre studies, public speaking and criticism. There is some opportunity for performance making and theatre production.
While the program’s offerings are not intended as theatre arts training, many of its units include a substantial component of practical work.
Play going is an important part of all drama units and reviews of performances seen are part of the required written work. Intending students should note that some additional expenditure is required for some four to five stipulated performances during the year.
Block bookings are sometimes arranged and accordingly prices are as low as possible. Further information about all aspects of theatre and drama units is available in theatre and drama course brochures obtainable from the program office.
Selection of students into the first year drama unit DRA1PBP
There is a quota on enrolments in the first year drama unit DRA1PBP with three basic criteria for selection. These are academic competence, proven interest in and/or aptitude for theatre studies and commitment to the unit. Students are asked to complete a questionnaire at the time of enrolment. Final selection is based on tertiary entrance rank, the questionnaire and a short interview. Applicants will be informed of their status as soon as possible after selection is completed. Unsuccessful applicants must formally vary their enrolment to delete the unit.
Although there is no quota on the other first year drama unit, students are asked to speak to a member of the drama staff to sign up for their seminar sessions.
Quotas in later year units
All enrolments are subject to quota. Unless otherwise stated in the unit descriptions, quota places are determined in consultation with students in late October each year, with preference being given to students completing their degrees in the year of enrolment.
Presentations
In DRA1PBP Process Based Performance and several other units, students are required to prepare, in small groups, selected scenes from plays or group-devised scripts for performance to, and subsequent discussion with, other students taking the unit. These non-public performances are called presentations and students can contribute to them in non-performing capacities if they wish, but the presentations are a required part of the class work. Owing to timetabling difficulties, it is normally necessary for students to attend on one or more evenings or weekend days during the semester for the presentations. Precise information will be given at the beginning of each unit.
Assessment
Assessment in drama maintains a balance between the reflective and practical aspects of the discipline. In all drama units, students must pass the written work component in order to pass the unit.
The balance between a range of assessment tasks varies from one unit to another. In seminar/workshop units written tasks will normally occupy a greater proportion of the assessment tasks than workshop presentations and exercises, while in production and performance units this is reversed.
Attendance at workshops and seminars is obligatory. Repeated absences without acceptable reasons will result in failure. There is always provision for special consideration and for consultation over the assessment of individual students.
Programs of study
Students who wish to satisfy the requirements for the degree with a major in drama must complete 130 credit points, with at least 60 credit points at third year level, as follows: DRA1TKP (15 credit points) and DRA1PBP (15 credit points) or approved equivalent, plus a minimum of 100 credit points from second/third year drama units. Students majoring in theatre and drama will normally need to take a combination of reflective academic and practical units.
| Teaching period | Unit title | Unit code | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First year units (15 credit points) | |||
| TE-SEM-1 | Theatre Knowledges and Practice | DRA1TKP | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Process Based Performance | DRA1PBP | |
| Teaching period | Second year unit (20 credit points) | Unit code | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Performance Making | DRA2PEM | |
| Teaching period | Second or third year units (20 credit points) | Unit code | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Australian Drama from 1955 to the Present Day | DRA2AUD/DRA3AUD | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Modern Drama and Acting Identity | DRA2MOA/DRA3MOA | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Persuasion and Public Speech | DRA2PPS/DRA3PPS | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Theatre Production1 | DRA2TPR/DRA3TPR | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Theatre Spaces and Stages: architecture, production and community | DRA2TSS/DRA3TSS | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Intercultural Performance1 | DRA2IPF/DRA3IPF | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Shakespeare in Performance | DRA2SIP/DRA3SIP | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Theatre and Theory1 | DRA2TAT/DRA3TAT | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Writing, Internet, Performance | DRA2WIP/DRA3WIP | |
| Teaching period | Third year units (20 credit points) | Unit code | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Performance Making | DRA3APM | |
| TE-SEM-2 | Drama Project: group production or individual research | DRA3PRO | |
- Key: 1 Not available in 2008.
Honours
Students are admitted into the honours program based on the completion of requirements for a major in Theatre and Drama. There are two options in the honours program:
- (a) two coursework units and a dissertation of 12000 to 15000 words, and
- (b) two coursework units and a studio performance/dissertation of 8000 words.
Interested students are encouraged to consult the coordinator. A pamphlet offering a detailed description of the honours course is available from the program office.
A full description of these units (including the unit name, unit code, credit points, campus/location, unit coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites and readings) appears below. For the most recent descriptions of all units, please access the unit database at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.