There are multiple paths towards fulfilling the senior requirement in TDPS.
THST 491 - Curricular productions: Combining creative and critical strategies, seniors engage in a sustained, in-depth inquiry over one semester or year. They may choose to work on a production as an actor, director, designer, dramaturg, or choreographer. The Senior Project in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies gives students an opportunity to engage with theater, dance, media, and performance studies as interdisciplinary research methods. Seniors pursuing these types of projects enroll in one semester of Senior Project in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies (THST 491a/b) and write a substantial research paper emerging from their work on the production.
THST 492 - Seniors can also do more research-based work fulfilling the Senior Requirement. Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies Majors may pursue thesis projects in three broad areas: 1) Literature, History, Theory, and Criticism; 2) Writing for Performance-based Art and Media; and 3) Performance Research, Analysis, and Design. Examples of this kind include writing a full-length play, a thesis-length research paper, and participation in an Extra-Curricular Project in association with TDPS to fulfill the Senior Project requirement. These students will take THST 492 a/b.
Production Seminars: When offered, students may take a production seminar and count it towards their thesis. The grade that is received in this kind of curricular production goes towards fulfilling the senior thesis. Additionally, a senior requirement can be fulfilled via senior seminars.
*A faculty member advises all written and performance-based work.