Humanities
If you're seeking a liberal education, you may wish to investigate a variety of disciplines in the humanities, without majoring exclusively in any one of these disciplines. The interdisciplinary major in humanities provides broad exposure to these various disciplines. The humanities include the following disciplines: art, biblical and theological studies, English, Spanish, history, music, philosophy, theatre and speech. Courses that do not count toward a department’s major cannot count toward the humanities major.
Humanities department homepage
Major requirements
Primary humanities discipline: 27-28
Choose 27-28 credits from one primary discipline; courses must be selected from the following list.
Secondary humanities discipline: 12
Choose 12 credits from one secondary discipline; courses must be selected from the following list.
Electives: 12
Choose 12 credits in humanities from courses other than your chosen primary or secondary discipline; courses must be selected from the following list.
Total credits required: 51-52
Art as primary discipline
ART 120AE - Art History Survey, Prehistoric Through Medieval
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) (NWCore option under Aesthetic Experience) This course provides a survey of art from the Prehistoric through Medieval periods. Students will study the development of artists and artistic styles by examining key visual works and pertinent social, political, and philosophical ideas and events. Through written responses, discussions, and projects, students will explore the impact of art from this time period, and learn how to articulate thoughts
clearly and tactfully.
ART 122 - Art History Survey, Renaissance Through Early 20th Century
No course description available.
ART 206 - Drawing
(4 credits) Drawing will emphasize learning how to perceive the three- dimensional world and render it on paper using the most simple and direct drawing media. Drawing will form the foundation of work in other media. Design fundamentals will be a significant part of the course.
Note: Class critiques are used to learn formal vocabulary, find content in drawings and understand fine art. A fee is associated with this course.
ART 215 - Ceramics
(4 credits) The art of working with clay and other ceramic materials. Emphasis will be upon learning the fundamentals of three-dimensional design and achieving an understanding of clay as a unique art form. Techniques include hand-building sculptural and functional forms, and learning the basics of throwing on the wheel and glazing.
Note: A fee is associated with this course.
ART 217 - Sculpture
No course description available.
ART 244 - Painting
(4 credits) Introduces students to the techniques of oil, acrylic and water color painting. Students will learn to understand compositional form and color relationships. Historical examples of painting are examined and different methods of painting are demonstrated. Class critiques are used to learn formal vocabulary and achieve an understanding of subject style and content in painting.
Note: A fee is associated with this course.
ART 342 - Printmaking
(4 credits) This course will provide an introduction to the foundational printmaking techniques of: intaglio, lithography, relief, and monotype. Demonstrations and individual assistance will help you gain technical proficiency, while in-class discussions and critiques will help you cultivate unique visual ideas. Reading assignments and responsive essays will allow you to consider questions inherent in printmaking and hone your ability to put visual phenomena into words.
Note: A fee is associated with this course.
Total credits required: 28
English as primary discipline
English electives 8
Choose one course: 4
ENG 225 - Literature of the Developing World
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) To paraphrase Salman Rushdie, the Empire has written back. The last half of the 20th century has produced a number of literary texts written in English by authors from the recently independent nations of the Old British Empire. These texts have proved so rich in both literary value and cultural context that their authors, Wole Soyinka, Derek Walcott, Chinua Achebe, and Rushdie himself, have won the most prestigious literary prizes available. We will be reading and appreciating these books, both as ripping good yarns, and as significant cultural documents that teach us much of how members of other societies think, feel, and act. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.
ENG 238AE - Literature and Film
(4 credits) (NWCore option under Aesthetic Experience) Literature and film is an introduction to the art of adaptation. Although we are frequent viewers of film, we are not always good readers and interpreters of visual texts. We will read original literary texts and view adaptations. Through class discussion, writing, and practice students will learn the visual language of film and understand the nature of adaptation.
ENG 350 - Reading and Writing Short Fiction
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) Students will explore the nature and design of fiction by studying and
analyzing a range of short fictional genres, learning to read fiction the way its writers read it, and participating in a fiction writing workshop. Attention will be given to purposes of language, to relationships between reading and writing, and to narrative as a mode of thinking and an expression of culture. Prerequisite: ENG292 or permission of instructor.
ENG 352 - Reading and Writing Poetry
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) Students will actively explore the nature and design of poetry by studying a range of poetic genres and styles, learning to read poetry as writers do, and writing poetry in a writing workshop. Attention will be given to the purposes of language, to relationships between reading and writing, and to poetry as a mode of thinking and an expression of culture. Prerequisite: ENG292 or permission of instructor.
Choose one course: 4
ENG 346 - American Literature I
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) A study of prose and poetry in the United States from America's beginnings through the end of the Civil War. The course will focus on the works of Colonial and Romantic writers and the literatures of Native and African Americans. Special attention will be given to defining the qualities and concerns that make this literature distinctively "American." Prerequisite: ENG250LC.
ENG 347 - American Literature II
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) A study of prose and poetry in the United States from the Civil War until the present. The course will study works by realists (including regionalists) and modernists, as well as contemporary writers. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.
ENG 385 - Literature of Place
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) Some writers are especially interested in the ways people transform places and the ways places influence people. The elements of a place--the mountain ranges, shopping malls, grasslands, forests, migratory patterns of animals, rush of automobiles, or the portals of cyber-places-- shape the imagination. This course examines significant literary works, especially non-fiction, that explore the relationship between persons and places. In particular, we will examine the tension between the writer's need to construct definitions of "home places" and how the places themselves respond to human "home making." Prerequisite: ENG250LC
ENG 386 - The Other America
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) America is home to a variety of peoples and literatures; this course focuses on the development of literatures produced by those outside the Anglo-European tradition whose experiences tell a different story about America. The goal of the course is to enrich students' views of the content of American Literature and to familiarize them with a culture or cultures with which they may not be conversant. The course may be taught as African American, Native American, Asian American, or Hispanic American literature. Alternatively, the instructor may choose to focus on literatures in contact and conflict with one another, for example, the turbulent confluence of Native American, Anglo, and Hispanic Literatures of Nueva España. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.
Note: See the instructor for the specific offering before enrolling. This course may be taken more than once, provided a different literature is studied.
Choose one course: 4
ENG 375 - Early British Literature
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) A journey through ten centuries of British literature, from the Middle Ages
through the Renaissance, culminating in the great Christian epic, Milton's Paradise Lost. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.
ENG 378 - English Nineteenth-Century Literature
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) The industrial revolution resulted in an urbanized, more literate population. Writers of the time sought to reach a popular audience in a way unparalleled in English literary history. We shall read Austen, Wordsworth, Dickens, Eliot and their contemporaries, examining what they thought of and had to say to the common people of their day. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.
ENG 379 - English Twentieth-Century Literature
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) England was largely depopulated of young men and nearly reduced to rubble by two world wars. The nation that arose, stripped of its empire, has continued to be a literary center. We shall read Shaw, Yeats, Eliot, Heaney and others, examining how they have analyzed and expressed the modern human condition. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.
Choose one course: 4
ENG 401 - History and Theory of Rhetoric
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) Designed to provide solid grounding in Greek and Roman rhetorical theory and practice including studies in pre-literate rhetoric and the theories of Aristotle and Plato, among others. Some attention is also given to the Christianizing of rhetorical theory during the Middle Ages. Finally, the course concludes with the examination of trends in contemporary rhetoric studies and topical applications. Prerequisite: junior class standing, ENG235 recommended.
ENG 480 - Special Topics in Literature and Culture*
(4 credits, non-yearly, consult department) In this seminar we analyze interpretive problems in literature and their relation to cultural theories and conditions. Particular attention is given to questions germane to Christian experience and thought.
Note: Specific subject matter will vary from year to year and might include such topics as a literary period, a national literature, a specific author, or literary genre. This course may be taken more than once provided a different topic is studied.
Choose four credits: 4
ENG 380 - Special Topics in Writing
(2-4 credits) Specific subject matter of this course will vary from semester to semester, but will always focus on an issue in composition studies or a genre of writing. Courses will include both readings and student writing within the genre and will be designed to welcome both majors and non-majors. Prerequisite: ENG290WI or ENG292 or permisson of the instructor.
Note: The course may be taken more than once as long as the topic of study is different, and will count toward the advanced writing course general education requirement.
ENG 387 - Special Topics in Rhetoric
(2-4 credits, non-yearly, consult department) Specific subject matter of this course will vary from semester to semester, but will always focus on an issue in rhetorical studies or a genre of writing. Courses with writing as their emphasis will include both readings and student writing within the genre.
Note: The course will be designed to welcome both majors and non-majors. The course may be taken more than once as long as the topic of study is different.
ENG 480 - Special Topics in Literature and Culture*
(4 credits, non-yearly, consult department) In this seminar we analyze interpretive problems in literature and their relation to cultural theories and conditions. Particular attention is given to questions germane to Christian experience and thought.
Note: Specific subject matter will vary from year to year and might include such topics as a literary period, a national literature, a specific author, or literary genre. This course may be taken more than once provided a different topic is studied.
Total credits required: 28
Note:
* This course has varying subject matter and may be taken twice; the humanities major with English as the primary discipline must take it at least once.
History as primary discipline
History electives 4
HIS 150 - Introduction to Historical Inquiry
(2 credits) (American history) An introduction to the principles and techniques involved in the study of history. This course will include both reflection and practice, consideration of ideas and actual application, through exercises drawing on primary and secondary materials.
HIS 365 - Seminar in American History
(4 credits) (American history) Building on the skills students developed in the Colloquium in American history, the Seminar in American history invites students to do the work of a historian. Seminars focus more deeply on some period or issue or question, and students will write a significant research paper related to the seminar topic that demonstrates advanced familiarity with the historiography and advanced skills at analyzing and using primary sources. Prerequisite: HIS206 or permission of instructor.
Note: This course may be taken more than once provided a different topic is studied.
HIS 375 - Seminar in European/World History
(4 credits) (European/world history) Building on the skills students developed in the Colloquium in European / World history, the Seminar in European/World history invites students to do the work of a historian. Seminars focus more deeply on some period or issue or question, and students will write a significant research paper related to the seminar topic that demonstrates advanced familiarity with the historiography and advanced skills at analyzing and using primary sources. Prerequisite: HIS203HP or HIS204HP or permission of instructor.
Note: This course may be taken more than once provided a different topic is studied.
HIS 435SR - Philosophy of History and Historiography
(4 credits) (European/world history) A study of problems relevant to history as a scientific and humanistic discipline. Among the questions considered are the following: What sorts of meaning have philosophers of history ascribed to the overall process of history? What approaches have historians taken to questions of objectivity, causation, and moral values in the study of history? How does philosophy of history relate to the Christian faith? Prerequisite: HIS120HP or a NWCore Belief and Reason (BR) course.
HIS 436 - The Research Seminar
(2 credits) (American or European/world history) The Research Seminar permits students to develop, research, write and defend a major essay of original historical research on a topic of their choice. This course is the culmination of their major and builds on training and writing completed in the earlier history courses. They will work closely with one member of the history department, but the others will contribute to their work by reading and commenting on drafts. The student will defend and discuss their thesis in a public setting. Prerequisite: HIS435.
Total credits required: 28
Music as primary discipline
Class or private instruction 2
Ensemble participation 2
Music electives 5
MUS 111 - Music Theory I
(2 credits) This course will teach the fundamentals necessary for performing, composing/arranging, teaching, directing, writing about, and recording/producing music. Related topics such as music history, performance practice and music technology are also explored and an in-depth study is made of the Christian perspective on music and music-making. Prerequisite for 111: MUS101 or passing score on diagnostic placement exam.
Note: Includes 1 1/2 hours of lab per week.
MUS 112 - Music Theory II
(2 credits) This course will teach the fundamentals necessary for performing, composing/arranging, teaching, directing, writing about, and recording/producing music. Related topics such as music history, performance practice and music technology are also explored and an in-depth study is made of the Christian perspective on music and music-making. Prerequisite for 111: MUS101 or passing score on diagnostic placement exam.
Note: Includes 1 1/2 hours of lab per week.
MUS 318WI - History of Music II
No course description available.
MUS 319 - History of Music III
No course description available.
Choose one course: 3-4
MUS 211 - Music Theory III
(4 credits) This course will teach the fundamentals necessary for performing, composing/arranging, teaching, directing, writing about, and recording/producing music. Related topics such as music history, performance practice and music technology are also explored and an in- depth study is made of the Christian perspective on music and music-making.
Note: Includes 1 1/2 hours of lab per week.
MUS 317 - History of Music I
No course description available.
Choose one course: 2
MUS 301 - Basic Conducting
(2 credits, alternate years, consult department) This course is designed to assist students in developing a basic conducting technique. Skills are taught which enable the student to direct vocal and instrumental groups. Included in the course are studies in transposition, clef reading and score preparation. Prerequisite: MUS112.
MUS 320CC - World Musics
(3 credits, alternate years, consult department) (NWCore option under Cross-Cultural Engagement) Music is an integral part of every culture. By studying the music of other cultures, including the way music relates to faith, power, societal structure, and daily life, students will be able to better understand, love, and treat people from other cultures with justice. This class will give students tools from the field of ethnomusicology to engage with the music of the world's people through listening, observing, researching and music-making.
*Choose one course: 1
MUS 133 - Piano Class Intermediate II
(1 credit) This class is designed for students with limited experience in piano. Beginning class is for the student with no piano background or very little prior instruction. Intermediate class is for the student who reads melodic lines and has some previous keyboard experience. Advanced class is for the student who has had a few years of keyboard instruction and wishes to broaden repertoire. Placement in appropriate level is by permission of instructor.
Note: May be repeated.
MUS 251 - Piano Lessons
(1-2 credits) Private instruction. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
Note: Lessons are 30 minutes in length. Lessons are offered every term and may be repeated. MUS252, Lead Sheet Piano does not count toward class or private instruction in piano requirement for majors or minors. An advanced student may elect to take an hour lesson each week in his/her major area of performance. Practice and repertoire requirements are doubled.
Total credits required: 27-28
Note:
*Students with a piano emphasis must substitute 1 credit of class or private lessons in a secondary area.
Philosophy as primary discipline
Philosophy electives 20
PHI 214BR - Contemporary Moral Issues
(4 credits) (NWCore option under Belief and Reason) A philosophical exploration of contemporary moral issues. Possible topics include self-defense, war, terrorism, capital punishment, suicide, euthanasia, global poverty, factory farming and experimenting on animals, abortion, and others.
HIS 226BR - Great Philosophers
No course description available.
Total credits required: 28
Note:
Majors are required to take at least 8 credits of 300-level (and above) in elective courses.
Religion as primary discipline
Take any combination of BTS courses (excluding BTS150 and BTS250) to equal 28 credits. Up to eight credits of GRE and HEB may be taken.
BTS 260 - Christian Ethics
(2 credits, offered at the discretion of the department, consult department) A biblically based, theologically and historically informed study of both personal and social moral issues from a Christian perspective.
BTS 280 - Topics in the History of Christianity
(4 credits) A survey of the development of Christianity from the apostolic period to the contemporary world. Themes examined will include the separation of Church and Synagogue, Christianity in the Roman Empire, ecumenical councils,
missionary expansion of the church in Europe and Asia, monasticism, the church in the High Middle Ages, the Protestant and Catholic Reformations, Confessionalism and the Wars of Religion, Puritanism, Pietism, The Enlightenment, Christianity and European Colonialism, Revivalism, Modernism and Evangelicalism, modern missionary expansion, the ecumenical movement, and Christianity as a global religion.
BTS 290 - Mission and Justice
(4 credits) A general overview of the biblical-theological foundations and historical context of whole Christian mission, with special emphasis upon modern cross-cultural mission theories, international and community development, and the theory and practice of restorative justice. Prerequisite: BTS250 or permission of instructor.
BTS 295 - Intercultural Communication
(2 credits) Christian ministry and mission is essentially an ongoing process of interacting effectively with others in ways appropriate to one's message and global/local contexts. By providing a progressively integrated understanding of intercultural issues, this course will enable students to apply principles of communication through their particular vocation or ministry so that they connect theory with models and practice to appropriately communicate the Gospel message across cultures and micro-cultures.
BTS 310 - Christian Spirituality
(2 credits) A study of the meaning, purpose and practices of Christian spirituality as this has been understood in the Christian tradition. The course emphasizes the practice of spiritual disciplines and the relevance of spirituality in
our contemporary world. Prerequisite: BTS250.
BTS 317 - Topics in Old Testament Studies
(2 credits) A study of a single book or larger section of the Old Testament or a current area of critical inquiry concerning the Old Testament. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, the Pentateuch, the Historical Writings, the Prophets, and the Poetic and Wisdom books. Prerequisites: BTS150 and sophomore class standing.
Note: May be taken more than once provided a different topic is studied.
BTS 322 - Topics in New Testament Studies
(2 credits) A study of a single book or larger section of the New Testament or a current area of critical inquiry concerning the New Testament. Possible topics include the Synoptic Gospels, the Book of Acts, the Johannine Literature, the Epistolary Literature, and the Apocalypse. Prerequisite: BTS150 and sophomore class standing.
Note: May be taken more than once provided a different topic is studied.
BTS 328WI - Biblical Interpretation and Theology
(4 credits) (Writing intensive) An examination of the past and present methods and proposals for Biblical Interpretation and Biblical Theology. The course will analyze and critique various models for hermeneutics and theological interpretation and also assist students in constructing exegetical methods that are biblically based, theologically informed and culturally relevant. In this Writing Intensive course for Religion and CE/YM majors, students will develop research and writing skills that will benefit them in a variety of vocational paths within the field of religion. Prerequisite: BTS150.
BTS 370 - Calvin and Calvinism
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) A study of John Calvin's INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, as well as a survey of other varieties of Reformed theology, including later Calvinism. Prerequisite: BTS250.
BTS 375 - Topics in Theology
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) A study of one or more standard areas of theology, (such as the doctrines of
Revelation, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, Humanity, Salvation, the Church, and Last Things) from a classical as well as a contemporary perspective. Prerequisites: BTS150 and BTS250.
Note: The course may be repeated for credit provided a different topic is studied.
BTS 382 - Religion in America
(4 credits) Focusing on the Christian tradition, this course will examine the individual, institutions, movements and faith traditions which have shaped and contributed to the American religious experience. To understand both the variety of and unity within the pluralist religious landscape, the course will seek to evaluate the interrelationship between religion and the broader social, cultural and political aspects of the American experience.
BTS 384 - Topics in the History of Christianity
(2 credits, offered on demand or discretion of department, consult department) A historical study of a religious group, theological movement or important leader in the history of the Christian church.
Note: This course may be repeated for credit provided a different topic is studied.
BTS 385 - Topics in Religion
(2-4 credits; alternate years, consult department) A study of an interdisciplinary area of religion, not sufficiently covered
by other courses, in response to student or faculty interests. Prerequisite: BTS250 or permission of instructor.
Note: This course may be repeated for credit provided a different topic is studied.
BTS 390CC - World Religions
(4 credits) (NWCore option under Cross-Cultural Engagement) The major religions of the world are examined in the light of the Christian faith. This course emphasizes the interaction of religion and culture with a view to cross-cultural understanding. In-depth research into a specific topic related to world religions is required.
BTS 392 - Topics in Mission and Justice
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) A topical and selective study of major missional themes, including justice
and development, permitting students to read and reflect intensively upon the nature and challenge of Christian mission. Topics may vary from year to year. Sample topics might include Reconciliation, The Finality of Christ in a Pluralistic World, Interfaith Dialogue, Contextualization, Postmodern Apologetics. A missional service learning component is required, consisting of at least 20 hours of student engagement in meeting an identified missional community need. Prerequisite: BTS290 or permission of instructor.
Note: This course may be repeated for credit provided a different topic is studied.
BTS 472SR - Bible, Theology and Vocation: Exploring Texts and Contexts
(4 credits) This disciplinary capstone course fulfills both the NWCore Senior Seminar (SR) requirement and a requirement for Religion and CE/YM majors. Building on the basic FYS questions (Who am I? Who are my neighbors? How will we live
in the world?), this course will explore the intersection of biblical theology with one's vocation in light of scripture and Christian theological reflection. Students will complete weekly writing assignments, participate in seminar leadership through presiding and lecturing, and complete a major final paper in which they reflect on their college curricular and
co-curricular experiences, engage biblical and theological texts in light of a variety of ancient and modern cultural contexts, and reflect on their faith development and sense of vocation. Prerequisites: BTS150, BTS250 and senior class standing. The course is open to students of other majors.
GRE 101 - Elementary Biblical Greek and Culture
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) This course will focus on learning the basics of koine Greek grammar and vocabulary as well as the cultural backgrounds of the New Testament writings. Readings and translation will focus on the Gospel and Letters of John. The New Testament writings will be examined in light of their social-historical and literary settings within Hellenistic Judaism and the broader Greco-Roman world.
Note: The Greek program is offered at Northwestern College primarily as preparation for those students who plan to continue their education through seminary training. The ancient Greek taught here prepares students for biblical study in that language.
GRE 102LA - Elementary Biblical Greek and Culture
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) (NWCore option under Language and Culture) This course (a continuation of Greek 101) will focus on learning the basics of koine Greek grammar and vocabulary as well as the cultural backgrounds of the New Testament writings. Readings and translation will focus on the Gospel and Letters of John. The New Testament writings will be examined in light of their social-historical and literary settings within Hellenistic Judaism and the broader Greco-Roman world. Prerequisite: GRE101.
Note: The Greek program is offered at Northwestern College primarily as preparation for those students who plan to continue their education through seminary training. The ancient Greek taught here prepares students for biblical study in that language.
GRE 201 - Intermediate Biblical Greek and Culture
(1 credit; alternate years, consult department) This course is designed to facilitate the acquisition and retention of Greek
grammatical, exegetical, and interpretive skills through the reading of ancient Greek texts. Primary focus will be on the Gospel of Mark and its context. Prerequisite: GRE102LA.
GRE 202 - Intermediate Biblical Greek and Culture
(1 credit; alternate years, consult department) This course is designed to facilitate the acquisition and retention of Greek grammatical, exegetical, and interpretive skills through the reading of ancient Greek texts. Primary focus will be on the Letters of Paul and selections from other Greco-Roman authors. Students will also be introduced to the sub-discipline of Textual Criticism. Prerequisite: GRE201
HEB 101 - Elementary Biblical Hebrew and Culture
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) This course will focus on learning the basics of biblical Hebrew (vocabulary and grammar) and the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the Old Testament. Readings from the different types of literature in the Hebrew Bible will be incorporated into the course work. The Old Testament writings will be studied against the historical and social backgrounds of the ancient Near East.
HEB 102LA - Elementary Biblical Hebrew and Culture
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) (NWCore option under Language and Culture) This course will build on the foundation laid in Hebrew 101 by equipping students to grasp the basics of biblical Hebrew grammar in light of its cultural and linguistic background. Readings from the different types of literature in the Hebrew Bible will be incorporated into the coursework as students develop confidence in speaking Hebrew and interpreting these writings. As a course that satisfies the NWCore Language and Culture requirement, students will also explore what it means to read biblical Hebrew with sensitivity toward scholarship, culture, and faith. Prerequisite: HEB101.
Total credits required: 28
Spanish as primary discipline
Literature courses numbered 300 or above 6
Electives: courses numbered 202 or above, taught in Spanish 21
Total credits required: 27
Note:
A maximum of 18 credits may be from approved study-abroad programs, in language, culture, literature or other humanities courses, numbered 202 or above and taught in Spanish.
Theatre and speech as primary discipline
THE 112 - Performance Studies
No course description available.
THE 215 - Acting 1: Introduction to Acting
(4 credits) A practical approach to the basics of the acting craft, and the development of an individual artistic process.
THE 312 - Directing
(4 credits) Beginning directors review the guiding principles of theatrical art and then apply these to script selection, development of a prompt script, and the complete rehearsal process. Each student prepares a short play for public performance. Prerequisites: THE215 or permission of instructor.
THE 406 - Topics in Dramatic Literature
(2 credits) Specific subject matter of this course will vary from semester to semester, but will focus on the study of dramatic literature from one genre or one playwright or one geographical area or one theme/value. Prerequisite: THE110AE.
Note: The course will be designed to welcome both majors and non- majors. The course may be taken more than once as long as the topic of study is different.
Choose 4 credits: 4
THE 343WI - History and Theory I
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department ) (Writing intensive) A study of the development of the history and theory of theatre from its origins through the neoclassical period.
THE 344WI - History and Theory II
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) (Writing intensive) A study of the development of the history and theory of the theatre from the English Restoration through the postmodern era.
Choose 8 credits: 8
ENG 280 - Shakespeare
(4 credits, alternate years) William Shakespeare never attended college, yet he saw the world sharply in his mind's eye. He wrote piercingly about kings and college students, warriors and witches, goblins and gravediggers, his 1,000 characters have never been off the stage in 400 years. In this course we read eight plays which fathom the range of human experience and take the English language to the height of expressive beauty. Prerequisite: ENG250LC
THE 114 - Stagecraft
(2 credits) A practical course which introduces students to the organization, skills and materials necessary for mounting a stage production.
THE 133 - Ballet
(1 credit) A study of the form and techniques of ballet.
Note: Dance courses may be repeated up to a maximum of 4 credits.
THE 135 - Jazz Dance
(1 credit) A study of the form and techniques of jazz dance. Emphasis will be on the integration of modern musical performance.
Note: Dance courses may be repeated up to a maximum of 4 credits.
THE 206 - Playwriting: The One-Act
(2 credits; alternate years, consult department) A workshop approach to the study of dramatic structure culminating in the writing of a one-act play. Prerequisite: THE110AE.
THE 226 - Scene Design
(2 credits, alternate years, consult department) An introduction to the concepts, tools and skills of scenic design for the theatre. Emphasis is placed on practical hands-on experiences reinforcing previously learned design principles.
THE 227 - Lighting Design
(2 credits, alternate years, consult department) An introduction to the basic skills, technology and artistic principles of stage lighting design.
THE 230 - Costume Design
(2 credits, alternate years, consult department) A study of methods and approaches to costume design for the theatre.
THE 260 - Drama Ministries Ensemble
(1/2 credit) A performance group emphasizing preparation of scripts for presentation in worship services and worship-related settings.
Note: Members are chosen by audition. Course may be repeated.
THE 305 - Story and Worship
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) Christian worship, at its core, is remembering the story of God. This includes biblical stories, personal narratives, the Liturgical Year, church history (global and local), and the story journey of each worship service. This course asks why the church must tell its stories and provides specific tools for including stories within worship. This course is not primarily focused on storytelling as drama, but the role of the dramatic arts will not be overlooked. Students will be invited to seriously consider that the ancient Hebrew people had a dramatic anthology, and the class will examine together practical tools for restaging those biblical works for contemporary culture.
THE 315 - Acting: Scene Work
No course description available.
THE 407 - Playwriting: The Full-Length
(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) This continuation of the study of playwriting focuses on the challenges of the long form. The course includes the processes of writing according to classic structural principles, rewriting, formatting and submitting plays for publication. Prerequisite: THE206 or permission of instructor.
THE 465 - Selected Topics in Theatre and Speech
(2-4 credits, alternate years, consult department) This course will focus on various issues of theatre and speech that are not covered in current course offerings. Possible topics might include: auditioning, stage management, musical theatre, contemporary theatre since 1967, specific genres (comedy, tragedy, theatre of the absurd, Greek, etc.), theatre as social criticism, ethnic theatre, theatre as historical documentary.
Note: May be taken more than once, provided a different topic is studied.
