The requirements for the B.A. degree in Drama are designed to integrate the critical and historical study of drama with the study and experience of performance. A total of 60 units are required to obtain a B.A. degree in Drama. The major provides aesthetic and critical opportunities for students to develop special aptitudes. Students are encouraged to declare a major in their sophomore year.
To view this year's course listing, visit the Stanford Explore Courses website and search "Drama."
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Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
Undergraduate Honors Program
Application Information/Fine Arts Submissions
For a printable PDF document detailing degree requirements, click here.
Required Courses
60 units total for the major
A course may be listed in more than one area; however, each course can only satisfy one major requirement. There is no double credit for a course. Additionally, you can petition to the department Undergraduate Advisor to have additional courses offered by the department count towards requirements in areas 2, 3, and 4. All introductory courses are required with no exceptions.
1. Introductory Core Courses—14 units (all required):
DRAMA 30. How Theater is Designed (4 units)
DRAMA 34. Stage Management Techniques (2 units)
DRAMA 101H. How Theater Thinks (4 units)
DRAMA 101P. How Practice Practices (4 units)
2. Theatrical Literature/History—14 units
Any courses between DRAMA 150-169
3. Theatrical Performance Courses: Acting, Directing, and Playwriting—8 units
Any course with the subject code DANCE
Acting courses between DRAMA 20-29, 120-129, 210
Drama 110. Identity, Diversity, and Aesthetics: The Institute for Diversity in the Arts (IDA)
Playwriting and Dramaturgy courses between DRAMA 70-79
Directing, Playwriting and Dramaturgy courses between Drama 170-179
4. Theatrical Production—12 units
DRAMA 134. Stage Management Project (4 units)
DRAMA 39. Theater Crew (3 units)
Choose any course below to fulfill the remaining requirements:
Design, Stage Management and Production. DRAMA 31-38, 131-133, 135-139
5. Senior Project—2 units
DRAMA 200. Senior Project
Work for this project normally begins in Spring Quarter of the junior year and is completed by the end of the senior year. The student has the option of writing an essay associated with the project. Students receive credit for senior projects through DRAMA 200 or DRAMA 205. Students pursuing senior projects should consult with both the undergraduate adviser and a faculty adviser in the project's specialty area early in the junior year. Students must petition for approval of senior projects through the department's undergraduate adviser. Projects are typically approved by department faculty at the end of Spring Quarter of the junior year or the end of Autumn Quarter of the senior year. The proposal should include an outline of the courses the student has taken and grades received in the area requirements, and should describe the courses in which the student plans to enroll as part of the project. It should describe in detail the purpose and methods involved in the project; a bibliography, if appropriate; and a 1-2 page abstract of the associated essay if an essay is part of the project.
6. Electives—10 units
Any courses in Drama or Dance
For more specific information on the B.A. degree, visit the Drama section of the current Stanford Bulletin.
For a printable PDF document with details on the Honors program, click here.
For a limited number of students, the department confers the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors in Drama. To be considered for departmental honors, students must meet the following requirements in addition to the other requirements of the Drama major:
1) Application involves a written submission (including transcript) establishing the student's work-to-date in the department and outlining the area of research that the student wishes to pursue. No students are admitted to the honors program with a grade below 'B-' in any course that constitutes part of their Drama major.
2) Students must complete the Drama core requirements by the end of their junior year, earlier if possible. Only in exceptional circumstances can this requirement be waived. Transfer from another university, extended overseas study, or temporary withdrawal from the major due to illness might constitute extenuating circumstances.
3) Students must have completed half of the courses in their specialization by the end of their junior year.
4) Students must complete 4 units in the Honors Colloquia (described below), beginning Spring Quarter of their junior year and continuing the following three regular quarters. Each quarter's colloquium is offered for 1 unit, S/NC. In extenuating circumstances (overseas study, for example), an honors program student may substitute other equivalent work for one quarter of the colloquium, with the approval of the honors adviser.
5) GPA in courses counting towards the major must be 3.5 by the time of graduation.
6) By the end of the seventh week of the quarter in which they plan to graduate, students in the honors program must submit an honors thesis (described below), to be read and evaluated by their thesis committee.
7) On the basis of a student's work in the Drama core, in the area of specialization, on the senior project, in the honors colloquia, and on the honors thesis, the faculty determines and confers honors on graduating students who have successfully completed the honors program.
8) Failure to meet any of these requirements, or to make satisfactory progress on the honors thesis, leads to dismissal from the honors program.
Honors Colloquia and Thesis
The honors colloquia aim to engage honors program students in important issues in the field focusing on the students' areas of specialization and research. The honors program adviser convenes the colloquia three times per quarter and sets the agenda for meetings and discussion. Students discuss their work in the department and present and discuss their research for their honors thesis. Student must enroll in DRAMA 202. Honors Thesis. The honors thesis typically consists of a long essay (40-60 pages) presenting the student's research on an important issue or subject, determined by the student. The honors program adviser, the senior project adviser, and another faculty member constitute the student's honors thesis committee. They read and evaluate the thesis, and make recommendations to the faculty at large regarding its strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, students have the option of using their own senior project as a case study. In these situations, the honors thesis will critically analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the creative work. Generally, these essays tend to be shorter (about 20-25 pages) because the creative work constitutes one-half of the honors project.
Application Information/Fine Arts Submissions
Part of the undergraduate application includes an optional Arts Supplement submission. Students with extraordinary talent in the fine or performing arts who intend to participate and/or study in one of the arts areas even if not majoring in the arts may submit supplementary materials for review. Such applicants are expected to have previously received significant recognition for their talent, usually at the regional, state, national or international level. Please note that an Arts submission is only a supplement to the application process. Its submission neither guarantees nor commits a student to participation in the arts at Stanford if admitted, nor does non-submission preclude such participation.
The Department of Drama does not admit students directly to its program; all undergraduate applications are handled centrally by the university. Students interested in applying for undergraduate admission should visit the Undergraduate Admissions webpage at www.admissions.stanford.edu for more information. In order to have your Arts Supplement considered in the review of your application, you must submit the Common Application, the Stanford Supplement to the Common Application, the Common Application Arts Supplement and all supplementary arts materials (Instructor Letter of Recommendation, Arts Resume, and the Arts submission) by the Arts Supplement deadline (October 15 for Restrictive Early Action, December 1 for Regular Decision, and March 15 for Transfer). If you are requesting a live audition, be sure to indicate “Live Audition” on the Common Application Arts Supplement form and contact our department to schedule the live audition. Please review detailed instructions and deadlines for the Arts Supplement here.
The Drama Department offers live auditions/interviews at the department. (Though we encourage personal visits, we realize this is not always possible for students. If students cannot audition on campus, a DVD may substitute for a live audition.)
Audition dates are as follows:
Restrictive Early Acting (REA):
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 1pm-3pm
Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 10am-12pm noon
Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 1pm-3pm
Regular Decision (RD):
Friday, November 20, 2009 at 1pm-3pm
Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 10am-12pm noon
Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 1pm-3pm
For more information, please email our student services officer. If these dates are not possible for you, please send in a DVD in place of a live audition.
- All students should bring a resume of their theater experience.
- Designers should bring examples of their work in a portfolio and be prepared to discuss them.
- Students interested in directing should be prepared to discuss their approach to a particular play and ideas for production.
- Actors should prepare two selections, each under two minutes long.
- One should be from a contemporary play with a character close in age to you;
- The other should be classical, such as a Shakespearean monologue.
- In addition, students may prepare a song, although there will be no accompanist provided; you may bring a tape or CD along, or sing a cappella.
Please note that an Arts Supplement is only a supplement to the application process. A submission can never hurt your chances of acceptance to the university but does not guarantee admission. Stanford is interested in admitting interesting, well-rounded people of all kinds, so if Admissions is weighing two very similar applications, an Arts submission adds extra weight in your favor.