Download Objectives and Outcomes for Professional Degree: BFA

Objectives and Outcomes for Professional Degree: BFA-Acting
Students’ individual transcripts serve as evidence of the following competencies. Students must complete
each required course in the BFA-Acting curriculum with a grade of B- or better, and maintain an overall
GPA of 2.75, which will demonstrate sufficient mastery of the craft of acting for immediate entry into the
profession (theatre/film/television) and/or graduate study.
Data is analyzed through review of individual student grades in each course and annual juries.
Standards for Professional Baccalaureate Degree in Acting - BFA
Per the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST – accrediting body): “Students enrolled in
professional undergraduate degrees in theatre are expected to develop the knowledge, skills, concepts, and
sensitivities essential to the life of the theatre professional. In any of many possible roles, the theatre
professional must exhibit not only technical competence, but also broad knowledge of theatre, sensitivity
to artistic style, and an insight into the role of theatre in the life of humankind.”
Acting requires mastery of an extremely diverse skill set. Actors must juggle the skills of performance,
direction, movement, voice, and an academic’s awareness of literature, criticism, and history in order to
create a believable character. To effectively engage with the theatrical ensemble actors must also have an
acute awareness of and respect for all aspects of production, enabling them to effectively engage with and
enhance the contributions of the technical and design team. Thus the actor must integrate (juggle)
disparate skills at all levels of rehearsal and performance.
Actors are evaluated on their ability to seamlessly integrate the skills presented by their discrete and
combined curriculum. Mastery signifies an integrated/holistic process, i.e. the work does not show, the
result is believable because it is logical and skillful. Levels of acceptable skill competency toward the
BFA Acting degree are:


Integrated – Grade of A, 90%-100% of total points possible earned.
United – Grade of B, 80%-89% of total points possible earned.
Unacceptable levels of skill competency toward the BFA Acting degree are:


Combined – Grade of C, 70%-79% of total point possible earned.
Disintigrated – Grade of D or lower, 0%-69% of total point possible earned.
Unacceptable progress in one or more courses during a semester will result in a warning and probation.
Continued lack of acceptable progress will result in dismissal from the course of study.
Learning objectives are achieved via readings of dramatic literature, criticism, history, scene and
monologue assignments, improvisations, and specific skills exercises. Evaluation is based on written and
oral examination, written evidence of research and role preparation, and performance assignments.
I.
Core knowledge and skills:
Integrated
Script Analysis:
Demonstrates mastery in
application of Aristotelian
literary analysis methods
and basic analysis of Given
Circumstances allowing for
believable character
creation.
Professional Standards:
Demonstrates mastery of
professional standards of
rehearsal and performance:
preparation,
creativity/freedom,
commitment to ensemble,
flexibility of process.
Stagecraft: Demonstrates
mastery when manipulating
basic stage equipment and
basic practices in set
construction, rigging,
welding, props and stage
crafts.
Costume Construction &
Technology: Demonstrates
mastery of basic practices
of sewing, pattern drafting,
manipulating various
fabrics, and fabricating
costume crafts.
Stage Makeup:
Demonstrates mastery of
one-dimensional and threedimensional illusional
makeup work, focusing on
knowledge and skills in
“corrective” aging and
period makeup, and
introductory level
competencies related to
hair, hands, and prosthetics.
Theatre History I:
demonstrates mastery of the
history of global
performance traditions and
dramatic literature from
theatrical origins through
the nineteenth century:
Greek, Roman, Medieval,
Renaissance, Restoration,
Neoclassical, 18th & 19th
United
Demonstrates developing
competence…
Combined
Demonstrates emerging
competence…
Disintegrated
Does not demonstrate
competence…
Demonstrates developing
competence…
Demonstrates emerging
competence…
Does not demonstrate
competence…
Demonstrates developing
competence…
Demonstrates emerging
competence…
Does not demonstrate
competence…
Demonstrates developing
competence…
Demonstrates emerging
competence…
Does not demonstrate
competence…
Demonstrates developing
competence…
Demonstrates emerging
competence…
Does not demonstrate
competence…
Demonstrates developing
competence with the
history…
Demonstrates emerging
competence with the
history…
Does not demonstrate
competence with the
history…
Integrated
Century European and
American.
Theatre History II:
demonstrates mastery of the
history of global
performance traditions and
dramatic literature from the
turn of the twentieth
century to the present:
Modern European (late 19th
Century);
European/American pre1945, European/American
post-war,
European/American post
1956, 21st Century.
Literature-Shakespeare:
demonstrates mastery of the
basic elements of
Shakespeare as literature:
tragedy, comedy, history,
classical structure, verse,
prose, scansion.
Literature-Contemporary
Theatrical Literature:
demonstrates mastery of the
history and theory of
Western theatrical literature
and practices since the
1980s.
Literature/History- Musical
Theatre: demonstrates
masterful awareness of the
origins of musical theatre
forms from their origins
through the 1960s.
II.
United
Combined
Disintegrated
Demonstrates developing
competence with the
history…
Demonstrates emerging
competence with the
history…
Does not demonstrate
competence with the
history…
Demonstrates developing
competence…
Demonstrates emerging
competence…
Does not demonstrate
competence…
Demonstrates developing
competence with the
history…
Demonstrates emerging
competence with the
history…
Does not demonstrate
competence with the
history…
Demonstrates developing
awareness of …
Demonstrates emerging
awareness…
Does not demonstrate
awareness…
Specific Competencies - BFA Acting Studies
a. Acting:
i. Contemporary Literature (late 20th and 21st Century literature)
ii. Audition/Monologue Preparation
iii. American Golden Age Literature
iv. Shakespeare
v. Ancient Classical Literature
vi. Musical Theatre
vii. Restoration Literature
viii. Camera Skills
ix. Modern European Literature
Integrated
Demonstrated ability to
act: mastery of projecting
one’s self believably in
United
Demonstrated ability to
act: developing
competence to project…
Combined
Demonstrated ability to
act: emerging competence
to project….
Disintegrated
No demonstration of
competence when acting.
Integrated
text and action into
imaginary circumstances.
Demonstrated mastery of
solo and ensemble
improvisations.
Demonstrated mastery of
ability to create
convincing characters
from all genres/styles
studied.
Demonstrated mastery of:
script analysis techniques
and generation of given
circumstances, resulting in
logical and complete
generation of character.
Demonstrated mastery of
specific demands of the
styles demanded by major
periods and genres of
dramatic literature.
Demonstrated mastery of
script analysis for actors;
i.e. scoring a script for
objectives, tactics,
obstacles, units of
theatrical actions (beats).
Demonstrated mastery of
acting techniques of:
adaptation, concentration
of attention, circle of
attention, the inner and
outer-creative states,
emotion and sense
memory, the process of
experiencing, Magic If,
mental images, subtext,
supertask, and
throughaction.
United
Combined
Disintegrated
Demonstrated developing
competence to
effectively…
b. Voice/Speech
i. Voice – Vocal Production
ii. Speech – International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), Physical Articulators of Speech
iii. Dialects for the Stage
iv. Production for Extreme Vocal Choices
v. Microphone/voice-over techniques.
Integrated
Demonstrated mastery of
vocal flexibility, control,
breath support, range,
freedom from tension, in
United
Demonstrated developing
competence with vocal
flexibility, control, breath
support, range, freedom
Combined
Demonstrated emerging
competence with vocal
flexibility, control, breath
support, range, freedom
Disintegrated
Does not demonstrate
competence with vocal
flexibility, control, breath
support, range, freedom
Integrated
rehearsal and
performance.
Demonstrated mastery of
clear, articulate, and
expressive speech.
Demonstrated mastery of
ability to use appropriate
tools and systems to learn
and perform dialects.
Demonstrated mastery of
ability to perform in verse
plays.
Demonstrated mastery of
effective vocal choices for
a variety of performance
spaces and media types.
United
from tension, in rehearsal
and performance.
Combined
from tension, in rehearsal
and performance.
Disintegrated
from tension, in rehearsal
and performance.
Combined
Disintegrated
Combined
Disintegrated
c. Movement and Dance
i. Ballet
ii. Jazz
iii. Tap
iv. Period and Social Dance
v. Movement for the Actor
vi. Stage Combat
Integrated
Demonstrated mastery of a
flexible, relaxed, strong,
and controlled body for a
range of stage movement
disciplines: dance, mime,
mask work, combat.
Demonstrated mastery of
basic armed and unarmedstage combat.
Demonstrated mastery of
use of the body as an
instrument for
characterization.
Demonstrated mastery of
use of the body for
changing time/rhythm
demands and spatial
relationships.
United
d. Professional and Business Standards
i. Orientation to professional standards & ethics
ii. Formal and informal production experience.
iii. Capstone project (major market showcase)
Integrated
Demonstrated mastery of
basic business procedures
United
of the actor’s profession:
auditions, resumes, agents,
unions, etc.
Demonstrated mastery of
strategizing and
implementing ongoing
professional development
for actor.
Mastery of role
preparation (rehearsal and
performance) for
production casting
Mastery of elements for
producing, preparing, and
mounting a professional
showcase in a professional
venue in a major-market
city.