The Theatre School > Conservatory > Undergraduate Conservatory > Theatre Studies Minor

Theatre Studies Minor

The Theatre Studies minor is a great way for undergraduate students who study in DePaul colleges other than The Theatre School to engage and explore their interest in theatre through a broad range of theatre coursework. Almost all DePaul students are eligible to declare this minor; only Theatre School students (those pursuing a major within The Theatre School) are not eligible to declare a minor in Theatre Studies. 

Students interested in pursuing the Theatre Studies Minor must first be enrolled at DePaul University. Students should contact The Theatre School Associate Dean’s office at ttsacademics@depaul.edu or (773) 325-4786 to enroll in the minor. There is no special admissions process for declaring the Theatre Studies minor, which means you can add this minor onto your degree plan at any time.

The biggest difference between a major and a minor is the number of classes you are required to take. But there are also differences in flexibility, scope, and intensity. 

The Theatre Studies minor is flexible, broad, and only takes a couple of classes to complete. Students who are pursuing the minor will study a variety of topics within the realm of theatre and will have the ability to take theatre classes in the order that works best for their schedule and around their existing major. The majors offered at The Theatre School, on the other hand, are very focused on a single area of theatre and are highly structured four year programs. There are also differences in the types of productions theatre majors vs. theatre minors have access to, as many of the productions put on by The Theatre School are actually coursework that is part of a major's degree requirements. (And therefore many Theatre School shows are not open to non-majors.)

Theatre Studies minors can get involved in a wide variety of student-run theatre and arts opportunities! There are many Depaul student organizations that can provide opportunities to act, do improv, sing, design, write, and more. Students also have the opportunity to propose their own projects through existing groups or start new groups to create space for new interests. 

The Theatre School mainstage productions are only open to students pursuing theatre majors; mainstage productions are actually coursework that is built in (and required) as part of each theatre major's degree plan and students get involved in ways directly related to their path of study.



The Theatre School offers a minor as a way for DePaul University students in other colleges to engage and explore their interest in the theatre through a broad range of theatre coursework. Theatre School students are not eligible to declare a minor in Theatre Studies.

Course Requirements

​A minor in Theatre Studies requires the completion of 24 Theatre School credits of the student's choosing, based on the list below. Students from outside The Theatre School may take the following classes at their home college tuition rate:

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select 24 Theatre School credits:24
ACT 290
ACTING AND PERFORMANCE
ACT 380
ADVANCED ACTING AND PERFORMANCE
ACT 100
POLITICS, POP CULTURE, AND THE STAGE
ACT 200
MAKING PLAYS: THEATER AND THE ART OF PRODUCTION
ACT 209
SKETCH COMEDY
ACT 213
SCI-FI AND OTHER GENRE FICTION IN THEATRE
ACT 215
PLAYS ABOUT SPORTS
ACT 216
SCREEN TO STAGE
ACT 217
THE ART OF STORYTELLING
ACT 241
ARE WE STILL FABULOUS?: QUEER IDENTITY IN CONTEMPORARY DRAMA
ACT 242
STAGE DIRECTION FOR NON-MAJORS
ACT 244
DRAMATIC WRITING FOR NON-MAJORS
ACT 250
AMERICAN FUNNY: STAGE COMEDY FROM GROUCHO MARX TO TINA FEY
ACT 251
STAGE TO SCREEN: CINEMATIC TRANSLATIONS OF THE DRAMATIC CANON
ACT 253
THEME PARK THEATRE
ACT 255
ANGELS, PUNKS AND RAGING QUEENS:THE ECLECTIC QUILT OF AIDS DRAMA
ACT 257
WRITING LOCALLY, THINKING GLOBALLY: INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DRAMATIC LITERATURE
ACT 301
MODERN DANCE this repeatable course may only be applied once to fulfill a minor requirement
THE 256
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DRAMATIC LITERATURE:PLAYS FOR THE ONCE AND FUTURE AMERICAN AUDIENCE
THE 330
MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOP with permission of the instructor
THE 434
SEMINAR: TOPICS IN DRAMATIC LITERATURE
THE 435
SEMINAR: TOPICS IN DRAMATIC LITERATURE
THE 436
SEMINAR: TOPICS IN DRAMATIC LITERATURE

All courses are offered on an as needed basis. On occasion, Theatre Studies minors may take Theatre Studies (THE) classes not listed above.1 Availability of those courses is dependent on space available in the class, completion of appropriate prerequisites and permission of the instructor, which the student must obtain in order to enroll. Classes in the acting program (PRF) are not open to students pursuing a minor.

Students pursuing a minor who are approved to take Theatre School courses not on this list will be charged the part-time, per-credit Theatre School tuition rate for those classes. 

1

If approved by instructor, any Theatre Studies (THE) course may be applied towards completion of the minor.

Work on The Theatre School’s production season extends outside of the university’s academic calendar.  Some production assignments may require participation up to two weeks before the beginning of fall quarter, during a portion of the winter break, or during spring break.  Specific details pertaining to different programs, specific assignments, and options for students not able to participate outside of the university’s academic calendar are available in the Theatre School Student Handbook and the Theatre School website.