Performance and Communication Arts

  1. Office & Department Directory
  2. Course Catalog
  3. Performance and Communication Arts

Major and minor offered 

Visit the performance and communication arts webpage at https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/performance-and-communication-arts.  

Major Requirements 

Most students who major in the department begin with an interest in one of the two broad areas of inquiry— rhetoric/communication studies or theatre/performance studies. Majors choose a primary area of concentration. Eleven units are required to complete the major. Fulfillment of the major requires the following: 

  1. All majors take the following four survey courses that will introduce them to various aspects of the major: 

  • 107. Beginning Acting. 

  • 111. Rhetoric and Public Speaking. 

  • 125. Introduction to Theatre. 

  • 127. Introduction to Communication Studies. 

  1. Majors must complete seven additional courses, at least five of which must be in their primary area of concentration. At least four of these courses must be at 300-level and above. At least two must be designated as a research intensive (RI) course.  

Courses in rhetoric/communication studies include:  

  • 105. Language as Human Experience. (Dual-listed by ANTH) 

  • 201. Introduction to Journalism. (Dual-listed by ENG)  

  • 225. Peer Mentoring in Rhetoric and Communication. 

  • 239. Media Industries. 

  • 3000-3999. Special Topics in Rhetoric/Communication Studies. (200-Level Courses)  

  • 310. Culture & Media. 

  • 311. Advanced Public Speaking. 

  • 315. Gender and Communication. 

  • 318. Argumentation and Debate. 

  • 321. Intercultural Communication. 

  • 328. Interpersonal Communication. 

  • 329. Rhetoric of Social Movements. 

  • 331. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric. 

  • 333. Rhetorical Criticism. 

  • 334. Environmental Communication. 

  • 335. Sex Talk. Dula-listed with Gender and Sexuality Studies 

  • 342. Blogging the Globe: News Analysis and Investigative Journalism. (Dual-listed by GS) 

  • 360. Public Sphere of Renaissance Venice. 

  • 361. London Coffeehouse Culture & Modernity. 

  • 365. Rhetoric of Algorithms (cross-listed with Digital Media & Film) 

  • 370. Against Health: Rhetoric & the Health Humanities. 

  • 4000-4999. Special Topics in Rhetoric/Communication Studies. (300-Level Courses) 

  • 480. Independent Study. 

  • 489. SYE: Senior Project. 

  • 498. SYE: Honors Senior Project. 

Courses in theatre/performance studies include: 

  • 100. Beginning Ballet. 

  • 101. Production Credit. 

  • 103. Stagecraft. (dual-listed with DMF) 

  • 107. Beginning Acting (dual-listed with DMF) 

  • 113. Introduction to Performance Studies. 

  • 215. Dramatic Texts in Context. 

  • 223. Playwriting. 

  • 230. Beginning/Intermediate Modern Dance. 

  • 235. Beginning/Intermediate Jazz Dance. 

  • 237. Contemporary British Theatre – Intro Level. (offered off campus in London) 

  • 244. Techniques of Screenwriting. 

  • 255. African American Drama. 

  • 270. Collaboration Across the Arts. 

  • 3000-3999. Special Topics in Theatre/Performance Studies. (200-Level Courses) 

  • 301. Advanced Modern Dance. 

  • 303. Stage Lighting. 

  • 304. Arts Management. (offered off campus in New York City)  

  • 305. Make-up Design 

  • 307. Characterization. (cross-listed with DMF) 

  • 308. Cultural Encounters. (offered off campus in New York City) 

  • 314. Devising for Performance. 

  • 319, 320. Shakespeare. 

  • 327. Drama By and About Women. (cross-listed with GNDR) 

  • 332. Directing. (dual-listed with DMF) 

  • 337. Contemporary British Theatre – Advanced Level. (offered off campus in London) 

  • 338. Twentieth-Century Avant-Garde. 

  • 340. Performance Art. 

  • 343. Taboo Performances. 

  • 355. Studies in World Dramatic Literature. 

  • 358. Madrid Stage. (offered off campus in Madrid) 

  • 362. Introduction to Stage Management 

  • 368. Costume Design 

  • 369. Costume Construction 

  • 373. Drama for Teaching and Learning (cross-listed with Education) 

  • 375. Theatre, Sustainability, and the Natural World (cross-listed in Public Health and Environmental Studies) 

  • 4000-4999. Special Topics in Theatre/Performance. (300-Level Courses) 

  • 480. Independent Study. 

  • 490. SYE: Senior Project. 

  • 499. SYE: Honors Senior Project. 

Honors 

To graduate with honors, a major must maintain a 3.5 GPA in the department and a 3.0 GPA overall; the major’s senior project proposal must be approved for enrollment in PCA 498/499 SYE: Honors Senior Project; and the student must earn at least a 3.5 in PCA 498/499.  

Minor Requirements 

Fulfillment of the minor requires six courses and students need to meet the following requirements: 

  1. All PCA minors must take EITHER: 

107. Beginning Acting and 125. Introduction to Theatre. 
Or 
111. Public Speaking and 127. Introduction to Communication Studies. 

  1. Minors must take four additional PCA courses, at least two must be at the 200 or 300 level. 

Off-Campus and Transfer Credit  

Students wishing to transfer in course credits must produce a syllabus to the department chair for the course they would like considered for credit. Students may transfer up to two credits from off-campus study toward a PCA major or minor.  

See Performance and Communication Arts courses