Theatre Arts, Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T)

The Theatre Arts Department at Santa Barbara City College offers a variety of programs of study and experience suited to the needs of the serious theatre student, as well as those students who wish to include theatre arts as part of their liberal arts education. With curricula in Acting/Directing, Design/Lighting, Costuming and Technical Production, the program provides an intensive two-year course of study that prepares Theatre Arts majors for transfer to a four-year college or university—ready to do advanced, upper-division work.

The acting program is designed to fit the needs both of the beginning acting student and those with considerable experience. Taught by professionals with decades of experience in theatre, television and film, our courses allow you to learn and practice the skills necessary to get cast, create compelling characters and believably engage with other performers under imaginary circumstances. Our main acting sequence involves monologues, scene work, theatre games, improvisation and acting exercises to teach the skills necessary to create an affecting performance. Other classes include voice and diction, acting for the camera, improvisation and stage combat. Productions with the Theatre Group at SBCC provide opportunities for acting in a professional quality setting, and our all-student production in the fall and one-act festival in the spring allows students of all skill levels to perform publicly.

Our technical theatre and design program provides course work and hands-on work opportunities in a wide range of technical theatre work. Courses include Costume Technology, Stagecraft, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Theatrical Make-up, Scenography and Scenic Design. Students in these courses immediately earn credit through work experience running, and constructing shows in the areas of wardrobe, light or sound board operators, scenic construction or painting or stage management. Design opportunities are available as well. Students are mentored in their work as designers in one of the productions each semester.

The Associate in Arts for Transfer degree in Theatre Arts provides students with the foundational knowledge necessary to make a successful transition into a Baccalaureate Degree at any of the CSU campuses. The Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) is a special degree offered at California Community Colleges. Students who earn an AA-T or AS-T degree are guaranteed admission to a campus within the California State University (CSU) system in a similar major, although not necessarily to a specific campus. Students who complete an AA-T or AS-T are given priority consideration when applying to a particular program that is similar to the student’s community college major, and will be given a special GPA advantage when applying to CSU impacted campuses or majors.

Students should consult with an academic counselor when choosing electives in order to develop a program of study that is best suited to their specific needs. For example, requirements for the baccalaureate degree in Theatre Arts vary from one institution to another. It is, therefore, essential to become familiar with the requirements of the institution that a student plans to attend.

Visit https://adegreewithaguarantee.com/ for more information about these degrees.

Associate Degree for Transfer Graduation Requirements

Complete all of the following:

All Major Requirements listed below with a “C” or better or "P" in each course.
Cal-GETC pattern.
At least 60 CSU transferable semester units.
Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all CSU transferable coursework.
A minimum of 12 units through SBCC.

Course List
Code	Title	Units
Major Requirements
Required Core
TA 103	Theatre Appreciation	3
or TA 107	Development Of Drama: Greek to Renaissance
TA 111	Beginning Acting	3
Complete 3 units from the following Rehearsal and Performance Production or Technical Theatre in Production courses:		3
TA 131	Costume Technology
TA 142	Theatre Workshop II
TA 143	Theatre Workshop III
TA 144	Theatre Workshop IV
TA 145B	Light Board Operator
TA 145C	Master Electrician
TA 145D	Assistant to the Lighting Designer
TA 146B	Fly and Scenery Systems Operator
TA 146C	Deck-Crew Co-Chief
TA 146D	Deck Crew Head
TA 149B	Assistant Stage Manager
TA 149C	Stage Manager
TA 149D	Production Stage Manager
TA 150B	Audio Mixing Board Operator in Production
TA 150C	Audio Systems Programmer
TA 150D	Chief Audio Technician
TA 152	Theatre Production II
TA 153	Theatre Production III
TA 154	Theatre Production IV
TA 155B	Specialty Costume Dresser in Production
TA 155C	Costume Crew Technician in Production
TA 155D	Costume Crew Head in Production
TA 156B	Make-up and Hair Assistant in Production
TA 156C	Theatrical Makeup, Hair and Wig Technician in Production
TA 157A	Intermediate Theatrical Make-up Techniques
TA 158B	Scenic Studio Construction Carpenter/Painter
TA 158C	Scenic Studio Project Carpenter/Painter
TA 250	Advanced Theatre Performance
TA 255B	Classical Comedy in Performance
TA 255C	Classical Comedy in Performance
TA 255D	Classical Comedy in Performance
TA 256B	Contemporary Comedy in Performance
TA 256C	Contemporary Comedy in Performance
TA 256D	Contemporary Comedy in Performance
TA 262B	Modern American Drama in Performance
TA 262C	Modern American Drama in Performance
TA 262D	Modern American Drama in Performance
TA 263B	Classical Drama in Performance
TA 263C	Classical Drama in Performance
TA 263D	Classical Drama In Performance
TA 267A	Acting Styles: Shakespeare
TA 267B	Acting Styles: Stage Combat
TA 267C	Acting Styles: Musical Theatre Performance
TA 272A	Contemporary World Drama Intensive
TA 272B	Contemporary World Drama Intensive
TA 272C	Contemporary World Drama Intensive
TA 273A	Contemporary World Comedy Intensive
TA 273B	Contemporary World Comedy Intensive
TA 273C	Contemporary World Comedy Intensive
List A - Complete 9 units from List A OR 6 units from List A and an additional 3 units from the Rehearsal and Performance Production or Technical Theatre in Production courses, not being used to satisfy the Required Core:		9
TA 104	Script Analysis
TA 112	Intermediate Acting A
TA 120	Understanding Scenography
TA 121	Introduction to Stagecraft
TA 123	Stage Lighting
TA 134	Costume Design
TA 136	Theatrical Makeup Techniques
Total Units		18.00

Students are advised to consult the CSU ADT Major & Campus Search database to determine which bachelor's degree programs offered by the CSU campuses are deemed similar to the AA-T in Theatre Arts. Students are also advised to consult ASSIST (www.assist.org) and to meet with an academic counselor to discuss the best combination of courses to take for their AA-T to ensure they receive the admission benefits associated with it, and to meet the requirements of the transfer institution to which they are intending to transfer.

Analyze a play text in terms of dramatic structure, production and performance.
Knowledgeably critique a theatrical performance in terms of relevant techniques applied and aesthetic choices made.
Articulate the evolution of theatre and its various styles and genres and relate them to contemporary issues, values and concerns.

Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.

How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.