Mission Statement
The School of the Arts at Converse College inspires, teaches, and trains artists by fostering communication, creativity and scholarship, and nurtures appreciation for the visual and performing arts.
Core Values
The School of the Arts (SOA) at Converse College values and believes in the Arts as a path to: Passion, Inspiration, Imagination, Discovery, Expression, Transformation, and Joy.
Arts Foundations: Creativity that Works
The faculty in Art and Design, Theatre and Dance, and the Petrie School of Music train students to be working professionals in the arts. All students in the School of the Arts will take the following interdisciplinary courses in collaboration, personal brand development, and professionalization:
Department of Theatre and Dance
- MEG HANNA TOMINAGA, chair
- BOONE HOPKINS
- CHANDRA OWENBY HOPKINS
- LAUREN ROGERS HOPKINS
- MELISSA OWENS
The Department of Theatre & Dance provides opportunities which enable students to develop their skills and talents in theatre arts and dance to foster a better understanding of the contribution that live performance makes to the process of educating the whole person in a liberal arts environment. Through the availability of experiences in a number of areas, students will find a wide variety of challenges and means of expression. The program of study places emphasis on the aesthetic and practical decisions inherent to these areas, thereby strengthening the student’s general intellectual capabilities and growth as an artist.
By the time of graduation, majors in theatre should demonstrate basic competencies in each area of theatre and should be able to compete successfully for positions in graduate school and in the professional job market.
The General Education Program is a requirement for all degrees. The requirements listed below are approved for the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts.
ENG 101 |
3 hours |
Language and Culture |
9 hours |
MTH 108 or higher |
3 hours |
One course designated as Quantitative reasoning |
3–4 hours |
Health and Well-being Wellness |
2 hours |
Activity course |
1–2 hours |
Humanities |
6 hours |
Literature |
3 hours |
Fine Arts |
6 hours |
Natural Science |
7–8 hours |
Social Science |
6 hours |
Total |
49–52 hours |
Graduation requirements but not a separate course:
- First Year Seminar
- Writing Intensive course
- Non-European/non-Anglophone course
- Capstone experience
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to articulate verbal and written mastery of knowledge in theatre and dance.
- Students will be able to analyze the art of theatre and dance in historical and theoretical contexts.
- Students will be able to communicate successfully and work effectively with others in a variety of production capacities.
- Students will be able to produce engaging and innovative works in theatre and dance.
In order to earn a minor or a major in theatre or musical theatre, students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 across all of their theatre or musical theatre courses. Minor and major GPAs are based on the grades earned in all theatre (and major required dance and music for the Musical Theatre degree or dance for Dance minors) classes taken at Converse. Transfer credits from other institutions do not figure into the required calculation for minor or major GPAs.
Dance
Dance courses may be taken as electives by anyone interested in dance, or students may choose to minor in dance. Introductory technique courses provide the opportunity for students to improve their technique in specific course genres, enhance their visual skills, spatial awareness, rhythm and creativity. In intermediate courses, students continue to build on these skills, and begin to focus on techniques necessary for the particular genre being studied. In advanced level courses, students gain an extension of an understanding and exploration of a genre. Students will gain experience through improvisation, compositional studies and different styles within the genre. DAN 190: History of Dance is available to students as an option in the fine arts requirement in the General Education Program. Technique courses may be taken as partial fulfillment of the physical education requirement of the General Education Program.