WMU Theatre | Theatre Practicum, Internship, & Individualized Study

THEA 290: THEATRE PRACTICUM
	Students receive academic credit through THEA 290 for performance, technical production, and arts management work on University Theatre Mainstage and Studio Series productions, and other activities as designated by the Department of Theatre faculty and staff. THEA 290 may be repeated to a maximum of 8 credit hours. A MINIMUM OF 6 CREDIT HOURS OF THEA 290 ARE REQUIRED FOR THE THEATRE MAJOR. A MINIMUM OF 2 CREDIT HOURS OF THEA 290 ARE REQUIRED FOR THE MUSIC THEATRE PERFORMANCE MAJOR.
	PRACTICUM BREAKDOWN
		Musical Theatre majors are required to complete 2 credits of THEA 2900 in the Preparation or Running Crew areas to graduate. Theatre Performance Majors are require to complete 6 credits of THEA 2900 to graduate. Of these 6 credits, no more than two may be in any one of the following four areas (NOTE: Performance majors do not need a performance credit to graduate): Performance (This includes performing, assistant directing, stage managing or assistant stage managing for a mainstage or studio production.) Preparation Crew (This includes preparation crews for scenery, lighting, costumes, and props for a mainstage or studio production.) Running Crew (This includes running crews for scenery, lighting, costumes, and props for a mainstage or studio production.) Other (This includes working in the box office, assistant house managing, stage managing or asst. stage managing for a mainstage or studio production. This also includes being a TA and any project that does not fall into the above-mentioned areas. The Project Supervisor must approve all projects in this area before they can be requested.) Technical Design Majors are required to complete 6 credits of THEA 2900 to graduate. First Four Semesters: One scenery construction crew on a Mainstage production One costume construction crew on a Mainstage production One scenery painting or props preparation crew on a Mainstage production One running crew on a Mainstage production Final Four Semesters: Two choices from the "Performance" and/or "Other" categories *Freshmen may only take one credit of THEA 2900 during their first semester. Please pay close attention to your practicum distribution and know that you are responsible for monitoring said distribution. Please note that you will not graduate with a theatre major if you deviate from the aforementioned distribution. Only faculty and staff are authorized to sign Practicum hour sheets.
	GRADING OF PRACTICUM
		Completion of the instructor-approved project as specified in the syllabus will automatically receive a grade of "C." Higher grades may be awarded by the project supervisor based upon reliability, punctuality, preparedness, effort, quality of work, and/or demonstration of responsibility and leadership. A grade of "C" or above is required for the Practicum to apply toward the completion of the requirement of the Theatre Major, Theatre Minor, or the Music Theatre Performance Major.

THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
	In an effort to provide opportunities for advanced students to spend a portion of their Western career working in the profession, the Department endorses a Professional Theatre Internship Program. The program facilitates initial student advising and contact with professional companies throughout the United States. Dependent upon the professional company, internships are available in acting, stage management, design and technical production (scenery, costumes, lighting, properties, sound, and makeup), and arts management. Information on all available internships is accessible through the Internship Coordinator.
	INTERNSHIP APPLICATION/FINANCIAL AID
		It is suggested that students plan to intern following the junior year. Some professional companies pay their interns and/or provide housing, others do not. In the case of salaries, they are generally very low, so students should plan to absorb a certain amount of their living costs during the internship. MINIMAL financial assistance is available through WMU and should be arranged through the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. Financial aid is based on need. Application for internship with any professional company will require a letter of application, a resume, three letters (at least) of recommendation, and in the case of a performer, a head shot and a prepared audition, or in the case of a designer/technician, a portfolio. Assistance in the preparation of these materials is available from the faculty and staff and should be handled through the Internship Coordinator.

INTERNSHIP ACADEMIC CREDIT (THEA 390)
	Academic credit for internship work is available through the Department of Theatre:
	THEA 390: 3 hours - a one semester or summer internship
	THEA 390: 6 hours - a two semester or longer internship
		To receive academic credit as listed above the student must, upon return to the University after the internship, present a workshop or lecture/demonstration to the faculty/staff of the Department and any interested students, based on the experience of the internship (new techniques, procedures, materials, etc. to which the student was exposed during the internship). Students who wish to receive academic credit for their internships but who do not intend to return to Western after the internship may submit a written report to the faculty/staff of the Department in lieu of the workshop or lecture/demonstration. The student requesting credit will be evaluated by his/her supervisor at the company where the internship took place and by the faculty/staff of the Department in consideration of the student's workshop or lecture/demonstration or written report. A professional internship can become the student's best avenue into a professional career in the arts. Only the advanced students in the Department of Theatre are accepted into the program after review by the staff. Contact the Internship Coordinator to express your interest in the program and to begin the application process. Internship opportunities are not posted.

THEA 490: INDIVIDUALIZED STUDY IN THEATRE
	Students may receive academic credit through THEA 490 for advanced projects done outside of the regular classroom. Such projects are usually of a specialized nature not formally covered in the courses offered by the Department, and have included direction of Footlights productions and design or technical direction of Mainstage productions. THEA 490 may not be substituted for any other Department of Theatre course. A student may register for 1-3 credit hours for a single Individualized Study, dependent upon the complexity of the project. A student may not register for more than one Individualized Study per semester. A student may not register for THEA 490 if he/she has received the grade of "I" in a previous Individualized Study, until the incomplete has been removed. THEA 490 may be repeated to a maximum of 6 credit hours.
	GUIDELINES
		THEA 490 is available to advanced Theatre Majors or students in special programs and juniors or seniors who have strongly demonstrated the ability to work independently. Individualized Study is a tutorial process, requiring substantial participation by a Department of Theatre faculty member who has agreed to serve as the supervisor for the project. While the Individualized Study project is normally student-initiated, early interaction with the faculty supervisor is essential for the development of a mutually acceptable project description, which must be completed prior to registration. Sufficient time must also be allowed for the necessary faculty and administrative approvals. All THEA 490 projects must be approved by the Department Chairperson, the Department Advisor, and the Director of Performance, Director of Theatre Education, or the Director of Design and Technical Production. Direction of a Footlights I/II production must be approved by the Performance Area Faculty. Design or technical direction of a Mainstage production must be approved by the Department of Theatre faculty and staff.
	STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
		Prior to registration, the student must initiate his/her Individualized Study in consultation with a Department of Theatre faculty supervisor. The student must complete a THEA 490 application form, available in the Department of Theatre office, including a detailed description of the study project. This description should contain an outline of the project, specification of the work to be completed, the type and frequency of the faculty-student contacts, and a statement of the evaluative criteria to be used by the faculty supervisor in grading the project. The student must then have the application approved and signed by his/her faculty supervisor, the Department Chairperson, the Department Advisor, and the Director of Performance or the Director of Design and Technical Production. The signed THEA 490 application form must be returned to the Department of Theatre office. Copies will be forwarded to the student and respective faculty members and administrators. The Administrative Assistant will register the student for the course.