English - Drama and Theatre Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
Offered by: English (Faculty of Arts)
Degree: Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Arts and Science
Program credit weight: 36
Program Description
The Drama and Theatre option tries to place its subject in as broad a social and philosophical context as possible. The Drama and Theatre program is not designed to provide professional theatre training. The aim is rather to encourage students to explore the subject as a liberal arts discipline.
For the most up-to-date information on Department requirements and detailed course descriptions, please see the English Department Handbook at http://www.mcgill.ca/english/.
Degree Requirements — B.A. students
To be eligible for a B.A. degree, a student must fulfil all Faculty and program requirements as indicated in Degree Requirements for the Faculty of Arts.
We recommend that students consult an Arts OASIS advisor for degree planning.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Required Courses (6 credits)
6 credits to be taken in the first two terms of the program
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 230 | Introduction to Theatre Studies. | 3 |
Introduction to Theatre Studies. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to dramatic literature, text analysis, textual and performance theory, and theatre history. | ||
| ENGL 355 | The Poetics of Performance. | 3 |
The Poetics of Performance. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course, normally taken in tandem with ENGL 230, examines and tests theories of acting, directing, and design through scene work and practical exercises. | ||
Complementary Courses (30 credits)
30 credits selected as described below.
3 credits from the following practice-based courses:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 269 | Introduction to Performance. | 3 |
Introduction to Performance. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The focus of this course is on the actor as communicator, and on those things (material, physical, and textual) which are inescapably central to the theatrical performance. | ||
| ENGL 365 | Costuming for the Theatre 1. | 3 |
Costuming for the Theatre 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to costume-making for the theatre, covering fabrics, textiles and costume decoration. | ||
| ENGL 368 | Stage Scenery and Lighting 1. | 3 |
Stage Scenery and Lighting 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to the technical aspects of stage settings and theatrical lighting. | ||
| ENGL 372 | Stage Scenery and Lighting 2. | 3 |
Stage Scenery and Lighting 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Aspects of stage scenery and theatrical lighting. | ||
| ENGL 377 | Costuming for the Theatre 2. | 3 |
Costuming for the Theatre 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced topics in costume-making for the theatre, including millinery, dyeing, costume breakdown, and silk painting techniques. | ||
Performance-Oriented Courses
3 credits from the list of Performance-Oriented Courses:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 365 | Costuming for the Theatre 1. | 3 |
Costuming for the Theatre 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to costume-making for the theatre, covering fabrics, textiles and costume decoration. | ||
| ENGL 367 | Acting 2. | 3 |
Acting 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The actor as analyzer of scripts and characters; textual analysis, practice in character development through improvisations, mask work and physical training. | ||
| ENGL 368 | Stage Scenery and Lighting 1. | 3 |
Stage Scenery and Lighting 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to the technical aspects of stage settings and theatrical lighting. | ||
| ENGL 372 | Stage Scenery and Lighting 2. | 3 |
Stage Scenery and Lighting 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Aspects of stage scenery and theatrical lighting. | ||
| ENGL 376 | Scene Study. | 3 |
Scene Study. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Scene study for the theatre. | ||
| ENGL 377 | Costuming for the Theatre 2. | 3 |
Costuming for the Theatre 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced topics in costume-making for the theatre, including millinery, dyeing, costume breakdown, and silk painting techniques. | ||
| ENGL 396 | Theatre Practicum 1. | 3 |
Theatre Practicum 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Training in acting and other on-stage roles in theatrical performance. | ||
| ENGL 397 | Theatre Practicum 2. | 3 |
Theatre Practicum 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Training in acting and other on-stage roles in theatrical performance. | ||
| ENGL 465D1 | Theatre Laboratory. | 4.5 |
Theatre Laboratory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Workshop in theatre practice and drama interpretation. | ||
| ENGL 465D2 | Theatre Laboratory. | 4.5 |
Theatre Laboratory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Workshop in theatre practice and drama interpretation. | ||
| ENGL 466D1 | Directing for the Theatre. | 3 |
Directing for the Theatre. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The direction of a theatrical performance: preparation, casting, rehearsal, and performance are the areas of concentration. | ||
| ENGL 466D2 | Directing for the Theatre. | 3 |
Directing for the Theatre. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See ENGL 466D1 for course description. | ||
| ENGL 469 | Acting 3. | 3 |
Acting 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced training in acting involving study of some of the major European and North American acting theories and practices. | ||
Drama and/or Theatre Courses with a Canadian Component
3 credits from the list of Drama and/or Theatre courses with a Canadian component:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 313 | Canadian Drama and Theatre. | 3 |
Canadian Drama and Theatre. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Dramatic forms and theatrical practices in Canada from beginnings to the present day. | ||
| ENGL 413 | Special Topics in Canadian Drama and Theatre. | 3 |
Special Topics in Canadian Drama and Theatre. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced study focused on a period or issue in Canadian drama and/or theatre history. | ||
Theory or Criticism Courses
3 credits from the list of Theory or Criticism courses:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 317 | Theory of English Studies 1. | 3 |
Theory of English Studies 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Philosophical approaches. | ||
| ENGL 318 | Theory of English Studies 2. | 3 |
Theory of English Studies 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Socio-Historical approaches. | ||
| ENGL 319 | Theory of English Studies 3. | 3 |
Theory of English Studies 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Cultural theory now. | ||
| ENGL 322 | Theories of the Text. | 3 |
Theories of the Text. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A course focusing on textuality (as opposed to, say, intentionality and interpretation) and on how specific effects are made - how texts work and produce meaning, including rhetoric and form. | ||
| ENGL 346 | Materiality and Sociology of Text. | 3 |
Materiality and Sociology of Text. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Writing, printing, distribution, marketing, and placement within canon-making institutions; the influence of material forms of production and transmission on the creation and reception of literature, film, and theatre. | ||
| ENGL 352 | Theories of Difference. | 3 |
Theories of Difference. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to a selection of theories that have influenced thinking about difference across the humanities and social sciences, including gender, sexuality, race, class and hierarchical structures, language, religion, ethnicity, and personal identity. | ||
Theatre History Courses
3 credits from the list of Theatre History courses:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 306 | Theatre History: Medieval and Early Modern. | 3 |
Theatre History: Medieval and Early Modern. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works of Mediaeval and Tudor drama. | ||
| ENGL 310 | Restoration and 18th Century Drama. | 3 |
Restoration and 18th Century Drama. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works of Restoration and 18th century drama. | ||
| ENGL 312 | Victorian and Edwardian Drama 1. | 3 |
Victorian and Edwardian Drama 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. | ||
| ENGL 370 | Theatre History: The Long Eighteenth Century. | 3 |
Theatre History: The Long Eighteenth Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of dramatic forms and genres and theatrical practices from the Restoration through the 18th century to the Romantic period. | ||
| ENGL 371 | Theatre History: 19th to 21st Centuries. | 3 |
Theatre History: 19th to 21st Centuries. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. History of predominantly Western theatre practices from circa 1830 to the present. | ||
| ENGL 444 | Studies in Women Authors. | 3 |
Studies in Women Authors. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of a particular topic related to literary, dramatic, or cultural productions by female-identified authors. | ||
| ENGL 467 | Advanced Studies in Theatre History. | 3 |
Advanced Studies in Theatre History. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced study focused on a period or issue in Theatre history. | ||
| ENGL 486 | Special Topics in Theatre History . | 3 |
Special Topics in Theatre History . Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A research seminar on selected topics in theatre history and theatre historiography. | ||
Drama and Theatre Before 1900 Courses
3 credits from the list of courses in Drama and Theatre before 1900:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 306 | Theatre History: Medieval and Early Modern. | 3 |
Theatre History: Medieval and Early Modern. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works of Mediaeval and Tudor drama. | ||
| ENGL 308 | English Renaissance Drama 1. | 3 |
English Renaissance Drama 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An overview of some major authors and issues in English Renaissance Drama. | ||
| ENGL 310 | Restoration and 18th Century Drama. | 3 |
Restoration and 18th Century Drama. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of works of Restoration and 18th century drama. | ||
| ENGL 312 | Victorian and Edwardian Drama 1. | 3 |
Victorian and Edwardian Drama 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. | ||
| ENGL 315 | Shakespeare. | 3 |
Shakespeare. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the major works of Shakespeare. | ||
| ENGL 370 | Theatre History: The Long Eighteenth Century. | 3 |
Theatre History: The Long Eighteenth Century. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of dramatic forms and genres and theatrical practices from the Restoration through the 18th century to the Romantic period. | ||
| ENGL 416 | Studies in Shakespeare. | 3 |
Studies in Shakespeare. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the works of Shakespeare. | ||
Drama and Theatre Option's Offerings - Additional Courses
12 additional credits from the option's offerings.
This category includes all the courses listed above except required courses, as well as the courses listed below.
Note: Any English course not on the lists specifically for the Drama and Theatre option—such as unlisted courses in Cultural Studies—may not count toward the Drama and Theatre program. Please consult a departmental adviser for guidance on course choices.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 314 | 20th Century Drama. | 3 |
20th Century Drama. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of selected representative works in modern drama and theatre. | ||
| ENGL 375 | Interpretation Dramatic Text. | 3 |
Interpretation Dramatic Text. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the dramatic text as literature, and as a basis for theatre production. Emphasis on character and character development, on structure and motivational units, and on the visualization of the play in performance. | ||
| ENGL 430 | Studies in Drama. | 3 |
Studies in Drama. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of a period or genre of drama. Topic varies by year. | ||
| ENGL 431 | Studies in Drama. | 3 |
Studies in Drama. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of a period or genre of drama. Topic varies by year. | ||
| ENGL 434 | Independent Theatre Project. | 3 |
Independent Theatre Project. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Supervised independent work on an approved theatre project. | ||
| ENGL 458 | Theories of Text and Performance 1. | 3 |
Theories of Text and Performance 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course provides an historical perspective on advanced theoretical problems affecting both dramatic texts and theatrical performance up to the 19th Century. The historical periods covered in this course may vary from year to year. | ||
| ENGL 459 | Theories of Text and Performance 2. | 3 |
Theories of Text and Performance 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course provides an historical perspective on advanced theoretical problems affecting both dramatic texts and theatrical performance starting from the 19th Century to the present. The historical periods covered in this course may vary from year to year. | ||
Drama and Theatre - Courses of Interest - Other Departments
Students are normally permitted to count 6 credits from other departments toward their English programs. In exceptional circumstances, an adviser, approached by a student with strong academic grounds for including a third such course, may grant permission, to a maximum of 9 extra-departmental credits, and must so indicate in advance by signing the departmental program audit sheet.
This list comprises courses in other departments that might be accepted by an adviser for credit toward the student's Drama and Theatre program. This list applies only to these courses as they are offered in the current academic year.
There might be other courses in the Faculty of Arts for which a student could receive Drama and Theatre program credit. A student who has identified a course not noted below, should show their program adviser the course syllabus in advance and, if he or she agrees, get the adviser's initialled approval of the course on their program audit sheet. The Department requires a complete signed audit sheet in the student's file in Arts 155 in order to process the file for graduation.
Included in the list are courses taught in languages other than English and courses that have prerequisites.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EAST 464 | Image, Text, Performance. | 3 |
Image, Text, Performance. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Drawing on theoretical approaches from a variety of cultural and media studies, including cinema, performance and performativity, and elsewhere, this course addresses cultural production in premodern and/or modern East Asia. Topics to be addressed range from calligraphy and writing, to theatre, and film. | ||
| MUHL 287 | The Opera. | 3 |
The Opera. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of opera from c. 1600 to the present. Opera as ritual, opera as spectacle, opera as catharsis, opera as business, opera and its literary models. The continuing relevance of the operatic experience today. | ||
| PHIL 242 | Introduction to Feminist Theory. | 3 |
Introduction to Feminist Theory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to feminist theory as political theory. Emphasis is placed on the plurality of analyses and proposals that constitute contemporary feminist thought. Some of the following are considered: liberal feminism, marxist and socialist feminism, radical feminism, postmodern feminism, francophone feminism, and the contributions to feminist theory by women of colour and lesbians. | ||
| PSYC 212 | Perception. | 3 |
Perception. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Perception is the organization of sensory input into a representation of the environment. Topics include: survey of sensory coding mechanisms (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory), object recognition, spatial localization, perceptual constancies and higher level influences. | ||
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This course has an historical dimension and may count toward this program requirement. Other courses could count toward the "option's offerings" component of the program.