ITEM #XXX-XXXX-XXXXX
Page 1 of 3
Montana Board of Regents
CURRICULUM PROPOSALS
1. Overview
The School of Theatre & Dance proposes adding a minor in Theatre Education.
2. Provide a one paragraph description of the proposed program. Be specific about what degree, major,
minor or option is sought.
The Minor in Theatre Education, will be a 21-credit minor option. There are currently both a general Minor in Theatre
and a Major in Theatre, Area of Specialization in Education, offered in the School of Theatre & Dance. The last
academic year that the School offered a minor in theatre teaching was 2005-2006. Faculty in both the School of Theatre
& Dance and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction are in favor of a return to offering a minor in theatre
education.
3. Need
A. To what specific need is the institution responding in developing the proposed program?
Without this proposed minor, only Theatre majors can obtain the endorsement to teach theatre—and they are
required to obtain another major or minor in another field of higher demand. The minor in Theatre Education will
allow more students from other fields the opportunity to also be endorsed to teach theatre.
B. How will students and any other affected constituencies be served by the proposed program?
Students who have interest in the performing arts or who need an additional major or minor to fulfill the licensure
requirement for secondary endorsements will be able to take a minimal number of classes in theatre and gain an
additional teaching minor or endorsement in the subject.
C. What is the anticipated demand for the program? How was this determined?
Montana is a rural state with many school districts looking for teachers who are licensed in more than one field to
provide adequate offerings for K-12 students from qualified teachers. This proposal allows students to graduate
with a second area of licensure through a minor which allows them to complete their degree and licensure program
without extending their time in college, thereby allowing them to enter the work force sooner and with greater
marketability.
4. Institutional and System Fit
A. What is the connection between the proposed program and existing programs at the institution?
All courses required of this new minor are already offered by the School of Theatre & Dance and are a portion of
the courses required for the similar Theatre major.
B. Will approval of the proposed program require changes to any existing programs at the institution?
If so, please describe.
No changes will be needed.
C. Describe what differentiates this program from other, closely related programs at the institution (if
appropriate).
ITEM #XXX-XXXX-XXXXX
Page 2 of 3
Montana Board of Regents
CURRICULUM PROPOSALS
The most closely related program at UM-Missoula is the Minor in Dance, Area of Specialization in Education. This
minor is similar in credit load and curricula in that it offers a comparable level of training in theatre education that
the Dance minor offers in dance education. There are not, however, overlapping courses as the two minors focus
on discrete areas of the performing arts.
D. How does the proposed program serve to advance the strategic goals of the institution?
Re-establishing the theatre minor that focuses on teaching will allow students in the Secondary Education
Licensure Program who are already working toward (or have) a teaching major in a different subject to add an
endorsement in teaching theatre. This will make Education majors more marketable for jobs that cover more than
one academic subject and help them be better prepared to teach in the field of theatre.
E. Describe the relationship between the proposed program and any similar programs within the
Montana University System. In cases of substantial duplication, explain the need for the proposed
program at an additional institution. Describe any efforts that were made to collaborate with these
similar programs; and if no efforts were made, explain why. If articulation or transfer agreements
have been developed for the substantially duplicated programs, please include the agreement(s) as
part of the documentation.
UM and UM-Western are the only programs in the MUS offering teaching licensure programs in theatre. Only three
of nine educator-preparation programs in the state offer licensure in theatre. Finally, students at UM have
repeatedly expressed an interest in earning an endorsement in Theatre in conjunction with another endorsement
they are already seeking.
5. Program Details
A. Provide a detailed description of the proposed curriculum. Where possible, present the information
in the form intended to appear in the catalog or other publications. NOTE: In the case of two-year
degree programs and certificates of applied science, the curriculum should include enough detail to
determine if the characteristics set out in Regents’ Policy 301.12 have been met.
SEMESTER COURSE
CREDITS
Theatre (THTR)
106A-Theatre Production I: Run Crew
1
202-Stagecraft I
3
220A-Acting I
3
235L-Dramatic Literature I
3
330H-Theatre History I
3
370-Stage Management I
2
375-Directing I
3
ITEM #XXX-XXXX-XXXXX
Page 3 of 3
Montana Board of Regents
CURRICULUM PROPOSALS
439-Methods of Teaching Theatre
TOTAL
3
21
Leads to an endorsement in theatre education for those attaining or holding a Montana teaching license
(see the Department of Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Education and Human Sciences for more
information). A GPA of 2.75 in the minor is required to be eligible for student teaching.
B. Describe the planned implementation of the proposed program, including estimates of numbers of
students at each stage.
All courses in this proposed theatre education minor already exist so we will be able to begin marketing to and
enrolling students immediately. We hope to enroll five students initially and to grow that number each year.
6. Resources
A. Will additional faculty resources be required to implement this program? If yes, please describe the
need and indicate the plan for meeting this need.
No additional faculty/resources will be needed to successfully offer this minor.
B. Are other, additional resources required to ensure the success of the proposed program? If yes,
please describe the need and indicate the plan for meeting this need.
No additional faculty/resources will be needed to successfully offer this minor.
7. Assessment
How will the success of the program be measured?
The programs leading to teaching licensure are evaluated by the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) and the
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation. Consequently, assessment materials
are housed within the College of Education and Human Sciences and the School of Theatre & Dance. The School of
Theatre & Dance is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), which will review and
evaluate this minor.
8. Process Leading to Submission
Describe the process of developing and approving the proposed program. Indicate, where appropriate,
involvement by faculty, students, community members, potential employers, accrediting agencies, etc.
Students have requested this minor endorsement so they can add theatre to the subjects they are licensed to teach.
Based on student requests from both the College of Education and Human Sciences and the School of Theatre &
Dance, Kristi Murphy of the Professional Education Council initiated a conversation with faculty in Theatre & Dance.
Additionally, currently licensed teachers have cited a need for adding a theatre minor.