I. ASCRC General Education Form
(revised 2/8/13)
Use to propose new general education courses (except writing courses), to change or renew existing gen ed courses and to remove designations for existing gen ed courses.
Note: One-time-only general education designation may be requested for experimental courses
(X91-previously X95), granted only for the semester taught. A NEW request must be submitted for the course to receive subsequent general education status .
Group II. Mathematics VII: Social Sciences
(submit
III. Language VIII: Ethics & Human Values separate forms if requesting more than one
III Exception: Symbolic Systems * IX: American & European
IV: Expressive Arts X: Indigenous & Global general education group
X
V: Literary & Artistic Studies XI: Natural Sciences
VI: Historical & Cultural Studies w/ lab

w/out lab

*Courses proposed for this designation must be standing requirements of designation) majors that qualify for exceptions to the modern and classical language requirement
Dept/Program
School of Theatre & Dance
Course Title
Dramatic Literature
Course #
U THTR 235L
Prerequisite
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Credits
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
3
Instructor Requestor
Phone / Email
Please type / print name Signature
Jillian Campana x5846 jillian.campana@umontana.edu
Program Chair Director
Michael Monsos
Dean
Dr. Stephen Kalm
Date
III. Type of request
New One-time Only Renew
X
Change
Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion
Description of change
Remove
IV. Description and purpose of the general education course: General Education courses must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General
Education Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course content to students’ future lives: See Preamble: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/archives/minutes/gened/GE_preamble.aspx
This course is designed to familiarize the student with various aspects of dramatic literature. Students will investigate this topic through literary criticism and script analysis of six plays. Due to the nature of the material, attention will also be given to theatre as a practical art form inspired by the written text. Selected scenes will be considered in performance on film, through class demonstration, and through attending live performances in the School of Theatre & Dance.
This course, faithfully undertaken, will provide students with a strong foundational knowledge of story, structure, dramatic action, character development, symbolic layering and theme that will enhance their skills and experiences as perceptive and participatory readers, writers, audience members, and potential practitioners of theatre.

V. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
Courses cover a number of works in one or more of the various forms of artistic representation; they also establish a framework and context for analysis of the structure and significance of these works.
Courses provide mechanisms for students 1) to receive instruction on the methods of analysis and criticism, and 2) to develop arguments about the works from differing critical perspectives.
Each semester, students investigate six examples of dramatic literature. Each work is intended to build upon the next and illuminate the nature of drama as an art form. Other elements of drama considered are the relationship between the playwright and the audience, historical/contextual considerations, and the form and style of the literature.
Utilizing the elements of drama listed above as well as a script-analysis textbook, all class discussions and writing assignments are designed to provide practice in a systematic approach to literary criticism for drama. Students are expected to think about the literature as the foundational document in pursuit of a live performance of the play. Through analysis and critique of literature and live performance, students will improve written communication skills and deepen critical and analytical faculties.
VI. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning goals. See: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
Upon completion of this perspective, students will be able to analyze works of art with respect to structure and significance within literary and artistic traditions, including emergent movements and forms.
Students will gain an understanding of the dramatic as a mode of artistic expression and its significance within literary and theatrical traditions. They will be able to analyze drama within both classical and emergent literary movements and forms and see its potential as a realized interpretation in performance.
Upon completion of this perspective, students will be able to develop coherent arguments that critique these works from a variety of approaches, such as historical, aesthetic, cultural, psychological, political, and philosophical.
Through in-class discussions, recorded and live performances, and written critical analysis, students will learn to demonstrate confidence in developing coherent arguments that critique these works from a variety of approaches such as historical, aesthetic, cultural, psychological, political, economic and philosophical. They will also being to think conceptually and practically as performing artists. Ultimately, students will both broaden and strengthen their appreciation for theatre arts and their own significant role as practitioners, audience members, and informed critics.

VII. Justification: Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will carry at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200 level.
If the course has more than one pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered above the 200 level), provide rationale for exception(s).
N/A
VIII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form.

The syllabus should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
Instructor
John Kenneth DeBoer
THTR 235L 01, Dramatic Literature
Class Dates & Location
TR 11:10 AM – 12:30 PM, LA 201
Associate Professor of Theatre
Contact Information
Email: johndeboer@umontana.edu
UMOnline: 406.243.4999
Tech Support
Office Hours
MWR 1-2 PM
McGill 212B
Course Overview: This course is designed to familiarize the student with various aspects of dramatic literature. Students will investigate this topic through literary criticism and script analysis of six plays. Due to the nature of the material, attention will also be given to theatre as a practical art form inspired by the written text. Selected scenes will be considered in performance on film, through class demonstration, and through attending live performances.
This course, faithfully undertaken, will provide students with a strong foundational knowledge of story, structure, dramatic action, character development, symbolic layering and theme that will enhance their skills and experiences as perceptive and participatory readers, writers, audience members, and potential practitioners of theatre.
Expected Student Learning Outcomes:
Have a broad knowledge of dramatic literature, style, context, plot, structure, and character.
Have a knowledge of chosen play texts through close reading
Have a critically informed understanding of chosen play texts through reading and analysis of critical material
Have an understanding of how each play performs its language, characters, place, plot, politics, context and the conditions of contemporaneous production
Have engaged with this work through script analysis, scene study, research and critique
Have articulated their engagement with the work through formal research and writing of structured criticism and analysis
Have developed the skills necessary to engage in independent criticism and analysis of dramatic literature as a practitioner, reader, or audience member
Required Materials:
Page and Stage: An Approach to Script Analysis , by Stanley Vincent Longman

Any edition of the six play texts listed in the schedule (inexpensive editions of each are available at the UM Bookstore)
Tickets to the UM Production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Available at the UMArts
Box Office. Visit www.umtheatredance.org
for more information.
Attendance and Participation: This course is participatory in nature. School of Theatre &
Dance policies will be enforced strictly. Only documented absences will be excused. Points will be awarded for participation each day.
5 The student was actively participating in class, obviously well prepared, and positively engaged with the material and fellow classmates.
4
3-0
The student was present, somewhat prepared, but not fully engaged
The student was unprepared, disruptive, disrespectful or absent
A solid work ethic is expected in this class so high marks should be the norm. Poor work will stand out. Students receiving low marks for participation should meet with me to discuss the problem and how it will be resolved.
Electronic Resources
In this class we will embrace twenty-first century technology as the incredible resource that it is. Therefore, email is the required method of communication for the course. Please check your email and Moodle frequently throughout the day. Due to its unreliability, refrain from messaging me on Moodle using the IM feature. I will always contact you using the primary email stored in Moodle and Cyberbear so be sure that your information is up to date.
All course assignments, readings, and tests will take place on Moodle this semester. You are expected to check the web daily in order to participate fully in the class. All written work must be formatted in the manner stated on the assignment page and submitted as a PDF document via Moodle by the beginning of class on the date due. I will not accept paper copies. If Moodle is down, please use email as an alternate submission option.
Please use the following naming scheme for all files: lastname_assignmentname
If you have course materials stored on your phone, tablet, laptop or equivalent device, please set it to “Airplane Mode” so that the functionality is limited to stored data retrieval for class participation. Please silence and stow other unneeded electronic devices. I will have my phone on vibrate in case an emergency message should be sent by the university. If accessing the web becomes necessary, inform me that you are doing so for the benefit of the entire class. Raise your hand and proclaim, “I’m Googling it!”
If one of your devices rings accidently during class, please silence it as quickly as humanly possible.
Don’t be embarrassed, just turn it off and all will be forgiven. Having said that anyone caught text messaging or frivolously surfing the web will be dismissed immediately from class, resulting in a complete absence.
I’M NOT KIDDING.

Grading Scale and Breakdown:
Grading Scale :
A
B
C
D
F
Assignments:
Chapter Tests (5)
Essay 1 – 600-800 Words
100 – 90%
89 – 80%
79 – 70 %
69 – 60%
59 and Below
Percentage:
30%
10%
Essay 2 – 800-1000 Words
Essay 3 – 800-1000 Words
Participation
20%
20%
20%
Course Schedule:
Topic/Date Topic/Reading Due:
The Nature of Drama: What is a Play, Weeks 1-2
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Page and Stage Chapter 1
Thursday, 2/6 Essay 1 Assigned
Tuesday, 2/11 Test on Chapter 1
Tuesday, 2/18 Essay 1 Due
Playwright and Audience,
Weeks 3-4
Book of Days, by Lanford Wilson
Page and Stage Chapter 2
Tuesday 2/25 Test on Chapter 2
The Contextual Dimension of
Drama, Weeks 5-7
The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams
Page and Stage Chapter 3
Thursday, 2/27 Essay 2 Assigned
Tuesday, 3/18 Test on Chapter 3
Friday, 3/29 Essay 2 Due Friday by 5 PM
The Temporal Dimension of
Drama, Weeks 8-11
Machinal, by Sophie Treadwell
Page and Stage Chapter 4
Tuesday, 4/15 Test on Chapter 4
Form and Style in the Drama,
Weeks 11-13
Angels in America Part 2, by Tony Kushner
Page and Stage Chapter 5
Tuesday, 4/22 Final Essay Assigned
Tuesday, 5/6 Test on Chapter 5
Steps in Analysis, Week 14
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William
Shakespeare
Tuesday, May 14 Final Paper Due at 5 PM
The Contextual Dimension of Drama
Book of Days , by Lanford Wilson

Course Policies and Procedures:
Student Conduct Code : All students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor and/or disciplinary sanction by the
University. All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code.
School of Theatre and Dance Handbook : All students in theatre courses must have an in-depth knowledge of the practices and procedures outlined in the School of Theatre & Dance
Handbook. The Handbook is available online if you have any questions.
Disability Services for Students (DSS): If you have a disability for which accommodations are needed please contact me in the first week of the semester. We will discuss what accommodations you need and will receive in this course.
Late Work Policy: Tests may only be rescheduled with prior arrangement with the instructor.
Only final essays may be turned in late for partial credit. No other assignments can be turned in late.
Naming and Submitting Assignments: All file formats (doc, docx, txt, rtf, pdf, mp3) must be uploaded using the following naming standard: Lastname_Assigment
Specification for papers: Please upload your assignments as a doc, docx, txt, rtf, dts, pdf.
Please no .wps files, they are unreadable. If you choose the last option be sure to SAVE your work elsewhere on your computer before attempting to upload it. Losing your work due to
Moodle-error is not an excuse for turning in work late.
Technical Requirements : Visit the UMOnline web page that lists downloads and plug-ins that they may need to complete your course.
Please note: Approved general education changes will take effect next fall.
General education instructors will be expected to provide sample assessment items and corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.