Revised Proposal for Inclusion of THEA 2423 Dramatic Analysis in the New MSU Core Curriculum
NOTE: The number, name, and content of this course have been changed in designing it for possible
inclusion in the Creative Arts component of the new MSU core. The number and name have been
changed from THEA 3423 Script Analysis to THEA 2423 Dramatic Analysis.
Proposed Course: THEA 2423 Dramatic Analysis
Credit Hours: 3 hours
Proposed by: Dr. Ron Fischli
Date: September 26, 2012
1. Content: Courses in this category focus on the appreciation and analysis of creative artifacts and
works of the imagination.
Students in the class will read, discuss, analyze orally and in writing, and, in selected cases, experience
performances of, plays [imaginative creative artifacts] drawn from the four “Great Periods of Drama”
(the Greek Classical, the French Neo-Classical, the English Renaissance, and the Rise of Realism) as well
as 2-3 plays drawn from the post-modern era. The students will discuss the plays, analyze them orally
and in writing, and experience some of them through filmed or live performances or by performing
scenes drawn from them [analysis and appreciation].
2. Skills: Courses involve the synthesis and interpretation of artistic expression and enable critical,
creative, and innovative communication about works of art.
 In studying the plays selected for the course, the students will watch movie or live versions of
some of them to analyze the creative choices made in translating a script into performance.
[oral communication skills, critical thinking]
 The students will be required to write a critical commentary on each play, in which they will
analyze its artistic, social, and political significance; its message, themes, and images; the
characters’ motivations and relationships; and quotations that capsulize essential ideas implicit
in the script. [written communication skills, critical thinking]
 Each student will also participate in the rehearsal and performance of a scene from one of the
plays so as to develop skill in identifying, interpreting, and communicating the dynamics
between and among characters. [oral communication skills, critical thinking, teamwork]
 As for synthesis, as each play is studied, discussion time will be allotted for analyzing how a
given play seeks to reflect, shape, or reject the social, political, religious, and economic thought
of its time; an outgrowth of the discussion will be a written assignment responding to the public
backlash created by one of the plays, chosen because it generated controversy [written
communication skills, critical thinking, personal/social responsibility]
ASSESSMENT OF CORE OBJECTIVES
Communication Skills:
Each student’s written commentaries for the first play studied and the final play studied will be assessed
using the attached rubric developed for the MSU Writing Proficiency Exam. The two assessments will be
compared to measure improvement or lack of improvement. All items on the Writing Proficiency Rubric
will be utilized for the comparative assessment
Critical Thinking and Personal/Social Responsibility:
One of the plays studied will be a work that has stirred controversy. Students will be asked to assess
both orally and in writing the tension between the writer’s assertion of artistic expression and the public
objections that resulted. They will also be asked to describe how they would approach producing a
controversial play where the issue of an artist’s rights vs. his/her responsibility to society is concerned.
As part of his assessment of the written assignment related to this exercise, the instructor will apply the
attached AACU rubric for “Ethical Reasoning” (a subset of the AACU’s rubrics for assessing Personal and
Social Responsibility). He will also apply the AACU rubric for “Critical Thinking” to the assignment. The
items that will be utilized from the Ethical Reasoning Rubric are “ethical issue recognition,” “application
of ethical perspectives/concepts,” and “evaluation of different ethical perspectives/concepts.” The
items to be utilized from the Critical Thinking Rubric will be “explanation of issues,” “influence of
context and assumptions,” “student’s position (perspective, thesis/hypothesis),” and “conclusions and
related outcomes (implications and consequences).”
Teamwork:
Each student will be required to participate in rehearsing and presenting a scene from one of the plays
studied. Using the attached AACU rubric for teamwork, the instructor will attend a rehearsal and assess
each student’s participatory and collaborative skills. The items that will be utilized from the Teamwork
Rubric are “contributes to team meetings,” “facilitates the contributions of team members,” “fosters
constructive team climate,” and “responds to conflict.”
A syllabus and appropriate rubrics for this application are attached.