Theatre Arts
Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) Theatre Arts · Santa Barbara City College · 2026-2027 Catalog
The Theatre Arts Department at Santa Barbara City College offers a variety of programs of study and experience suited to the needs of the serious theatre student, as well as those students who wish to include theatre arts as part of their liberal arts education. With curricula in Acting/Directing, Design/Lighting, Costuming and Technical Production, the program provides an intensive two-year course of study that prepares Theatre Arts majors for transfer to a four-year college or university—ready to do advanced, upper-division work.
The acting program is designed to fit the needs both of the beginning acting student and those with considerable experience. Taught by professionals with decades of experience in theatre, television and film, our courses allow you to learn and practice the skills necessary to get cast, create compelling characters and believably engage with other performers under imaginary circumstances. Our main acting sequence involves monologues, scene work, theatre games, improvisation and acting exercises to teach the skills necessary to create an affecting performance. Other classes include voice and diction, acting for the camera, improvisation and stage combat. Productions with the Theatre Group at SBCC provide opportunities for acting in a professional quality setting, and our all-student production in the fall and one-act festival in the spring allows students of all skill levels to perform publicly.
Our technical theatre and design program provides course work and hands-on work opportunities in a wide range of technical theatre work. Courses include Costume Technology, Stagecraft, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Theatrical Make-up, Scenography and Scenic Design. Students in these courses immediately earn credit through work experience running, and constructing shows in the areas of wardrobe, light or sound board operators, scenic construction or painting or stage management. Design opportunities are available as well. Students are mentored in their work as designers in one of the productions each semester.
The Associate in Arts for Transfer degree in Theatre Arts provides students with the foundational knowledge necessary to make a successful transition into a Baccalaureate Degree at any of the CSU campuses. The Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) is a special degree offered at California Community Colleges. Students who earn an AA-T or AS-T degree are guaranteed admission to a campus within the California State University (CSU) system in a similar major, although not necessarily to a specific campus. Students who complete an AA-T or AS-T are given priority consideration when applying to a particular program that is similar to the student’s community college major, and will be given a special GPA advantage when applying to CSU impacted campuses or majors.
Students should consult with an academic counselor when choosing electives in order to develop a program of study that is best suited to their specific needs. For example, requirements for the baccalaureate degree in Theatre Arts vary from one institution to another. It is, therefore, essential to become familiar with the requirements of the institution that a student plans to attend.
Visit https://adegreewithaguarantee.com/ for more information about these degrees.
Requirements
Associate Degree for Transfer Graduation Requirements
Complete all of the following:
- All Major Requirements listed below with a “C” or better or "P" in each course.
- Cal-GETC pattern.
- At least 60 CSU transferable semester units.
- Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all CSU transferable coursework.
- A minimum of 12 units through SBCC.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| Required Core | ||
| TA 103 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 |
| orTA 107 | Development Of Drama: Greek to Renaissance | |
| TA 111 | Beginning Acting | 3 |
| Complete 3 units from the following Rehearsal and Performance Production or Technical Theatre in Production courses: | 3 | |
| TA 131 | Costume Technology | |
| TA 142 | Theatre Workshop II | |
| TA 143 | Theatre Workshop III | |
| TA 144 | Theatre Workshop IV | |
| TA 145B | Light Board Operator | |
| TA 145C | Master Electrician | |
| TA 145D | Assistant to the Lighting Designer | |
| TA 146B | Fly and Scenery Systems Operator | |
| TA 146C | Deck-Crew Co-Chief | |
| TA 146D | Deck Crew Head | |
| TA 149B | Assistant Stage Manager | |
| TA 149C | Stage Manager | |
| TA 149D | Production Stage Manager | |
| TA 150B | Audio Mixing Board Operator in Production | |
| TA 150C | Audio Systems Programmer | |
| TA 150D | Chief Audio Technician | |
| TA 152 | Theatre Production II | |
| TA 153 | Theatre Production III | |
| TA 154 | Theatre Production IV | |
| TA 155B | Specialty Costume Dresser in Production | |
| TA 155C | Costume Crew Technician in Production | |
| TA 155D | Costume Crew Head in Production | |
| TA 156B | Make-up and Hair Assistant in Production | |
| TA 156C | Theatrical Makeup, Hair and Wig Technician in Production | |
| TA 157A | Intermediate Theatrical Make-up Techniques | |
| TA 158B | Scenic Studio Construction Carpenter/Painter | |
| TA 158C | Scenic Studio Project Carpenter/Painter | |
| TA 250 | Advanced Theatre Performance | |
| TA 255B | Classical Comedy in Performance | |
| TA 255C | Classical Comedy in Performance | |
| TA 255D | Classical Comedy in Performance | |
| TA 256B | Contemporary Comedy in Performance | |
| TA 256C | Contemporary Comedy in Performance | |
| TA 256D | Contemporary Comedy in Performance | |
| TA 262B | Modern American Drama in Performance | |
| TA 262C | Modern American Drama in Performance | |
| TA 262D | Modern American Drama in Performance | |
| TA 263B | Classical Drama in Performance | |
| TA 263C | Classical Drama in Performance | |
| TA 263D | Classical Drama In Performance | |
| TA 267A | Acting Styles: Shakespeare | |
| TA 267B | Acting Styles: Stage Combat | |
| TA 267C | Acting Styles: Musical Theatre Performance | |
| TA 272A | Contemporary World Drama Intensive | |
| TA 272B | Contemporary World Drama Intensive | |
| TA 272C | Contemporary World Drama Intensive | |
| TA 273A | Contemporary World Comedy Intensive | |
| TA 273B | Contemporary World Comedy Intensive | |
| TA 273C | Contemporary World Comedy Intensive | |
| List A - Complete 9 units from List A OR 6 units from List A and an additional 3 units from the Rehearsal and Performance Production or Technical Theatre in Production courses, not being used to satisfy the Required Core: | 9 | |
| TA 104 | Script Analysis | |
| TA 112 | Intermediate Acting A | |
| TA 120 | Understanding Scenography | |
| TA 121 | Introduction to Stagecraft | |
| TA 123 | Stage Lighting | |
| TA 134 | Costume Design | |
| TA 136 | Theatrical Makeup Techniques | |
| Total Units | 18.00 | |
Students are advised to consult the CSU ADT Major & Campus Search database to determine which bachelor's degree programs offered by the CSU campuses are deemed similar to the AA-T in Theatre Arts. Students are also advised to consult ASSIST (www.assist.org) and to meet with an academic counselor to discuss the best combination of courses to take for their AA-T to ensure they receive the admission benefits associated with it, and to meet the requirements of the transfer institution to which they are intending to transfer.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyze a play text in terms of dramatic structure, production and performance.
- Knowledgeably critique a theatrical performance in terms of relevant techniques applied and aesthetic choices made.
- Articulate the evolution of theatre and its various styles and genres and relate them to contemporary issues, values and concerns.
Recommended Sequence
Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.
How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.