Registration FAQ for Undergraduate Non-Majors * Department of Theatre and Dance


Mark-Anthony Zuniga, Senior Academic Advisor: TD_Advising@austin.utexas.edu 


Can I be added to a Theatre and Dance course after the fourth day of classes?

From Registration to 4th day of classes, please join the waitlist, if available.  

From the 5th to 12th day of classes, contact the instructor of the OPEN course to find out if late adds are permitted.  Receiving consent doesn't guarantee a seat in the course due to class size limitations. 

If consent is received, please change the subject line to Spring 2025 Late Add, then forward the email along with the information listed below to TD_Advising@austin.utexas.edu.   
*Your First & Last Name 
*Your EID
*TD course to be added (TD 3XX Title of course, Unique #XXXXX, Instructor Name)
*Course & Unique number of course to be dropped, if needed

Which Theatre and Dance courses may be available to non-majors?

A limited number of Theatre and Dance courses are open to non-Theatre and Dance majors. Courses that read “open” typically have some seats reserved for majors and some for non-majors. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are designed specifically for non-majors.

LOWER-DIVISION THEATRE AND DANCE COURSES OPEN TO NON-MAJORS

*T D 301 Introduction to Theatre
     A lecture course that does not include a studio component (you will not act or dance in this class). Students read a variety of dramatic literature, see, discuss, and write about performance, gain a basic understanding of Theatre conventions, the roles of theatre practitioners, and theatre history. Students will be required to attend at least three productions in the course of the semester. It is the student's responsibility to make reservations, purchase tickets, etc. TD 301 is open to all UT students EXCEPT for TD majors.

T D 302S Arts Integrations for Multidisciplinary Connections 
     Through readings, videos, in-class activities, discussion, field trips, micro-teaching, and written reflection, designed to develop a practical understanding of the techniques and skills associated with integrating the arts into various contexts. Provides experience in each art content area (dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts) to develop an introductory understanding of each of these disciplines.

T D 302T Topics in Dance
     These classes are active practice oriented. All sections of TD 302T are appropriate for students with some previous dance experience, as well as those who may be new to dance. Previous topics have included: Ballet, Modern, Yoga, Jazz, Improv, Hip-Hop and Tap.

*T D 303 Fundamentals of Acting
     Requires a high degree of participation. Students will become acquainted with and begin to learn the basic techniques used by actors. This course is open to all UT students EXCEPT for TD majors.

T D 305S Topics in Black Theatre and Dance
     Topics may include Toni Morrison and August Wilson. 

T D 306 Introduction to Improvisational Drama
     General Introduction to improvisational activities with application to the theatre.

T D 307K Dance/Identity/Cultural Expression
     Analyze dance as a significant tool for defining and articulating the many varied and intersecting facets of identity such as gender, sexuality, race, class, and nationality among others. Examine many forms of dance occurring in diverse contexts from the modern dance innovators of the 1950s, to vogue and ballroom culture of the 1980s, to representations of dance across contemporaneous media platforms like Instagram. Explore how distinct dance communities enact a multicultural and non-static notion of identity in American culture.

T D 308K Costume, Culture, and Change on Stage and Screen
     Explore costuming and costume design as an agent in our social reality, both reflecting and constructing the identities which we interact with daily. Engage with a wide range of archival materials, streaming video, live performances, creative group work, and interviews with locally and internationally renowned artists. 

T D 309K Musical Theatre Stage/Screen
     Examine the various histories explored by musical theatre. Investigate the conventions utilized by musical theatre during their development and original productions. Consider the various types of musicals, and how these musicals explore historical and cultural events and persons through this unique medium.

T D 311T Introductory Topics in Theatre and Dance.
     Various topics including contemporary and local performance, the role of the artist in society, the philosophy of a fine arts education.

T D 315 Playwriting I
     The study and practice of writing plays.

T D 317C/317D Theatre History through 18th Century / Theatre History since 18th Century
 

UPPER-DIVISION THEATRE AND DANCE COURSES OPEN TO NON-MAJORS

T D 325/355 Playwriting II or Playwriting III (need TD 315/need TD 325)
     Emphasis on the form and writing of the full-length play, or the equivalent.

T D 326D Theatre Studies - Young Audiences
     Theory and practice of all phases of play production for young audiences.

T D 351T Topics in Theatre & Dance (some sections require instructor consent)
     Topics may include Creative Drama, Theater in Museum Settings, Teaching Artists in Communities, Digital Storytelling.

T D 352T Topics in Dance & Movement (some sections require instructor consent)
     Topics may include Yoga, Hip Hop, Pilates, Tap.

T D 353T Topics in Acting & Directing (some sections require instructor consent)
     Topics may include Viewpoints Training.

T D 354T Topics in Design & Technology (some sections require instructor consent)
     Topics in costume, scenic, lighting, projection and sound design & technology.

T D 355/355T Topics in Playwriting (some sections require instructor consent)
     Topics may include Playwriting III, Writing for Interactive Games.

T D 356T Topics in Theatre Studies (some sections require instructor consent)
     Topics may include Latino Theatre for Young Audiences.

T D 357T Topics in History, Criticism and Performance Studies (some sections require instructor consent)
     Topics may include Writing for Black Performance, Confronting LGBTQ Oppression, The American Musical.

How do find out more about the content of a course? 

Additional info for some courses may be found by reviewing the course syllabi from previous semesters.  

How do I register for Theatre and Dance courses open to non-majors?

You may register for open T D courses via the online registration system when you register for your other courses.  Course options vary each semester.

I tried to register for a class that reads as open but it gives me an error message, what do I do?

Courses that read as open have some seats reserved for majors and some for non-majors. If you attempt to register and receive an error message, then the remaining seats are only for current T&D majors.  You may add yourself to the waitlist, if available.  Unused seats will be released by the first day of classes.

The course I want is listed as closed, will there be a waitlist option?

It could be that the course will not have a waitlist or the waitlist is full.  Keep checking the course schedule for changes.

How do I add myself to a waitlisted course?

To be offered a waitlist option, you must be enrolled in at least one other course, then try to add the T D course.  You'll receive an error message, then the option to add to a waitlist should appear.  Please review the other requirements on the Texas One Stop Using Waitlists site or contact your Advisor for assistance.

I found a course listed as open, but it has prerequisites listed in the course description, what do I do?

Prerequisites are not enforced for T D courses listed as "open".  Feel free to add the course to your schedule if a seat is available.

May I take a dance class beyond the beginner level that is listed as reserved to majors?

You may attend a Dance Placement class for T D 322C - Contemporary Technique and/or T D 322F - Ballet Technique.  Dance placement classes are held during the first week of classes each fall and spring semester.  Students should review the course schedule and contact the specific course instructor for placement class dates.

The dance placement class only determines the appropriate level of instruction for each individual student.  It does not guarantee placement into reserved dance classes.  If seats are available, instructors will place your name and UT EID on an online consent sheet. Then, non-majors may register for the course once the restriction has been lifted.  Information detailing audition specifics can be found online.

May I audit a Theatre and Dance course for no course credit?

Due to the participatory nature of Theatre and Dance courses, auditing is not an option for the majority of Theatre and Dance courses. Only lecture based courses may be audited, if seats are available during the first week of classes. Please review the General Information Catalog for instructions on auditing a course. 

How can I obtain permission to get into "open; reserved" Theatre and Dance courses?

The majority of reserved T D courses are not available to non-majors. Receiving consent doesn't guarantee a seat in the course due to class size limitations.

From the 1st to 4th day of classes, please contact the instructor of the "open; reserved" T D course for consent to take the course. 

If consent is received, please forward that email along with the information listed below to TD_Advising@austin.utexas.edu
*Your First & Last Name
*Your EID
*TD course to be added (TD 3XX Title of course, Unique #XXXXX, Instructor Name)

Can I minor in Theatre or Dance?

While some colleges at UT might allow you to declare a minor in Theatre and/or Dance, the Department of Theatre and Dance does not offer a transcript-recognized minor. It is the student’s responsibility to identify courses available to them as non-majors that fulfill the requirements of their own college. These students should meet with an Academic Advisor in the college in which they are currently enrolled to discuss how to complete a minor for their particular degree plan.

The College of Fine Arts offers transcript-recognized minors in Arts Management & Administration, Art History and Studio Art.  More information can be found online.

Can non-majors audition for Theatre and Dance productions?

Auditions for Department of Theatre and Dance shows are open to UT Austin students in any major, though Theatre and Dance majors will receive casting priority. General auditions are held in October and February for the following term (auditions in October for Spring productions; auditions in February for productions the following Fall). Non-majors may also audition for:

The student lab production season - A bulletin board with information for the student lab season is located outside of WIN 1.122.

Most student organization productions - You may also review the Student Organization Website for options. 

Most New Works Festival shows - The New Works Festival takes place during the spring semesters of every odd year.  Auditions for the Spring 2025 festival shows may take place around January 2025.  More information can be found online.

Where can I buy discounted student tickets for Theatre and Dance Productions?

Students may purchase discounted tickets online for some of our shows.

Want to get more involved? Join our student volunteer usher program!

All students enrolled at The University of Texas are eligible to join our student usher team (regardless of their major). Apply to be an usher HERE.



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