Performance and Communication Arts

  1. Office & Department Directory
  2. Course Catalog
  3. Performance and Communication Arts

Major and minor offered 

Visit the performance and communication arts webpage at https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/performance-and-communication-arts.  

Major Requirements  

Most students who major in the department begin with an interest in one of the two broad areas of inquiry— rhetoric/communication studies or theatre/performance studies. Majors choose a primary area of concentration. Eleven units are required to complete the major. Fulfillment of the major requires the following:  

  • All majors take the following four survey courses or areas that will introduce them to various aspects of the major:  
    • PCA 107. Beginning Acting or PCA 100 Beginning Ballet or PCA 230 Beginning/Intermediate Modern Dance or PCA 235 Beginning/Intermediate Jazz Dance  
    • PCA 111. Rhetoric and Public Speaking.  
    • PCA 125. Introduction to Theatre.  
    • PCA 127. Introduction to Communication Studies.  
  • Majors must complete seven additional courses, at least five of which must be in their primary area of concentration. At least four of these courses must be at 300-level and above. At least two must be designated as a research intensive (RI) course.   

Courses in rhetoric/communication studies include:   

  • PCA 105. Language as Human Experience. (Dual-listed by ANTH)  
  • PCA 201. Introduction to Journalism. (Dual-listed by ENG)   
  • PCA 225. Peer Mentoring in Rhetoric and Communication.  
  • PCA 239. Media Industries.  
  • PCA 3000-3999. Special Topics in Rhetoric/Communication Studies. (200-Level Courses)   
  • PCA 310. Culture & Media (cross-listed with Digital Media & Film)  
  • PCA 311. Advanced Public Speaking.  
  • PCA 315. Gender and Communication.  
  • PCA 318. Argumentation and Debate.  
  • PCA 321. Intercultural Communication.  
  • PCA 328. Interpersonal Communication.  
  • PCA 329. Rhetoric of Social Movements.  
  • PCA 331. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.  
  • PCA 333. Rhetorical Criticism.  
  • PCA 334. Environmental Communication.  
  • PCA 335. Sex Talk. Dual-listed with Gender and Sexuality Studies  
  • PCA 342. Blogging the Globe: News Analysis and Investigative Journalism. (Dual-listed by GS)  
  • PCA 360. Public Sphere of Renaissance Venice.  
  • PCA 361. London Coffeehouse Culture & Modernity.  
  • PCA 365. Rhetoric of Algorithms (cross-listed with Digital Media & Film)  
  • PCA 370. Against Health: Rhetoric & the Health Humanities.  
  • PCA 4000-4999. Special Topics in Rhetoric/Communication Studies. (300-Level Courses)  
  • PCA 480. Independent Study.  
  • PCA 489. SYE: Senior Project.  
  • PCA 498. SYE: Honors Senior Project.  

Courses in theatre/performance studies include:  

  • PCA 100. Beginning Ballet.  
  • PCA 101. Production Credit.  
  • PCA 103. Stagecraft. (dual-listed with DMF)  
  • PCA 107. Beginning Acting (dual-listed with DMF)  
  • PCA 113. Introduction to Performance Studies.  
  • PCA 215. Dramatic Texts in Context.  
  • PCA 223. Playwriting.  
  • PCA 230. Beginning/Intermediate Modern Dance.  
  • PCA 235. Beginning/Intermediate Jazz Dance.  
  • PCA 237. Contemporary British Theatre – Intro Level. (offered off campus in London)  
  • PCA 244. Techniques of Screenwriting.  
  • PCA 255. African American Drama.  
  • PCA 270. Collaboration Across the Arts.  
  • PCA 3000-3999. Special Topics in Theatre/Performance Studies. (200-Level Courses)  
  • PCA 301. Advanced Modern Dance.  
  • PCA 303. Stage Lighting.  
  • PCA 304. Arts Management. (offered off campus in New York City)   
  • PCA 305. Make-up Design  
  • PCA 307. Characterization. (cross-listed with DMF)  
  • PCA 308. Cultural Encounters. (offered off campus in New York City)  
  • PCA 314. Devising for Performance.  
  • PCA 319, 320. Shakespeare.  
  • PCA 327. Drama By and About Women. (cross-listed with GNDR)  
  • PCA 332. Directing. (dual-listed with DMF)  
  • PCA 337. Contemporary British Theatre – Advanced Level. (offered off campus in London)  
  • PCA 338. Twentieth-Century Avant-Garde.  
  • PCA 340. Performance Art.  
  • PCA 343. Taboo Performances.  
  • PCA 355. Studies in World Dramatic Literature.  
  • PCA 358. Madrid Stage. (offered off campus in Madrid)  
  • PCA 362. Introduction to Stage Management  
  • PCA 368. Costume Design  
  • PCA 369. Costume Construction  
  • PCA 373. Drama for Teaching and Learning (cross-listed with Education)  
  • PCA 375. Theatre, Sustainability, and the Natural World (cross-listed in Public Health and Environmental Studies)  
  • PCA 4000-4999. Special Topics in Theatre/Performance. (300-Level Courses)  
  • PCA 480. Independent Study.  
  • PCA 490. SYE: Senior Project.  
  • PCA 499. SYE: Honors Senior Project.  

Honors in Performance and Communication Arts 

To graduate with honors, a major must maintain a 3.5 GPA in the department and a 3.0 GPA overall; the major’s senior project proposal must be approved for enrollment in PCA 498/499 SYE: Honors Senior Project; and the student must earn at least a 3.5 in PCA 498/499.   

Minor Requirements  

Fulfillment of the minor requires six courses and students need to meet the following requirements:  

All PCA minors must take EITHER:  

PCA 125. Introduction to Theatre and one of the following: 

  • PCA 107. Beginning Acting 
  • PCA 100. Beginning Ballet 
  • PCA 230. Beginning/Intermediate Modern Dance 
  • PCA 235. Jazz Dance  

Or  

PCA 111. Public Speaking and PCA 127. Introduction to Communication Studies.  

Minors must take four additional PCA courses, at least two must be at the 200 or 300 level.  

Off-Campus and Transfer Credit   

Students wishing to transfer in course credits must produce a syllabus to the department chair for the course they would like considered for credit. Students may transfer up to two credits from off-campus study toward a PCA major or minor.     

See Performance and Communication Arts courses

Updated 7/1/26