Honors in Design

The Honors in Design Program provides the opportunity for Drama majors to concentrate on the study and practice of scenery, costume, or lighting design. Honors in Design students study basic and advanced design techniques, participate in classes with graduate design students, serve as an assistant designer to a graduate student or faculty designer, and possibly design a production at UCI.

Eligibility requirements are:

1. At least one year in good standing at UCI as a Drama major
2. Completion of Drama 50A, B, C, D or equivalent courses
3. Completion of at least two upper-division studio courses selected from Drama 150-162, 167-169, 171, including at least one from the design area in which the student is applying for honors
4. Possess and maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.2, with a GPA of 3.4 or higher in all design and production technique courses
5. Completion of four out of eight units of Drama 101 (Theatre Production)
6. Completion of the eligibility form (download the form)

Admission to the Honors in Design Program is competitive. Students may be admitted as early as the winter quarter of their sophomore year but no later than the spring quarter of their junior year. Upon completion of eligibility requirements, the student will schedule an informal portfolio review with a member of the design faculty appropriate to the student's specialty area(s).

The selected faculty mentor may recommend that:

1. The student is ready to proceed with a formal portfolio review and presentation to the Design faculty via the Head of Design
2. The student rework the content and/or presentation of the material for reconsideration by the faculty mentor
3. The student is not ready or able to proceed with Honors in Design

Only truly exceptional students (no more than 10 to 20 percent of those eligible) will be admitted to Honors in Design as determined by the Design faculty via the Head of Design.

Honors in Design students receive:

1. The "Honors in Design" notation on their official transcript
2. Nomination and recommendation for national University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA) interviews
3. An assistant designer assignment with a graduate student or faculty designer
4. Special consideration to design a budgeted and technically supported production

Honors candidates meet with their faculty mentor at the beginning of every quarter to evaluate their progress and with the Head of Design to check that all grade and course requirements are being satisfied.

For more information, refer to the Drama section of the UCIrvine General Catalogue or contact Professor Michael Hooker, Head of Design in Drama, mhooker@uci.edu.