[SML] Aggregate hours for majors?

[Ford Sellers]

Hi John,

At Cornell, we had a similar requirement.  However, it was not over their 4 yr career, but divided over specific practicum courses. To prevent that very problem that you point to.

Each student kept a timecard, and was graded at the end of the semester, based on the number of hours that they put in over the course of the semester.  If a student was heavily involved in one production, they might get all of their hours in during that show.  More often than not though (especially at the 100 level), they would put in a few hours during a light hang, a few more during focus calls, and then repeat this over 3 or more productions a semester.  Sometimes they might supplement this by com in in to cut gels, or organize gobos...or if they're really desperate clean the equipment.  For the 200 level course (also required) they needed to operate a lighting or sound console for a show.  On the very rare occasion that they had a problem getting enough hours for 2 credits (between running the board for focus, watching a run-through, having a programming session or two, going through tech, and running the console for the full run of the production), they were allowed to supplement their time with 100 level activities (rigging calls, cutting gel, etc).  Basically, it was about 30 hours per credit, and the course had a 2 credit minimum. This was graded P/F, but there was an option to give an unsatisfactory grade if someone's attitude was particularly challenged.

Majors were required to complete both a 100 level, and a 200 level practicum during their undergraduate studies, and design majors had 300 (assistant designer/asst. ME) and 400 level (designer) practicums, as well.

Even over just one semester, no matter how much you warn them, students often try to put things off until the last few weeks.  Giving them the opportunity to compound this error over 8 semesters seems like a really, really, really, bad idea.

-Ford

-----Original Message-----
From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft-bounces at theatrical.net] On Behalf Of John McAfee via Stagecraft
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2015 6:03 PM
To: Stagecraft Mailing List
Cc: John McAfee
Subject: [SML] Aggregate hours for majors?

Hi all,

I’m sitting in my office on the Sunday of load-in with no majors here (no students at all, actually) for the second day and so we’re looking at requiring all theater majors to do something like 400 hours over the course of their undergraduate career.  I am leery about this because I think it will mean that I have a lot of grasshoppers in the shop their senior year trying to complete 350 hours in a semester.  I’m sure other people have done this, what was the success rate?  What was the hour requirement?

Thanks,
John
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