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Transfer Students

The Illusion
UCSC Theater Arts has a robust and talented transfer student population that is integral to the program. The program is committed to assisting transfer students who declare the Theater Arts major to graduate within their officially alotted time here at UCSC.

Once students have accepted an offer of admission at UCSC, those who have indicated Theater Arts as their proposed major will receive email messages from the Theater Arts Academic Advisor who works with transfer students to create an academic plan showing required classes for the major, and then invites students to make appointments to update it on a quarterly basis, or more often, as needed. Advice is given to students who plan to focus on acting, technology/design, dance, stage management, dramaturgy, or any combination of those areas.

Transfer students take an Orientation course before enrolling in their first classes. They are invited to schedule an appointment with the advisor prior to enrollment to go over all questions about requirements, class selection, and enrollment procedures that are unique to the program, as well as the major declaration process, information regarding Theater Arts production opportunities, and more.

Transfer students who have taken theater or dance classes at another institution, may be able to use some of those equivalent classes toward degree requirements at UCSC. Classes will be assessed by the advisor and/or faculty to determine whether they will substitute for any Theater Arts requirements. Many California community college courses have been formally articulated/pre-approved on the website Assist.org

Courses that are listed on Assist.org are virtually guaranteed to fulfill the indicated requirements; however, if you do NOT see a course you have taken listed in Assist.org, it does not necessarily mean that it is not applicable toward our degrees. For any class that does not appear on Assist.org but which you think may apply to our major or minor requirements, please show the Theater Arts advisor your unofficial transcripts and ask for a review.

For information about the IGETC certification (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum), a series of California community college courses prospective transfer students may complete to satisfy UC or CSU general education (GE) requirements, please see: https://advising.ucsc.edu/procedures/igetc.html

Places in fall classes are held for incoming transfer students, so they may rest assured that they will be able to enroll in at least one of the classes they need for the major. Students will be notified of classes that require an audition, including some acting studios and our quarterly faculty and student productions.

Transfer students are required to declare a major by the end of their second quarter on campus. Transfer students may declare the Theater Arts major, without taking Major Qualification classes, as early as their first quarter on campus, and are encouraged to do so.

Becoming part of the Theater Arts community is important, so students will be encouraged to take classes that promote that connection, for instance, THEA 50 Fundamentals of Production (required for the major), and THEA 55A/B Barnstorm (an option to use toward one requirement for the major). Students are also invited to join the Theater Arts Discord and will be placed on an email newsletter list to receive important Theater Arts and Dance-related news and information about upcoming events, auditions, changes in course offerings, etc., as well as occasional non-Theater Arts announcements that may interest our students.

Regular contact with major advisors, college advisors, as well as other campus support offices, throughout your academic career is strongly encouraged. Academic plans often need to be adjusted as students progress and various changes arise. We want to help transfer students graduate within two years and will do whatever we can to assist in that achievement. Students who take a Leave of Absence or who study abroad will also need their study plan updated appropriately to ensure timely graduation.

The Theater Arts advisor is available Monday–Friday, 9:30 am–4:00 pm. Advising appointments for current students are made through Navigate Slug Success. Students who do not yet have access to Slug Success are invited to email the advisor for an appointment: theater-ugradadv@ucsc.edu.

(831) 459-2974, Theater Arts Center, Room J-106

Contacting faculty by email is also encouraged, their contact information can be found here.

Please also see:

STARS (Services for Transfer and Re-entry Students)

STARS provides personal and academic support for transfer and re-entry students. Located at Kresge College, they have a student lounge, free (limited) printing, events throughout the quarter, and drop-in advising. Check them out!: stars.ucsc.edu