Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Drafting for Theatre (Face-to-Face)

THEA 2523-01

Course: THEA 2523-01
Credits: 2
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: TA
CRN: 11655

Course Description

This course serves as an introduction to drafting for theatre, film, and the entertainment industry. This course will focus exclusively on hand drafting and the fundamentals of drafting. In addition to traditional designer draftings, we will also explore construction drawings and other professional standards. This is a lab course with many projects beginning in class but will require out of class time to finish assignments.
(Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): THEA 1513 and THEA 1541 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

Drafting for the Theatre, Second Edition by Dennis Dorn & Mark Shanda; ISBN: 978-0809330379

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
  • Identify and utilize common drafting tools used to create hand draftings
  • Identify and utilize standard drafting symbols and understand drafting language and terminology used throughout the industry
  • Communicate with other members of the team to effectively convey designs for realizing their ideas
  • Read and create a full drafting package, including:
    • Ground plans
    • Sections
    • Elevations
    • Perspectives
    • Build Plans and more

Course Requirements

A basic breakdown by assignment is:     
Points    Assignment                                Grade Percentage
20         Personal Title Block                                         2%
100       Lettering Project                                            10%
50         Line weights & Drafting Standards                  5%
10         Line type Project                                           10%
50         Dimension & Labeling Worksheet                   5%
30         Orthographic Projection Worksheet                3%
100       Plating Project                                              10%
30         Flat/ Stock Worksheets                                   3%
70         Flat Construction Drafting                               7%
100       Organic Drafting Project                                10%
250       Final Project                                                  25%
100       Attendance & Participation                            10%
1000 Points Possible

Course Outline

Week 1 – Introduction to Course & Materials:
Course Introduction & Material Checkout/ Orientation

Week 2 – Lettering & Title Blocks:
Drafting Lettering, Title Blocks, & Page Layouts

Week 3 – Line weights & Line Types:
Line weights, Drafting Basics, & Line type Project

Week 4 – Line weights & Line Types Continued:
Line type Project Continuation 

Week 5 – Dimensions & Labeling:
Introduction to Dimensioning, Labeling, & Worksheets

Week 6 – Orthographic Projections:
Orthographic Projections, Layouts, & Orthographic Worksheets

Week 7 – Plating:
Orthographic Sections, Creating Drafting Plates, & Beginning Plating Project

Week 8 – Plating Continued:
Continuation of Plating Project

Week 9 – Construction Draftings:
Introduction to Construction Drafting’s & Flat Construction

Week 10 – Construction Draftings Continued:
USITT & Flat Construction Project Continuation

Week 11 – Organic Drafting:
Grid to Grid Method & Organic Drafting’s

Week 12 – Drop Point Perspectives:
Ground plans, Sections, Drop Point Perspectives & Introduce Final Project

Week 13 – Final Project:
Final Project Workdays

Week 14 – Final Project Continued:
Continuation of Final Project Workdays

Week 15 – Finals: 
Presentation of Final Project

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

All work is to be completed to the best of your abilities, prior to the due date, and submitted on time. With the exception of circumstances beyond the student's control (i.e. Sudden Illness, bereavement, etc.) or prior arrangements have been made with the instructor BEFORE the due date, any assignments turned in after the due date will have 5% deducted for EACH day it is late. Absence from class on the day an assignment is due is not a valid excuse and makeup work will not be accepted.

Attendance Policy

The Department attendance policy states:
  • Lecture Based Courses
    • Attendance is required for all classes unless excused by the instructor or for official university travel. Students who miss more than four class meetings for courses scheduled three days a week; three in courses scheduled two days a week, or one is courses scheduled one day a week, shall have their grade lowered by 1/3 of a letter grade with an additional 1/3 for every additional absence.
  • Studio Based Courses
    • Attendance is required for all classes unless excused by the instructor or for official university travel.  Students who miss more than four class meetings for courses scheduled three days a week; three in courses scheduled two days a week, or one in courses scheduled one day a week, shall have their grade lowered by a full letter grade with an additional 1/3 grade for every additional absence.
  • Additional Information
    • Any student missing more than 25% of class meetings cannot receive a passing grade in departmental courses.
    • Students who are habitually late to courses will be subject to final grade lowering at the discretion of the instructor.

If clarification is needed, students should proactively contact me so we can discuss.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.