The Department of Drama, widely recognized and ranked as one of the top ten training programs in the country, combines broad liberal study and comprehensive training in several sub-disciplines of drama. The Department of Drama produces a full season of plays, musicals, and world premieres with varying dimensions and audience/actor relationships. The vision of the Department of Drama's founding faculty was to produce students who combine a critical intelligence with disciplined theatrical experience. To this end, the Department fosters an environment of creativity, in-depth learning of design, performance, and scholarly activity. The Department's rare combination of distinguished permanent faculty, high profile guest master class teachers, an interactive student population, and excellent facilities allows it to offer a program that is creatively robust and intellectually rigorous. The current faculty includes active and highly regarded individuals in their fields of practice, and so remains able to impart current, relevant knowledge to drama students. The Honors in Directing Program provides the opportunity for Drama majors to concentrate on the study and practice of stage direction. Honors in Directing students study basic and advanced directing techniques, participate in the directing studio classes with graduate Directing students, and direct two full plays in the Director Class Projects series. Honors students also have the opportunity to receive credit as the assistant director to a Drama Department main season show, or as a production internship with a professional theatre company.