Degree Requirements
Master of Fine Arts
The Master of Fine Arts in theatre allows the choice of an area of emphasis in theatre performance studies including acting, directing, dramatic writing or theatrical design.
Seventy-two units of study at the 400- or 500-level are required for the acting emphasis, 64 units for the dramatic writing emphasis and 48 units for the directing and theatrical design emphases. Regardless of the emphasis, at least two-thirds of the units must be at the 500 level or higher. In design, instead of a conventional thesis, the M.F.A. student completes a final project in the area of design and defends it orally before the design faculty. A grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved in all graduate work taken in the School of Theatre. Graduate candidates whose undergraduate degrees are in disciplines other than theatre may be required to satisfy undergraduate prerequisites in theatre as determined by School of Theatre faculty.
Curricula for the Master of Fine Arts Degree
| Acting Emphasis | Units |
|---|
| THTR 480 | Performance for the Camera | 4 |
| THTR 515abcdef | Advanced Movement | 12 |
| THTR 520abcde | Advanced Acting | 20 |
| THTR 529ab | Textual Studies for Performance | 8 |
| THTR 540abcdef | Advanced Voice Diction | 12 |
| THTR 541 | Diction and Dialects | 2 |
| THTR 555 | Directing Fundamentals | 2 |
| THTR 571 | Professional Seminar | 2 |
| THTR 575* | Creative Production Projects | 4 |
| | 72 |
| Directing Emphasis | Units |
|---|
| THTR 520ab | Advanced Acting | 8 |
| THTR 525 | Seminar in Contemporary Theatre | 4 |
| THTR 528 | Seminar in Dramatic Analysis | 4 |
| THTR 555 | Directing Fundamentals | 2 |
| THTR 556ab | Directing | 4 |
| THTR 558ab | Design for Directors | 4 |
| THTR 567a | Studies in Playwriting | 4 |
| THTR 591 | Seminar in Producing Theatre | 4 |
| THTR 593 | M.F.A. Project | 4 |
| Electives by advisement | 10 |
| | 48 |
| Theatrical Design Emphasis | Units |
|---|
| Two courses from: |
| THTR 550a | Seminar in Scene Design | 3 |
| THTR 552a | Seminar in Costume Design | 3 |
| THTR 553a | Seminar in Lighting Design | 3 |
| Two continuing courses from: |
| THTR 550b | Seminar in Scene Design | 3 |
| THTR 552b | Seminar in Costume Design | 3 |
| THTR 553b | Seminar in Lighting Design | 3 |
| One remaining course from: |
| THTR 550a | Seminar in Scene Design | 3 |
| THTR 552a | Seminar in Costume Design | 3 |
| THTR 553a | Seminar in Lighting Design | 3 |
| All of the following: |
| THTR 407ab | Drawing and Rendering for the Theatre | 2-2 |
| THTR 435 | Advanced Theatrical Drafting | 3 |
| THTR 493ab | Periods and Styles | 2-2 |
| THTR 593 | M.F.A. Project | 4 |
| Two seminars, one of which must be |
| THTR 528 | Seminar in Dramatic Analysis (4) | 8 |
| 400- or 500-level electives by advisement, 5 units of which must be at the 500 level | 10 |
| | 48 |
| Dramatic writing emphasis | Units |
|---|
| CTWR 513 | Writing the Short Script | 2 |
| CTWR 514ab | Basic Dramatic Screenwriting | 2-2 |
| THTR 501 | Poetry and Prose into Drama | 4 |
| THTR 513 | Seminar in History of the Theatre | 4 |
| THTR 525 | Seminar in Contemporary Theatre | 4 |
| THTR 529a | Textual Studies for Performance | 4 |
| THTR 545 | Visiting Artists Master Seminar | 4 |
| THTR 555 | Directing Fundamentals | 2 |
| THTR 567ab | Studies in Playwriting | 4-4 |
| THTR 575* | Creative Production Projects | 4 |
| THTR 593 | M.F.A. Project | 4 |
| THTR 595ab | Graduate Playwrights' Workshop | 4-4 |
| One of the following courses |
| CTCS 502 | History of Global Cinema After World War II | 2 |
| CTCS 503 | Survey History of the United States Sound Film | 2 |
| CTWR 434 | Comedy Writing Genres | 2 |
| CTWR 435 | Writing for Film and Television Genres | 2 or 4 |
| CTWR 516 | Advanced Motion Picture Script Analysis | 2 |
| CTWR 520 | Advanced Scene Writing Workshop | 2 |
| Electives** | | 8-10 |
| | 64 |
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