Drama, M.F.A.
The School of Theatre offers a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Drama with concentrations in Acting, Design, Music Direction for Musical Theatre, and Theatre for Youth. The M.F.A. is a terminal master’s degree designed to develop individual artistry and provide advanced, specialized training in acting, design, music direction, and theatre for youth. The M.F.A is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.
The School of Theatre offers a rich and varied curriculum that combines theory and practice and demands the development of skills and talents. Curricular offerings are matched by an extensive co-curricular program that includes opportunities to participate in the School’s extensive theatre production program, which includes UNC Greensboro Theatre, N.C. Theatre for Young People, and Workshop Theatre.
Office, classroom, laboratory, studio, and performance space is used in the Taylor (under renovation), Moore, UNC Greensboro Auditorium, Brown, Ferguson, Curry, and the 326 and 328 Tate Street buildings. The faculty of talented artists and scholars have excellent national reputations and are deeply committed to teaching and learning. Graduate students are expected to work closely with faculty on creative and research projects during their course of study.
Non-degree students are restricted from taking any 500-level course without the permission of the Director of the School of Theatre and the course instructor. Only students officially admitted to the M.F.A program can register for 600-level courses.
For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see https://grs.uncg.edu/programs/.
In addition to the application materials required by the Graduate School, applicants must submit a detailed resume of theatre experience and participate in an interview.
Acting concentration applicants are required to audition, Music Direction for Musical Theatre concentration applicants are required to audition and interview, and applicants to the Design and the Theatre for Youth concentrations must submit a portfolio. Please contact individual programs for specific program requirements.
Admission to the School’s degree programs is very competitive. Marginal compliance with the requirements does not automatically imply admission.
Students entering the program normally have an undergraduate degree in Theatre with a strong background in the concentration they wish to pursue. Exceptions are occasionally made for students with significant professional or practical experience. For the Design concentration, an undergraduate degree in a related field may be acceptable. Students admitted without the appropriate undergraduate background will be expected to complete remedial work, in addition to normal degree requirements.
Degree Program Requirements
Required: 60 credit hours
Acting Concentration
The M.F.A. in Drama with an Acting Concentration is a 60 credit hour degree that may be completed in four semesters (two years) for students on assistantships. The Acting Concentration is dedicated to the development of the advanced actor for professional and academic theatre. Students take classes in voice, movement, contemporary and period scene study, acting for the camera, audition techniques, and related coursework in academic and performance disciplines. The program consists of a core of acting courses and practicum experiences all students take and a series of electives the student selects in consultation with their advisor. Internships are required for students without experience in summer theatre or a professional equivalent.
Candidates for the degree are accepted every other year.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Studies (42 credits) | ||
| THR 532 | Advanced Shakespeare Studio | 3 |
| THR 539 | Professional Theatre Audition Techniques | 3 |
| THR 603 | Acting Seminar | 3 |
| THR 614 | Collaboration in Theatrical Production | 3 |
| THR 621 | Advanced Dynamics: Movement 1 | 6 |
| THR 622 | Advanced Dynamics: Voice 1 | 6 |
| THR 631 | Studies in Acting | 3 |
| THR 632 | Contemporary Acting II | 3 |
| THR 633 | Period Acting II | 3 |
| THR 690 | Graduate Practicum in Theatre 2 | 6 |
| THR 699 | Master Production in Theatre | 3 |
| Academic Studies (6 credits) | ||
| Select a minimum of two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Theatre History I 3 | ||
| Theatre History II 3 | ||
| Theatre History III 3 | ||
| American Theatre History | ||
| Global Performance and Theatre | ||
| Theatre Field Studies | ||
| Drama Theory and Criticism | ||
| Seminar in Drama and Theatre History | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| Topics in Film Studies | ||
| History of Opera | ||
| Supportive Studies (12 credits) | ||
| Select a minimum of four courses (12 credits) from the following: | 12 | |
| Applied Theatre II | ||
| Applied Play Directing | ||
| Stage Dialects | ||
| Advanced Physical Violence for the Stage | ||
| Acting for the Camera | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Advanced Experimentation | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
- 1
Required if not in an undergraduate academic background. Three sections, 2 credits each.
- 2
Three sections, 2 credits each.
- 3
Required if not in an undergraduate academic background.
Reviews
All candidates are reviewed each semester for continuance in the program. Reviews assess the candidate's artistic and academic development and success in meeting degree requirements.
Design Concentration
The M.F.A. in Drama with a Design Concentration is a 60 credit hour degree that may be completed in four semesters (two years) for students on assistantships. The Design Concentration is dedicated to developing well-rounded theatre designers within a scenographic tradition. The program affords students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate competencies in the major design elements used in professional theatre production. Students take classes and execute realized productions in the areas of scenery, costume, and lighting design. They are trained as artists and artisans to work in the professional entertainment industry and higher education.
Candidates for the degree are accepted every year.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Studies (42 credits) | ||
| THR 503 | Styles in Performance Design I | 3 |
| THR 504 | Styles in Performance Design II | 3 |
| THR 614 | Collaboration in Theatrical Production | 3 |
| THR 655 | Scene Design Styles | 3 |
| THR 656 | Scene Design Application | 3 |
| THR 665 | Costume Design Styles | 3 |
| THR 666 | Costume Design Application | 3 |
| THR 675 | Lighting Design Styles | 3 |
| THR 676 | Lighting Design Application | 3 |
| THR 699 | Master Production in Theatre | 3 |
| Select a minimum of 12 credits in the following seminar courses: 1 | 12 | |
| Scene Design Seminar | ||
| Costume Design Seminar | ||
| Lighting Design Seminar | ||
| Academic Studies (6 credits) | ||
| Select a minimum of two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Theatre History I 2 | ||
| Theatre History II 2 | ||
| Theatre History III 2 | ||
| American Theatre History | ||
| Global Performance and Theatre | ||
| Theatre Field Studies | ||
| Drama Theory and Criticism | ||
| Seminar in Drama and Theatre History | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| History of Opera | ||
| History of Film to 1938 | ||
| History of Film since 1938 | ||
| Topics in Film Studies | ||
| Supportive Studies (12 credits) | ||
| Select a minimum of four courses (12 credits) from the following: | 12 | |
| Advanced Stagecrafts | ||
| Technical Direction | ||
| Scene Painting I | ||
| Stage Millinery and Accessories | ||
| Costume Pattern Drafting and Draping | ||
| Portfolio Preparation for the Theatre and Academia | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Scene Design Seminar 3 | ||
| Costume Design Seminar 3 | ||
| Lighting Design Seminar 3 | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
- 1
Students must take a minimum of 12 credits of seminars. Two sections at 3 credits each.
- 2
Required if not in undergraduate academic background.
- 3
Students may take a maximum of 6 additional credits of seminars.
Reviews
All candidates are reviewed each semester for continuance in the program. Reviews assess the candidate’s artistic and academic development and success in meeting degree requirements.
Music Direction for Musical Theatre Concentration
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Studies (36 credits) | ||
| THR 614 | Collaboration in Theatrical Production | 3 |
| THR 618 | Graduate Seminar in Music Direction | 2 |
| THR 619 | Advanced Graduate Seminar in Music Direction | 2 |
| THR 690 | Graduate Practicum in Theatre 1 | 12 |
| THR 699 | Master Production in Theatre | 3 |
| MUP 653 | Performance Studies (Secondary) 2 | 8 |
| MUP 686 | Advanced Instrumental Conducting 3 | 6 |
| Academic Studies in Theatre and Music (18 credits) | ||
| THR 605 | Broadway: Development of the American Musical | 3 |
| THR 608 | Musical Theatre Literature and Repertoire | 3 |
| Select four courses (12 credits) from the following: | 12 | |
| Theatre History I | ||
| Theatre History II | ||
| Theatre History III | ||
| American Theatre History | ||
| Global Performance and Theatre | ||
| Theatre Management | ||
| Seminar in Drama and Theatre History | ||
| Song Literature I | ||
| Song Literature II | ||
| Selected Topics in Ethnomusicology | ||
| Tonal Counterpoint | ||
| History of Opera | ||
| Pedagogy of Music Theory | ||
| Rhythm and Meter | ||
| Current and Historical Trends in Music Theory | ||
| Seminar in Musicology and Ethnomusicology | ||
| Seminar in Musical Analysis | ||
| Supervised Work Study (6 credits) | ||
| THR 698 | Graduate Internship 4 | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
- 1
Must take 2 credits of THR 690 each semester for a total of 12 credits.
- 2
Must take 2 credits of MUP 653 a semester over four semesters for a total of 8 credits.
- 3
Must take 3 credits of MUP 686 a semester over two semesters for a total of 6 credits.
- 4
Must take 3 credits of THR 698 Graduate Internship for two semesters total.
Theatre for Youth Concentration
The M.F.A. in Drama with a Theatre for Youth Concentration is a 60 credit hour degree completed in four semesters (two years). The program follows the guidelines established by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education and seeks to educate theatre artists to take leadership roles in the growing field of theatre for youth. Students will have classes in process drama, devised theatre, theatre for youth, puppetry, acting, and directing. Process drama and devised theatre courses involve community engagement with the application of theory in practice. There is also a heavy emphasis on directing; directing projects are required each semester.
Candidates are accepted every other year.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Studies (39 credits) | ||
| THR 515 | Drama in Education | 3 |
| THR 516 | Puppetry | 3 |
| THR 517 | Devised Theatre | 3 |
| THR 584 | Theatre Management | 3 |
| THR 611 | Advanced Play Directing | 3 |
| THR 614 | Collaboration in Theatrical Production | 3 |
| THR 615 | Advanced Drama in Education | 3 |
| THR 617 | Trends in Theatre for Young Audiences | 3 |
| THR 624 | Black and Indigenous People of Color Plays in Theatre for Youth | 3 |
| THR 680 | The Art and Craft of Playwriting | 3 |
| THR 690 | Graduate Practicum in Theatre 1 | 6 |
| THR 699 | Master Production in Theatre | 3 |
| Academic Studies (12 credits) | ||
| THR 601 | Drama Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| THR 602 | Seminar in Drama and Theatre History | 3 |
| THR 609 | Theatre for the Very Young | 3 |
| Select one elective course (3 credits) from graduate-level courses in THR, WGS, or HDF 2 | 3 | |
| Supportive Studies (9 credits) | ||
| THR 631 | Studies in Acting | 3 |
| THR 644 | Developing and Managing Educational Programs for Arts Organizations | 3 |
| THR 695 | Independent Study | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
- 1
Three sections, 2 credits each.
- 2
Graduate-level courses in other subject may be selected with approval of the student's advisor.
Reviews
All candidates are reviewed each semester for continuance in the program. Reviews assess the candidate’s artistic and academic development and success in meeting degree requirements.