Master of Arts in Theatre
Website: https://twu.edu/theatre/graduate-programs/
Our M.A. in Theatre degree provides the practical and academic training you’ll need to achieve your professional goals. Pursue your passion through acting/directing, design/production, or literary criticism.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Think critically and creatively including the ability to design, develop, and/or create new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or projects including artistic contributions.
- Communicate effectively including the ability to disseminate new ideas, systems via electronic means, face-to-face methods, and public performances.
- Monitoring and organizing processes, materials, and surroundings including the ability to review information relevant to a goal and to develop prioritized steps to achieve these goals.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours
36 semester credit hours (SCH), including 6 SCH for culminating creative projects.
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| THEA 5433 | Contemporary Theatre | 3 |
| THEA 5473 | Dramatic Criticism and Play Analysis | 3 |
| THEA 5483 | Theatre History I | 3 |
| THEA 5493 | Theatre History II | 3 |
| THEA 5521 | Theatre in Performance ((take 4 times)) | 4 |
| THEA 5913 | Independent Study (Project I) | 3 |
| THEA 5973 | Professional Paper | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 14 SCH from the following after approval from advisor | 14 | |
| Problems in Production (Advanced Directing) | ||
| Problems in Production (Characterization) | ||
| Styles of Acting | ||
| Theatre Management | ||
| Advanced Theatrical Design (Costumes) | ||
| Advanced Theatrical Design (Lighting) | ||
| Advanced Theatrical Design (Make-Up) | ||
| Advanced Theatrical Design (Scenery) | ||
| Speech for the Stage | ||
| Playwriting | ||
| Special Topics (Sound for the Theatre) | ||
| Special Topics (Stage Management) | ||
| Special Topics (History of Costume) | ||
| Special Topics (History of Musical Theatre) | ||
| Special Topics (Introduction to Film) | ||
| Total SCHs | 36 | |
Special Requirements
- Students are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in all courses applied to the graduate degree. A grade of C or below in any theatre course will not count toward the Master of Arts degree.
- No student may begin project work without prior approval of the student’s Graduate Committee. Students with limited experience in theatre may be asked to take some undergraduate courses as prerequisites for graduate courses.
- All M.A. candidates will complete a professional paper of no less than 45 pages in length. The paper will emerge from the culminating project created by the student in conjunction with his or her adviser and professional paper committee.
Final Examination
An oral final examination by the student's Graduate Committee serves as the culmination of the creative project and professional paper. The assessment results in one of the following: 1) approval, 2) disapproval, or 3) revision. If either the project or paper is not approved, the student’s Graduate Committee may advise one of the following:
- Completion of an additional project in the same focus area.
- A switch in focus areas and completion of a new qualifying and final project.
- Additional course work before any further project work is attempted. A student may attempt Project I or Project II no more than two times each with special permission from the theatre faculty.
