Theatre Arts
Department of Theatre Arts
Chairperson: DeAnna M. Toten Beard
Graduate Program Director: David Jortner
The Department of Theatre Arts is committed to providing quality training in advanced theatre studies (theory, criticism, theatre history, and dramatic literature) and directing for the stage. The Master of Arts degree is a pre-doctoral program requiring 31 hours. The M.A. prepares students for Ph.D. programs in theatre history, theatre theory and criticism, performance studies, and related disciplines. Each M.A. student will be closely mentored by a practicing theatre scholar and will be directed to produce original, meaningful research in the discipline. The Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing is a terminal degree requiring sixty-one semester hours. The M.F.A. Directing program is intended for the artist-scholar who plans to direct professionally, work as an artistic director, and/or pursue a career in university theatre education. Each M.F.A. student will undertake a range of directing projects during his or her three years at Baylor. As Graduate Assistants, M.F.A. students will also be assigned various production and teaching responsibilities.
Admission
To qualify for admission into the graduate program, a student must have completed a minimum of eighteen semester hours of undergraduate study in theatre arts. The M.A. and M.F.A. degrees do not have a foreign language requirement.
Students applying for admission to the M.A. Theatre program are expected to
- meet all requirements for admission to the Baylor University Graduate School;
- submit three letters of recommendation;
- submit a statement of purpose and professional goals;
- submit an academic writing sample; and
- submit scores from the GRE General Test.
The faculty reserves the right to require certain foundation courses, as well as advanced courses, according to the needs and specialization of the individual student. For further requirements, see the general graduate admission section of this catalog.
Students applying for admission to the M.F.A. Directing program are expected to
- meet all requirements for admission to the Baylor University Graduate School;
- submit three letters of recommendation;
- submit a resume which lists the plays he or she has directed, roles he or she has played, and technical/design activity in theatre;
- submit a statement of purpose and professional goals; and
- submit a director’s analysis and conceptual statement of a selected play.
Selected applicants will be asked to conduct a personal interview with a committee of faculty members from the Department of Theatre Arts. The faculty reserves the right to require certain foundation courses, as well as advanced courses, according to the needs and specialization of the individual student. For further requirements, see the general graduate admission section of this catalog.