Theatre, M.F.A.

M.F.A. Curriculum

M.F.A. students must complete 61 semester hours of graduate course work including:

THEA 4379Advanced Studies in Contemporary Theatre and Drama3
THEA 5101Introduction to Graduate Theatre Studies1
THEA 5301Contemporary Directing Styles3
THEA 5304History and Theory of Directing3
THEA 5306Play Analysis for Directors3
THEA 5307Contemporary Performance Theory3
THEA 5308Dramatic Theory and Criticism3
THEA 5310Seminar in Classical Drama3
THEA 5311Directing Modern Plays3
THEA 5312Directing Classical Plays3
THEA 5313Production Design3
THEA 5315Seminar in Modern Drama3
THEA 5335Director's Workshop3
THEA 5351Theatre Scholarship and Research Methods3
THEA 5373Dramaturgy3
THEA 5375Actor-Director Collaboration3
THEA 5376Playwriting3
THEA 5398Thesis Production and Research3
THEA 5V99Thesis6

Required Productions

In addition to the directing projects generated in required courses, each M.F.A. student is responsible for directing and designing a full-length play during the summer following his or her first year of residency. This project serves as a qualifying exam for entry into the second year of study. During the second year, each student must satisfactorily serve as Assistant Director for a production in the regular season of Baylor University Theatre. As part of the thesis project, each third-year M.F.A. student will direct a full-length play as part of the regular season of Baylor University Theatre.

M.F.A. Examination

A written comprehensive examination is administered to M.F.A. students at the end of the second year. The examination will be reviewed by a committee of faculty. The student must pass the comprehensive examination before being eligible to register for thesis hours.

M.F.A. Thesis

M.F.A. students must direct a full-length play as part of the regular season of Baylor University Theatre and write a rigorous academic thesis on the play and production. Each student must pass an oral defense of the thesis to graduate from the program.