The Department of Performing Arts offers the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Education and Applied Theatre. This program is for students who wish to pursue careers and opportunities that lie at the intersection of the fields of theatre and education. As such, this program provides professional training in both theatre and education and in the uses of theatre and drama as vehicles of education in a multitude of settings. Completion of the 48-credit MFA also opens the door to teaching full-time in colleges and universities for those interested in a career in higher education. This graduate program is designed with two tracks, the Theatre Educator track and the Applied Theatre track, each of which include foundational and core courses, with additional work in areas of special interest to students, in order to support a broad range of individual career goals.
The Theatre Educator track is primarily for those students who plan to teach theatre and drama to children, adolescents, or adults within schools, theatres, or similar institutional settings (many of whom earn initial licensure in Massachusetts as a teacher of theatre, all levels). Applied Theatre, the second track, is for students primarily interested in the uses of theatre in a variety of community settings. This track’s curriculum focuses on theatre practices and points of view that provide for cultural exchanges and social change. Opportunities to work with diverse peoples in both classes and in communities, including professional and grassroots artists in the field, are also offered. Either track can be appropriate for students who wish to pursue a terminal degree in the field of theatre, and teach at the college level.
Students in both tracks complete a set of foundational and core requirements and work with their graduate program director or faculty advisor to design individual plans of study to meet the remainder of the degree requirements. Late afternoon/evening coursework and intensive summer institutes make it possible for students and practicing teachers to pursue this program part-time or to concentrate their study within an 18-month to 2.5-year period.
The Theatre Education and Applied Theatre program is reviewed and accredited by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. For students in the licensure track, permission to proceed to the student teaching practicum is required and based upon the successful completion of coursework and field experience. A portfolio review for these same students is required at the end of their student teaching practicum. These students must also pass the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure in order to receive their initial license.
Following are the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the Theatre Education and Applied Theatre program:
- Students will assess learning needs, develop appropriate educational goals and objectives, and design and implement drama/theatre teaching strategies based on understandings of the theoretical and historical foundations of drama/theatre education and the practices of applied drama and theatre.
- Students will demonstrate skills for creating theatre in and with a variety of communities based on the understanding of the relationships between theatre and culture as informed by economics, history, sociology, cultural studies, politics, and performance theory.
- Students will develop their individual potentials and interests in performance, production, theatre education, applied theatre, and related fields as demonstrated by portfolios, theses, or capstone projects.
Admission Requirements
Admission is by application and, when possible, interview. Requirements include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in theatre or an allied area such as education, literature, mass communication, or fine arts. Applicants may submit the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as an optional component of their application.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Fine Arts degree requires the successful completion of 48 credit hours, including 24 credits of foundation and core course requirements. In addition, students must complete courses in Advanced Studio or Theory, Qualitative Research, 4 credits of an MFA Thesis Project, and participate in the MFA Colloquium. Students may fulfill the remaining credit requirements by taking electives approved by their advisors.