Theatre, M.F.A. (with Emphasis in Acting)

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Acting

The M.F.A. acting program balances the development of the actor’s unique skills with the acquisition of technique. The program seeks to train actors of integrity, capable of artistic excellence in a variety of venues. The acting studios form the program’s spine.

First-year studio focuses on the actor’s self, identifying habitual performance behaviors and reshaping the instrument to respond more organically and efficiently to psychophysical stimuli. Second-year studio emphasizes heightened language, working both with classical authors as well as with contemporary playwrights like McCraney, Parks, and Rivera.

The third year addresses the remaining and unique needs of each class and augments students’ skills with classes in professional development, voice-over, and on-camera acting. Comprehensive training in movement, voice, speech and textual analysis augments and enriches every term of the studio process. Third-year students film a digital showcase as well as scenes for professional reels. Additional professional outreach is provided by annual professional auditions, in which casting directors, agents and artistic directors from regional and summer theatres audition students in the graduate program. Internships, both formal and informal, with professional theatres in Dallas provide students with significant opportunities for professional growth.

Degree Requirements

Projects (2 Credit Hours)

Text Analysis (4 Credit Hours)

Movement (14 Credit Hours)

Applied Movement (4 Credit Hours)

Voice for the Stage (12 Credit Hours)

Applied Voice (4 Credit Hours)

Acting (18 Credit Hours)

Theatre Lab (2 Credit Hours)

Business and Professional Aspects (1 Credit Hour)

THEA 6113 - Business and Professional Aspects of Theatre

Solo Performance (3 Credit Hours)

THEA 6325 - Solo Performance

Summer Study (2 Credit Hours)

THEA 51XX
THEA 61XX

Total: 66 Credit Hours

Residency

The Theatre Division normally expects graduate students to be in residence for six terms during the regular academic year. Since the program of study includes both classroom and production activities, graduate students must obtain permission through the division chair before engaging in any other study, production work or outside employment. The M.F.A. degree requires a minimum of 66 credit hours.

Graduate Review

At the end of each term, the faculty of the division evaluates the development of each graduate student. All aspects of the student’s work come under scrutiny. The heads of the respective programs oversee and coordinate the review process, collating faculty evaluations into a review document.

The review process culminates in an assessment of the student’s overall progress toward degree completion. Students who receive unsatisfactory reviews will be placed on probation. Failure to address the concerns raised in the review within the following term will result in the probationary student’s dismissal from the program.

At the end of the first year, a faculty evaluation of the progress and potentiality of each student determines whether that student should continue into the second year.

Conferral of Degree

The faculty reserves the privilege of recommending candidates for the M.F.A. degree only when it has been satisfied that students have demonstrated unquestionable professional competencies in the area of study.

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