MFA Degree Program

Program Admission

Admission to the program is competitive and is not automatic upon meeting minimum admission requirements. Students are selected from the pool of qualified applicants; the number of students admitted yearly depends on the availability of program resources required to maintain a high level of student/faculty contact and professional training.

Program Requirements

1. Admission to the Graduate School. Note that the Department of Theatre and Dance requires a grade point average of at least 2.5 from an accredited undergraduate institution. As well, the department will require evidence of suitable academic preparation, typically demonstrated by performance in course work in the undergraduate major and/or a writing sample.
2. Submission of a separate departmental application identifying prior theatre education and experience and professional goals. Departmental applications are available from the Department of Theatre and Dance website: http://www.memphis.edu/theatre/
3. An interview with appropriate program faculty either at the university or at a regional or national conference.

Degree Requirements

1. Successful completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate credit approved by the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee. A minimum of 70% (42 hours) of the total required hours must be 7000 level courses. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation.
2. All students in the program must take the following core courses:

• THEA 7564 - Thea Collab & Style
• THEA 7581 - Sem Drama Theory/Crit
• THEA 7582 - Analysis Dramatic Lit
• THEA 7995 - Production Practicum

Design and Technical Production Group (39 hours)

Each 2 credit course must be taken with 1-credit 7300 level. 

• THEA 6511 - Automation & Mechanization
• THEA 6513 - Digital Fabrication
• THEA 6516 - Technical Direction
• THEA 6517 - Scenic Painting II
• THEA 6555 - Scenic Technology
• THEA 6556 - Lighting and Sound Technolgy
• THEA 6557 - Costume Technology I
• THEA 6592 - Thtr Arch/Facilty Plan
• THEA 7312 - Rigging Studio
• THEA 7314 - Collaborative Models for Theatre Professionals
• THEA 7315 - Prof Tech Manage Prac
• THEA 7316 - CAD for Theatre
• THEA 7317 - Production Seminar
• THEA 7546 - Visual History I
• THEA 7547 - Visual History II
• THEA 7561 - Scenic Design I
• THEA 7562 - Lighting Design I
• THEA 7563 - Costume Design I
• THEA 7565 - Costume Design II
• THEA 7566 - Sound Design I
• THEA 7567 - Scenic Design II
• THEA 7569 - Lighting Design II
• THEA 7592 - Professional Theatre Practice
• Elective (2)
• Elective (2)

Graduation Requirements

1. Successful completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate credit approved by the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee. A minimum of 70% (42 hours) of the total required hours must be 7000 level courses. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation.
2. All students with a specialization in Design and Technical Production must take an additional thirty-nine hours of courses determined in consultation with their graduate advisory committee.
3. All students studying Design and Technical Production must read and annotate between 22 and 28 faculty mandated texts pertinent to the degree prior to their Comprehensive Examination. There are 22 texts required of all Design and Technical Production students. Each area of focus (lighting, sound, set, costume, technical production) within the specialization requires its students to read a number of texts (in addition to the 22 texts) pertinent to their particular focus - (lighting 6 texts, sound 4 texts, set 4 texts, costume 4 texts and technical production 3 texts).

4. All M.F.A. candidates must complete:

   • Plan of Study. Complete a proposed Plan of Study for the initial Advisory Committee meeting. When approved, place a paper copy in the student’s file.

   • M.F.A. Internship.  To be approved, scheduled, and evaluated by the student’s Advisory Committee.

   • Practicum Project.  To be approved, scheduled, and evaluated by the student’s Advisor Committee.

Other Requirements

Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination.

Graduate Advisory Committee

Each student will have a Graduate Advisory Committee. The functions of the committee shall be:

• To approve the three-year Plan of Study (which may include remedial work).
• To monitor academic and artistic progress.
• To monitor quality and quantity of participation in the theatre production program.
• To approve and evaluate production projects, the Production Practicum Project, the internship, and the comprehensive examination.

Annual Progress Review

Progress in the MFA program involves more than the successful completion of academic course work. Artistic progress and engagement in the theatre production program of the department are also required.

1. MFA Portfolio Review: Each year all design students will meet with the design faculty and all directing students with the directing faculty for Portfolio Review. At that time, the student’s competencies, artistic progress, and professional presentational skills will be evaluated.
2. Graduate Review: Following each semester’s Graduate Advisory Committee meeting with the student, the full faculty will meet to review the status and progress of each student. Possible outcomes of the evaluation process include:
   1. continuance in the program without condition;
   2. continuance in the program with conditions; or
   3. non-continuance in the program.
3. Note: A more detailed discussion of program requirements may be found in the Department of Theatre and Dance Graduate Handbook available from the department office.