Theater Education
Master of Arts in Drama, Theatre Education Concentration (M.A.):
The Program in Theater Education prepares students, teachers, and teaching artists to use the creative and instructional skills of the theater in the classroom, in productions elementary and secondary schools, and in community programs. The program allows students to concentrate on one or more of the following areas:
Developing practical skills for the creation and production of plays and teaching of theater in K-12 schools and community programs.
Advancing the skills of the theater artist as a writer, dramaturg and collaborator working with diverse populations.
Using the techniques of dramatists (actors, directors, designers, playwrights) to enhance the learning process across the curriculum and in different educational settings.
Creating a more complex understanding of how the dramatic arts can impact the curriculum in K-12 schools in the community.
The M.A. in Drama, Theater Education concentration requires the satisfactory completion of 30 credit hours and passing a comprehensive exam. To earn the M.A. in Drama, Theater Education, students must successfully complete 7 required courses and 3 electives in the Department of Drama. The head of the program and the student's advisor determine course choices in consultation with each student, keeping in mind his or her background and objectives. Each student must have a total of 27 credit hours of approved coursework and complete a 3-credit supervised project (DR 951).
M.A. in Drama, Theater Education students may choose to pursue an internship or independent study project by registering for DR 931: Field Studies in Theatre Education. Each student is responsible for seeking and winning such an internship position; the availability of internships cannot be guaranteed. The student must develop, in conjunction with the instructor and responsible member(s) of the professional theatre staff, a detailed proposal with a description of the responsibilities of the student, the extent of the time commitment, and the criteria for evaluating the student’s performance at the end of the internship. Proposals will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, considering the impact on the department's productions, the value of the internship for the student's development, and the student's overall record.
The M.A. in Drama, Theater Education is structured to allow teachers and artists to complete the degree in a minimum of three semesters and two summer sessions. Many of the courses(*) in the program are available online during the academic year and in the summer. These courses meet via videoconferencing so that students and instructors interact in real time throughout the semester or summer session. Students can earn the M.A. degree completely online.
| Program of Study |
Semester Hours |
| Required Drama Courses (six courses listed below) |
18 |
| Drama in Education (DR 507)* |
3 |
|
Process Drama in the Classroom (DR 509)* OR
Design Applications (DR 542)
|
3 |
|
Educational Theatre: Acting, Directing, and Producing (DR 528)* OR
Production Design and Management (DR 545)
|
3 |
| Teaching Theatre (DR 526)* |
3 |
Western Theatre and Culture I (DR 603)* OR
Theatre Topics III Asian Theatre (DR 575)* |
3 |
History of Drama and Theatre in Education (DR 607)* OR
Elements of Directing (DR 651) |
3 |
| Electives in Drama and Education (select three courses from the list below with the approval of adviser) |
9 |
| Acting/Directing Workshop (DR 524) |
3 |
| Audio Drama: Readers Theatre, Radio Drama, and Podcasts (DR 532) |
3 |
| Playwriting I (DR 565) |
3 |
| Theatre Topics III Asian Theatre (DR 575)* |
3 |
| From Shakespeare to Sheridan, the Irish in the Theatre: 1600-1775 (DR 576) |
3 |
| Introduction to Theatre Research (DR 601)* |
3 |
| Western Theatre and Culture I (DR 603)* |
3 |
| Dramatic Structures I (DR 604)* |
3 |
| Theatre Theory (DR 606)* |
3 |
| Twentieth Century Theatres (DR 610)* |
3 |
| Theatre of the Oppressed (DR 624) |
3 |
| Directing (DR 651) |
3 |
| Adaptation (DR 762) |
3 |
| Field Studies in Theatre Education (Independent Study) (DR 931) |
3 |
| Seminar: Shakespeare in the Theatre (DR 984) |
3 |
| Capstone Requirements |
3 |
| Supervised Project (Independent Study) (DR 951)* |
3 |
Master’s Comprehensive Examination (DR 698A w/classes; DR 698B wo/classes)
|
0 |
| Total |
30 |
Entrance Requirements
All applicants must submit an online application and official transcripts. All applicants with transcripts that reflect GPAs above 3.0 will be automatically admitted. Applicants with transcripts that reflect GPAs below 3.0 will be referred to the head of the program for closer examination before admission. An experienced applicant who chooses a graduate degree program focused on educational theatre may be a better candidate than a 4.0 student fresh out of college. Therefore, an applicant’s resume and personal statement may be requested to receive special consideration during the application review process.
Capstone Requirements
Supervised Project (Independent Study) DR 951
Master’s Comprehensive Examination (DR 698A w/classes; DR 698B wo/classes)
Total Credits: 30
Graduation Requirements
1. Students in the M.A. in Drama, Theater Education concentration must complete a total of 30 credits of coursework and pass a comprehensive examination.
2. GPA: Students must complete 10 courses, including a supervised project, with a grade of B- or higher. The program may dismiss a student who earns grades below B- in 3 courses. In the event a student receives a grade lower than a B- in a course, they are put on probation and advised that their continuation will be reevaluated at the end of the following semester. If a student receives a failing grade in a course, they are permitted to retake the course once. If they do not successfully complete the class, they are unable to continue in the program, as all courses are required to complete the degree.
3. Student Evaluations: The head of the program, in conjunction with the Associate Chair of the Drama Department evaluate each student within the classes themselves. A student’s progress is evaluated based on performances on assignments and individual courses. Assignments include producing projects, written papers, scripts, set designs, set renderings, reflective responses, case books, video and audio recordings, and sourcebooks. Assessments of these assignments are based on criteria shared with and frequently developed with the students. Assessments may also take the form of quizzes, tests, and exams. Students are also evaluated for attendance, in-class contributions to discussions, problem-solving, and participatory learning activities. Student evaluations provide feedback to students so they can enhance their performances on future assignments. Evaluation criteria are explicit and clear; faculty members respond to student work in writing and discussion, and students learn from previous assessments how to improve the quality of their work. Faculty members discuss the student’s performance and track student progress. The faculty will develop and implement strategies to assist struggling students.
4. The Supervised Theatre Education Project DR 951: for DR 951, students develop their skills as educators and theatre practitioners by proposing and conducting an independent final project. The project may include directing a full-length performance at an elementary school, secondary school or community center or creating and implementing a set of curriculum-based drama lesson plans in an approved educational setting or designing and implementing another robust educational theatre experience. All students must complete 24 credits before they begin the supervised project. They must submit for approval a detailed proposal of the project to their advisor before they plan to begin the project. Each project must include a written component, which will vary to suit the individual student. The advisor or another professor supervises the project and provides a written evaluation of the student’s work.
5. Comprehensive Examination: each student must pass a comprehensive examination. This written exam assesses the student’s historical, theoretical, and practical knowledge of the field and the ability to put that knowledge into writing. Students take this examination in the final semester of their degree program. To be eligible to take comprehensives, students must have completed, or be in the process of completing, all course requirements. The faculty members develop essay questions for the comprehensives in conjunction with the program head. Essay questions will reflect the individual student’s focus within the program (i.e., teaching high school theatre, directing educational theatre productions, conducting educational drama residencies, using drama as a learning method in the study of other content areas, etc.)