Acting - M.F.A.

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting is intended for the returning professional and mentors seasoned professional performers who wish to focus on refining and articulating their acting process, while gaining sound pedagogical practice in performance. The two-year terminal degree provides  candidates with a set of core classes centered around a variety of techniques and theories, within a flexible pedagogical laboratory model. Returning professional students are offered ample opportunity to hone performance and explore teaching skills as they earn a terminal M.F.A. degree in pursuit of employment.

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Program Information for Acting - M.F.A.

Admissions for Acting - M.F.A.

Admissions

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

Applications to the M.F.A. in Acting are not being accepted at this time.

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
  • Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
  • Official transcript(s)
  • Résumé
  • Goal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Evidence of professional experience1
  • Audition
  • Interview
  • English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:2
    • Minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score
    • Minimum 6.0 IELTS score
    • Minimum 50 PTE score
    • Minimum 100 DET score
1

Required evidence in support of admission may include, but not limited to, Broadway, regional, and/or international performance credits; film and television credits; awards of national recognition; professional union affiliation; publication in the field of expertise; significant record of mentoring; and certifications and/or designations in areas such as acting, voice and speech or stage combat. Program faculty will evaluate the submitted documentation of professional experience and determine eligibility for the M.F.A. degree.

2

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Employ a broad range of acting knowledge and skills in the creation and presentation of roles.
  2. Perform in plays of various types and from various periods.
  3. Acquire advanced capabilities in acting, voice and speech, movement, theatre history and pedagogy.
  4. Apply sound pedagogical practices to aspects of theatre or performance studies.
  5. Demonstrate professionalism in an acting setting.

Coursework

On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements
THEA 51010THEATRE AND SOCIAL CHANGE 3
or THEA 51113 THEATRE IN A MULTICULTURAL AMERICA
or THEA 51115 LGBTQ THEATRE
or THEA 51191 VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY
THEA 51303ACTING I FOUNDATIONS/STANISLAVSKI AND MICHAEL CHEKHOV 3
THEA 51304ACTING II: SCENE STUDY-MODERN AMERICAN REALISM 3
THEA 51305PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: PERFORMANCE 3
THEA 51701MOVEMENT, FORM AND SPACE I-THE ACTOR'S PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT 3
THEA 51803VOICE AND SPEECH I 3
THEA 51808ACTING STYLES I: SHAKESPEARE 3
THEA 60992PROFESSIONAL THEATRE INTERNSHIP I 3
or THEA 61992 PROFESSIONAL THEATRE INTERNSHIP II
THEA 61000INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE STUDY IN THEATRE 3
THEA 61094COLLEGE TEACHING IN THEATRE 10-3
THEA 61305ACTING STYLES II: GREEK AND COMEDY OF MANNERS 3
THEA 61701MOVEMENT, FORM AND SPACE II-NEUTRAL AND CHARACTER MASK 3
THEA 61803VOICE AND SPEECH II 3
THEA 62192PRACTICUM: PERFORMANCE (must be taken two times)6
THEA 62392PRACTICUM: PERORMANCE PEDAGOGY (must be taken three times)3
THEA 65000HISTORY, HISTORICISM, THEORY AND PRACTICE IN THEATRE AND DRAMA 3
Major Electives, choose from the following:9
THEA 51095
SPECIAL TOPICS
THEA 51191
VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY
THEA 51301
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA I
THEA 51302
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA II
THEA 51401
ADVANCED DIRECTING
THEA 51703
STAGE COMBAT
THEA 61095
SPECIAL TOPICS
THEA 61096
INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION: THEATRE AND DRAMA
THEA 61098
RESEARCH
THEA 61303
ACTING III SCENE STUDY: NATURALISM AND ABSURD
THEA 61531
PERIOD STYLE FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS
THEA 61703
MOVEMENT, FORM AND SPACE III
THEA 61804
VOICE AND SPEECH III
THEA 61806
SINGING FOR THE ACTOR
THEA 65192
TEACHING PRACTICUM
Culminating Requirement
THEA 60199M.F.A. THESIS PROJECT 3
Minimum Total Credit Hours:60
1

THEA 61094 is required for teaching assistants only; minimum total credit hours for degree completion will be 63.

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
- 3.000
  • No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
  • Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.
Roadmap

Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
THEA 51303 ACTING I FOUNDATIONS/STANISLAVSKI AND MICHAEL CHEKHOV 3
THEA 51701 MOVEMENT, FORM AND SPACE I-THE ACTOR'S PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT 3
THEA 51803 VOICE AND SPEECH I 3
THEA 61094 COLLEGE TEACHING IN THEATRE 3
or Major Elective
 
THEA 62392 PRACTICUM: PERORMANCE PEDAGOGY 1
 Credit Hours13
Semester Two
THEA 51010
or THEA 51113
or THEA 51115
or THEA 51191
 THEATRE AND SOCIAL CHANGE
or THEATRE IN A MULTICULTURAL AMERICA
or LGBTQ THEATRE
or VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY
3
THEA 51304 ACTING II: SCENE STUDY-MODERN AMERICAN REALISM 3
THEA 61000 INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE STUDY IN THEATRE 3
THEA 61803 VOICE AND SPEECH II 3
THEA 62192 PRACTICUM: PERFORMANCE 3
 Credit Hours15
First Summer Term
THEA 60992
or THEA 61992
 PROFESSIONAL THEATRE INTERNSHIP I
or PROFESSIONAL THEATRE INTERNSHIP II
3
 Credit Hours3
Semester Three
THEA 51305 PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: PERFORMANCE 3
THEA 51808 ACTING STYLES I: SHAKESPEARE 3
THEA 61701 MOVEMENT, FORM AND SPACE II-NEUTRAL AND CHARACTER MASK 3
THEA 62392 PRACTICUM: PERORMANCE PEDAGOGY 1
THEA 65000 HISTORY, HISTORICISM, THEORY AND PRACTICE IN THEATRE AND DRAMA 3
 Credit Hours13
Semester Four
THEA 60199 M.F.A. THESIS PROJECT 3
THEA 61305 ACTING STYLES II: GREEK AND COMEDY OF MANNERS 3
THEA 62392 PRACTICUM: PERORMANCE PEDAGOGY 1
THEA 62192 PRACTICUM: PERFORMANCE 3
Major Electives 6
 Credit Hours16
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:60

Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery
    • In person
  • Location
    • Kent Campus

Applications to the M.F.A. in Acting are not being accepted at this time.

Accreditation for Acting - M.F.A.

Accreditation

National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST)

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Acting - M.F.A.

Actors

3.1%

about as fast as the average

70,100

number of jobs

$N/A

potential earnings

Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary

5.6%

faster than the average

116,300

number of jobs

$69,690

potential earnings

Miscellaneous entertainers and performers, sports and related workers

4.2%

about as fast as the average

33,300

number of jobs

$N/A

potential earnings

Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
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