Degree Requirements
The curriculum for the MFA degree in Performance Pedagogy centers around three focus areas:
1. Pedagogical Study
2. History/Literature/Criticism
3. Practice of Acting and/or other performance styles
4. Other Electives
Each semester students are expected to carry a 15-credit load in addition to teaching one performance class. Classroom teaching serves as fulfillment of the student’s work obligation to the university in addition to providing a laboratory for applying the pedagogical ideas under study.
# of courses required (list core courses, etc.)
60 credits are required for the program: 36-39 credits in pedagogy; 15 credits in History, Literature and Criticism; and 3-6 credits in electives. Core courses include: Techniques in Performance Pedagogy, Course Development, Production Mentorship, and Directed Studies in Pedagogy.
Thesis and Final Examination
The thesis project is the final requirement for the Performance Pedagogy degree. It is comprised of an original, created course, a substantial written document that serves as a teaching guidebook for other instructors interested in using the thesis topic in the classroom, and an oral defense of the written document. The thesis document identifies a pedagogical question, investigates that question through research and classroom work, and identifies conclusions reached and considerations for future revisions of the course. Thesis documents typically range from 40-80 pages in length and are directly connected to the created course devised by the student.
