We are currently accepting applications in Costume Design, Lighting Design, Directing, and Dramaturgy for the 2011-2012 application cycle, for the class to enter in Fall of 2012. We are not currently accepting applications in Scenic Design.
Admissions Procedures
The application deadline is January 15. Applications are submitted and processed online via the UMass Graduate School at www.umass.edu/gradschool/.
All of them materials can be submitted online or mailed to:
Graduate Admissions Office
530 Goodell
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
These are the application materials:
Required of all MFA program areas:
The main Graduate School application, including Personal Statement.
Transcripts of all previous academic work
Resume of relevant professional experience
At least two letters of recommendation (you may submit three)
Directing also requires:
Two writing samples, at least one of which should be an essay on a play you have directed or would like to direct.
Dramaturgy also requires:
GREs
At least two writing samples which demonstrate research, analytic, and writing skills. Applicants may provide essays consisting of dramatic criticism, historical production research, or criticism of witnessed theatrical performances.
(Note: preference is given to applicants in dramaturgy who are proficient in a second language.)
Costume Design also requires:
GREs
A portfolio in a format of your choosing. The portfolio may include costume design renderings, photographs or slides of executed projects, or samples of graphic or other applied arts. Descriptive accounts of each item in the portfolio should be included.
Lighting Design also requires:
A portfolio in a format of your choosing. The portfolio may include draftings, light plots and paperwork, photographs or slides of executed projects, or samples of graphic or other applied arts. Descriptive accounts of each item in the portfolio should be included.
Any design support materials that cannot be submitted electronically can be mailed to us directly at:
Graduate Admissions
UMass Department of Theater,
Department of Theater,
112 Fine Arts Center,
University of Massachusetts,
151 Presidents Drive Ofc. 2,
Amherst, MA 01003-9331
We
cannot guarantee the return of such materials.
After the faculty has reviewed all completed applicant files, those candidates
selected for top consideration will be invited to the campus for personal
interviews. These interviews usually take place between mid-February
and late March. In some exceptional instances, the interviews may be
conducted via phone or video internet.
Additional Application Information
An applicant’s undergraduate degree need not be in Theater, but previous
training and experience should be comparable to that required for the
Bachelor of Arts in Theater at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Applicants with incomplete backgrounds in theater who show exceptional
artistic promise may be admitted provisionally.
New England Regional Student Program
Qualified residents of Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont are eligible to participate in the regional graduate tuition rate, currently 50 percent over the rate charged to residents of Massachusetts. Inquiries regarding the New England Regional Student Program should be directed to:
Graduate Admissions Office
530 Goodell
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
(413) 545-0721
Theater MFA Program Policies
Degree and Residency Requirements
Upon admission to the degree program in theater, a graduate student
usually trains for six full-time semesters in residence and accumulates
a minimum of 60 credits in graduate courses applicable to the degree of
Master of Fine Arts in Theater in one of the areas of specialization offered
by the department. To be considered in full-time residence, a graduate
student in theater must carry, during any given period of enrollment at
the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a minimum of nine graduate
credits applicable to the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Theater. Credits
for courses audited or from which a student withdraws do not pertain.
Non-Degree Status
Regulations governing the admission of students with non-degree status
are the same as those described in the Graduate School Bulletin. Participation
by non-degree students in the Department’s graduate program is on a
space-available basis. Non-degree applicants, therefore, should inquire
of the graduate program director at the earliest possible date to learn
whether enrollment is possible in graduate-level courses in any given
semester.
Transfer Credits
Upon admission to the degree program in theater, students may petition
the graduate program director in writing to recommend to the graduate
dean the transfer of a maximum of 12 graduate credits earned at other
institutions. The credits requested for transfer must be in graduate
courses applicable to the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Theater
at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst as determined by the
student’s
committee.
Students permitted to transfer credits from other institutions will have the statute of limitations reduced, but by no more than one semester.
Leaves of Absence
Normally, residency in the degree program in theater is continuous.
A student may petition the graduate program director in writing for
a leave of absence, with a detailed justification and a specific date of
anticipated return. Leaves of absence must be personally unavoidable and
academically defensible. A given leave may not exceed one calendar year
and requires the approval of the graduate dean. The program fee must be
paid each semester the student is on leave.
Statute of Limitations
Students may not register for course work applicable to the degree
of Master of Fine Arts in Theater for more than four consecutive calendar
years. The statute of limitations is reduced proportionally for students
permitted to apply degree credits transferred for other institutions.
The statute of limitations for students on approved leaves of absence is
extended for a period of time equal to the leave. Students who require more
time than permitted by the status of limitations may petition the graduate
program director in writing for a specific period of extension, with detailed
justification and a timetable for completion. This petition will require
the approval of the graduate dean.
Dismissal Policy
Dismissal from the program may be made only by the graduate dean, upon
the recommendation of the chair of the department. Failure to meet
the requirements, regulations, and deadlines established by the Department
of Theater and the Graduate School is considered sufficient grounds for dismissal.
In particular, the following pertain:
1. Failure to remain in good academic standing for two consecutive periods of enrollment.
2. Failure to make satisfactory or reasonable progress toward the degree as indicated by the program reviews.
3. Failure to obtain approval for a leave of absence from the program.
4. Failure to obtain approval to complete the requirements of the degree in absentia.
5. Failure to complete the degree requirements within the approved statute of limitations.
6. Plagiarism, fraudulence, or other illegal or unethical practices.
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