Theatre (M.A./M.F.A.)

M.A./M.F.A Theatre

The program trains emerging leaders and guides them to become artists and scholars.
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Program Overview

Texas State was recently ranked among the top ten performing arts schools in the United States, garnering local, regional and national awards. The M.F.A. degree expands the skills of students, preparing them to work in regional and national theatres and to teach at the university level.

Course Work

The department offers a 60-credit-hour master of fine arts (M.F.A.) degree. The hours vary based on the area of specialization, and the culmination of the M.F.A. degree is a creative project. Students take active roles in the field with directing, writing and design projects, conference presentations and publications. Summer opportunities include professional internships, course work taken as part of the department’s Oregon Shakespeare Intensive and a Shakespeare in England study abroad program. Graduate courses are offered during the day because of graduate student involvement in theatre productions.

DegreeConcentrationHoursThesis OptionMinor Option
Degree
M.F.A.
Concentration
Design
Hours
60
Thesis Option
Non-Thesis
Minor Option
No Minor
Degree
M.F.A.
Concentration
Directing
Hours
60
Thesis Option
Non-Thesis
Minor Option
No Minor
Degree
M.F.A.
Concentration
Dramatic Writing (*On Hold)
Hours
60
Thesis Option
Non-Thesis
Minor Option
No Minor
Degree
M.A.
Concentration
Dramaturgy (*On Hold)
Hours
36
Thesis Option
Non-Thesis
Minor Option
Minor required
Degree
M.A.
Concentration
History and Criticism (*On Hold)
Hours
30
Thesis Option
Thesis
Minor Option
Minor required

*Applications for these concentrations are no longer being accepted until further notice.

What Our Alumni Say

“The three years I spent a a graduate director at TXST are some of the most enriching and rewarding of my career; this program finds the right balance between extensive practical experience and a well rounded curriculum.ˮ

— Alex Rodriguez, M.F.A. ’20

Program Details

Students regularly earn honors at the regional and national levels of the American College Theatre Festival and present at national and international conferences.

Program Mission

The Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas State University offers a rigorous practice-based master of fine arts (M.F.A.) in directing and design. The M.F.A. is designed to prepare students to work as practitioners and innovators professionally, as well as teach in a university setting. 

Career Options

There are a variety of career options for students completing the M.F.A. in theatre, including: 

  • intimacy coordinator 
  • artistic director
  • freelance director
  • producing director
  • dramaturg
  • university professor 
  • industrial/architectural lighting designer
  • theatre designer
  • themed entertainment designer
  • live event designer
  • education director

Program Faculty

The program's faculty are active in their fields, directing and designing nationally and internationally; at Disney Parks, on Broadway, at Regional theatres, Shakespeare Festivals, and the Kennedy Center. They display work at the Prague Quadrennial, United Institute for Theatre Technology, and have published scholarly monographs, textbooks, and in journals. Faculty are highly sought-after freelance artists who have won numerous awards and regularly present designs and workshops at regional and national conferences.

Contact The Graduate College for general questions about getting started with your application, funding your degree, and more. If you have program-specific questions after reviewing the program details, we encourage you to contact the following individuals.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Ana Martinez
alm462@txstate.edu
512.245.6842
Theatre Center (THEA), Room 218

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Application Deadlines

DeadlinesU.S. CitizenInternational
Deadlines
Fall - Priority
U.S. Citizen
December 1
International
December 1
Deadlines
Fall - Standard
U.S. Citizen
February 15 (*Flexible)
International
February 15 (*Flexible through June 1)

*A flexible deadline means applications received after the standard deadline may be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis with no guarantees for admission consideration.

Funding Information
The deadlines to apply for certain types of funding may be earlier than the deadline above.

Decision Timeline
This program reviews applications on a firm basis.

Admission Requirements

The items required for admission consideration are listed below. Additional information for applicants with international credentials can be found on our international web pages.

  • Review important information about the online application.

    • $55 nonrefundable application fee
      OR
    • $90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials

    Review important information about application fees.

    • baccalaureate degree (preferably a B.A. or B.F.A. in theatre) from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
    • a copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted
    • minimum 2.75 GPA in your last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)
    • minimum 24 undergraduate hours in theatre

    Effective Fall 2024

    • baccalaureate degree (preferably a B.A. or B.F.A. in theatre) from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
    • a copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted
    • a 2.75 overall GPA or a 2.75 GPA in your last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)
    • minimum 24 undergraduate hours in theatre

    Review important information about transcripts. Official transcripts, sent directly from your institution, will be required if admission is granted.

  • GRE Scores

    M.A. Applicants:

    • official GRE (general test only) required with competitive scores in the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections

    M.F.A. Applicants:

    • GRE not required

    Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores

    Applicants are required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a country on our exempt countries list.

    • official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
    • official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
    • official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and
      • minimum individual module scores of 6.0
    • official Duolingo Scores required with a 110 overall
    • official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall

    This program does not offer admission if the scores above are not met.

    Review important information about official test scores.

  • All applicants should have non-academic practical theatre experience.

    M.A. Applicants

    • resume/CV
    • statement of purpose indicating your proposed area of specialty and detailing past practical experience
    • two letters of recommendation

    M.F.A. Applicants

    • resume/CV
    • statement of purpose detailing your area of specialty, related background information, and goals in pursuing the M.F.A. in theatre
    • theatre portfolio (preferably electronic) which may include rehearsal prompt books of past directing projects, design sketches and renderings, production photos, DVDs, reviews, and/or items showing process and aesthetic
    • two letters of recommendation
    • Dramatic Writing applicants: samples of playwriting or creative writing
    • Directing applicants: An interview with program faculty may be required.
      • The M.F.A. in theatre requires students to work together closely; therefore, potential candidates in the directing concentration need to bring skills, temperaments, and goals that are in cohesion with the department and the cohort of students they will join. For this reason, semi-finalists will be invited to on-campus or Skype interviews/auditions

    Review important information about documents.

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