Program OverviewThe Department of Theater at UMass Amherst offers a dynamic, hands-on graduate program that teaches students how to collaborate successfully with fellow theater-makers, with a production season that serves as a teaching laboratory. Students pursue a rigorous core curriculum as well as practical experience alongside a dedicated faculty of committed teachers who have active careers in the professional theater. Our classes are small, allowing for personal mentorship and the opportunity to customize. Our program includes professional training programs with specializations in Costume Design, Directing, Dramaturgy, Lighting Design, or Scenic Design and Technology. Graduates of our program receive the Master of Fine Arts degree and are prepared to work in resident professional theaters, in colleges and universities, and in many other areas of performance. We accept students two out of every three years, and we welcome international students and students with nontraditional theater backgrounds. We do not require the GREs for admission to any of our MFA programs, but international students will need the TOEFL or IELTS exam for admission. Our application deadline is January 15. In some years, we may have a special late-admissions cycle with a June deadline. We firmly believe that no student should finish an MFA program in debt. All graduate students receive full tuition-waivers, health benefits, and assistantships during their three years. For 2019-2020, these assistantships are slated to be approximately $23,000 for September-May duties. Many students get extensive teaching experience, and most undertake internships. We have close relationships with outstanding theaters such as Hartford Stage, Shakespeare & Company, and Double Edge Theatre. We have a strong commitment to cultural diversity that is reflected in our faculty and our curriculum. Graduate students will find faculty mentors who specialize in African-American, African, Latinx, and Spanish-language theater, as well as feminism and gender studies. |
