Non Performance Degree or Diploma

luckystar_30 · 05-09-2007, 04:41 PM

I've been looking everywhere for information on this and was directed to this page by some of the chicks over at Musicals.net

I'm wondering if its possible to get a diploma or degree (I currently have an undergrad) in the study of musical theatre - not the performance aspect.

Any help at all would be fantastic!!!

*KatMT* · 05-09-2007, 08:18 PM

Do you mean musical theatre history, literature, an criticism... Directing... Choreography... Musical Direction? Which aspect?

luckystar_30 · 05-09-2007, 09:05 PM

I have an undergrad in combined honors theatre studies and journalism, but am looking to see if there's any type of degree offering a theatre studies degree that deals primarily with musical theatre. Or a general theatre studies diploma where one can do a concentration in musical theatre.

soozievt · 05-09-2007, 09:08 PM

Can you describe what sort of work or careers you are interested in pursuing? That might help.

For example, are you interested in writing shows? There is a terrific graduate program in Musical Theater Writing at NYU/Tisch.

Are you interested in directing?
Casting?
Teaching?
Being a critic?
Dramaturg?

luckystar_30 · 05-10-2007, 01:38 PM

I have looked at the writing one at NYU.
I guess I was just wondering if a degree existed where you studied the history of musical theatre. So, more of a history degree than a theatre degree.
Just the sort of degree where, when you finished you could either move on to a phd or, if there was a diploma program where afterwards one would just teach and/or write books and articles and such.
See, I have a journalism degree already, so I would love to combine that with a strong knowledge of musical theatre to either write review or write for a musical theatre related magazine or such.

mahm · 05-10-2007, 01:50 PM

hmm. . .NYU Tisch has a graduate Performance Studies program; I think it's a 1-year program for the MFA, or I believe they also offer a PhD track:

http://performance.tisch.nyu.edu/page/program.html

soozievt · 05-10-2007, 02:40 PM

OK, that helps to have more information. If you would like to teach or even write in the field of musical theater, you could do an MFA in theater and then concentrate your research, papers, and projects on the musical theater genre. You might even look at dramaturgy degree programs as well.

soozievt · 05-10-2007, 02:45 PM

Example to go with my post #7 above...I just looked at University of Oklahoma's Master of Arts in Drama degree which is the following:

Quote:

The M.A. is a scholarly degree with emphasis on theatre history, dramatic literature and criticism, and dramaturgy

In such a program, you could focus your own research, study, writing and criticism on musicals.

soozievt · 05-10-2007, 02:51 PM

Another example.....Ohio University's Masters in Theater History and Criticism:

Quote:

The M.A. in theater history and criticism is a one-year program requiring 45 credit hours of study and a minimum of three quarters of residency. The program combines an emphasis on broad knowledge of theater history and criticism with opportunities to focus on selected areas of specialization.
Coursework is complemented by practical experience in production dramaturgy and theater pedagogy.

The student may complete the degree by electing to write a thesis (for which an additional quarter of
residency is expected), take a comprehensive examination on all coursework, or spend a quarter of
internship as a dramaturg or literary advisor with a professional theater. For other requirements see
online catalog.

The purpose of the degree is to prepare students for scholarly or research activity, whether associated with an academic institution or a professional theater. Through their work, students will gain comprehensive experience in research methodologies, critical theories, creative analysis, scholarly writing, and pedagogical techniques. The degree is an excellent basis for introductory teaching in higher education, work as a dramaturg, or further study toward a terminal degree in theater.

The degree is intended for a number of different kinds of students:

Those interested in gaining an advanced degree in theater history and criticism in the context of a
professionally oriented school of theater. This education can be especially valuable for students
interested in dramaturgy. Students gain the solid basis of general and advanced coursework in drama, theater history, and criticism, and are able to apply this work through dramaturgy on school
productions. An internship at a professional theater is especially valuable in this case.

Students who want the first graduate degree in preparation for an M.F.A. or Ph.D program. The
academic rigor and broad scope of this degree can be a valuable testing ground for students to
determine their subsequent educational goals.

If you do a program such as this, I imagine you can focus some of your study or even your thesis on musical theater.

soozievt · 05-10-2007, 03:02 PM

What about the M.A. program at Tufts:

Quote:

The graduate programs in drama concentrate on particular areas of theater history, dramatic literature, and theory and criticism, with an emphasis on original research.

soozievt · 05-10-2007, 03:04 PM

This sounds like you:

Syracuse's Graduate program in Arts Journalism:

Quote:

Made possible by a gift from Lola and Allen Goldring, this is the first master's degree program in the country devoted to the training of cross-disciplinary journalistic writing specifically about the arts. A collaboration among SU's Newhouse School, School of Architecture, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Visual and Performing Arts, this program gives students access to graduate courses led by an array of journalists, artists, and academics with expert knowledge in their areas.

(and Syracuse has an undergraduate BFA in MT on campus and Syracuse Stage so there is musical theater going on there)

soozievt · 05-10-2007, 03:06 PM

Cornell has a graduate program in Theater Arts and again, I would think you could focus some of your studies on topics to do with musical theater:

Quote:

The Theatre Arts program focuses on theatre scholarship and pedagogy, with the goal of preparing students for careers as teachers and scholars. Course work integrates theoretical, textual, and performatory considerations from a scholarly perspective. The program is not designed to train theatre practitioners, or to train artists/scholars. The field's faculty members are drawn from the Department of Theatre, Film, and Dance and from other departments, such as Anthropology, Asian Studies, Classics, Comparative Literature, German Studies, and English.

However, this may be a PHD program (not sure you are interested in that or not).

soozievt · 05-10-2007, 03:13 PM

Yale School of Drama's MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism Department:

Quote:

The Theatre Arts program focuses on theatre scholarship and pedagogy, with the goal of preparing students for careers as teachers and scholars. Course work integrates theoretical, textual, and performatory considerations from a scholarly perspective. The program is not designed to train theatre practitioners, or to train artists/scholars. The field's faculty members are drawn from the Department of Theatre, Film, and Dance and from other departments, such as Anthropology, Asian Studies, Classics, Comparative Literature, German Studies, and English.

At the core of the training are seminars in literature, theory and criticism, and history offered by the department’s faculty. These may be supplemented by courses taught elsewhere in the University if approved by students’ advisers. The aim is to impart a comprehensive knowledge of theatre and dramatic literature – knowledge necessary to the dramaturg, the writer and editor, and the teacher. Regarding the last, every effort is made to give qualified students teaching experience within the University. Of particular importance in the program are the criticism workshops, which are taught by various members of the faculty and which students must take in each of their six terms. These courses are designed to improve skills in thinking and writing, and are an essential component in the faculty’s evaluation of students’ progress from term to term. Qualified students also have the opportunity to work in various capacities for Theater, a leading international journal of contemporary criticism and plays published by Yale School of Drama/yale repertory theatre and Duke University Press.

This program, as well as some others posted above, give you an idea of the kinds of departments/programs you may wish to look into that could prepare you to either teach theater or to be a theater critic. Again, within the context of your graduate studies and research, you could opt to focus on musical theater.

*KatMT* · 05-13-2007, 12:02 PM

Soozie has listed some terrific programs, and you will notice that none of them are specifically in MT History, because these programs don't really exist... however, you can choose to focus your Phd Dissertation on a topic in musical theatre history, as soozie suggests above.