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PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The Master’s of Arts in Theatre program at Bowling Green State University is designed to provide the student with those fundamentals
essential for the development of independent thought and expression, ingredients necessary for truly creative scholarship
and artistry in the theater. In this program, students are afforded a basic understanding of theatre history, theory, criticism,
and research methods and their application to teaching and practical work in theatre. While most students with degrees from
BGSU have sought careers in education, many have found employment in community and professional theatre, and others have used
their training for careers having only a minimal relationship to the theatre.
The M.A. degree is considered an excellent preparation for more advanced or specialized study at the M.F.A. or Ph.D. level.
Two semesters and a summer of course work are normally required for the completion of the Portfolio Track M.A. degree. Students
accepted into the Thesis Track program normally complete M.A. course work in one year, and in the summer and second year that
follow, complete the M.A. Thesis and take doctoral courses.
Students in the M.A. program may apply for positions in all areas of theatre at the Huron Playhouse, the summer stock company
run by the Department of Theatre and Film. At the Playhouse, students devote time exclusively to practical work in all phases
of theatre production. The student is afforded numerous opportunities to see and participate in productions from a wide variety
of periods and styles.
M.A. Degree Requirements
The two plans under which one may pursue the M.A. are designed to meet individual needs of students who aspire to varying
types of professional careers. Plan I (Thesis) and Plan II (Portfolio) represent qualitatively different educational experiences.
All students accepted into the M.A. program are accepted, by default, into the Portfolio Track.
I. M.A. Course Requirements
A. Required Courses:
THFM 659: Research Methods in Theatre (3)
THFM 660: Theatre & Performance in Cultural Contexts I (4)
THFM 661: Theatre & Performance in Cultural Contexts II (4)
THFM 665: Period, Style and Form (3)
THFM 695: Workshop on Current Topics in Theatre (Graduate Seminar) (1 per term) *
THFM 697: Practicum in Theatre Pedagogy (1 per term) **
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*Not included on Tentative Degree Program (TDP)
**Not included on T.D.P. Required only of students on assistantship.
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B. Students in Plan I (Thesis Track) must also take:
THFM 668: Performance Studies (3)
THFM 699: Thesis Research (6)*
Twelve hours of approved electives from graduate level (i.e., 500+ level) courses offered in the Department of Theatre and
Film.
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*Only three hours included on T.D.P.
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C. Students in Plan II (Portfolio Track) must also take:
THFM 691: Directed Research in Portfolio Development (3)
Six hours of 500 or 600 level courses from the design/technical theatre area (i.e., costume, lighting, or scene design) offered
in the Department of Theatre and Film.
Nine hours of approved electives from graduate level (i.e., 500+ level) courses offered in the Department of Theatre and Film.
II. Specifics for Plan I: Thesis Track
A. Program Requirements:
1. Minimum of 32 semester credit hours including six hours for thesis, three of which are included on the Tentative Degree
Program (TDP).
2. THFM 697 credits may not appear on the TDP.
3. G C 600 may not be included in the minimum hours.
4. THFM 695 credits may not appear on the TDP.
5. Students may register for a total of 12 hours of THFM 688 (Internship in Repertory Theatre) and 696 (Supervised Practicum
in Creative Work), but only a total of six hours in these two areas can count on the tentative degree program toward graduation.
6. Three hours of THFM 686 and THFM 684 can be listed on the TDP to satisfy graduation requirements.
B. Thesis Topic Approval
1. At the beginning of the first semester of the second year of residency the student, with the help of the advisor, should
submit a specific proposal for a thesis topic. Thesis projects will be approved only when the research proposal is within
the capability of the department and University to support, and executable within the three to six hours of credit that may
be earned.
2. The student's advisor should submit the proposal and proposed committee list to the Graduate Studies Coordinator and Departmental
Chair for approval.
a. The committee shall consist of a minimum of two persons in addition to the advisor.
b. All committee members must be on the graduate faculty. Part-time and temporary faculty are not eligible to serve on thesis
committees. The student is responsible for ascertaining each faculty member's willingness to serve on the committee.
3. The student's advisor will circulate the proposal to the committee members for their approval and agreement to serve.
• The proposal may be revised according to suggestions made by the committee.
• Certification of the committee's final approval should be made to the Graduate Coordinator.
• The approved proposal is submitted to the Graduate Coordinator who sends the proposal to the Graduate Dean for approval.
• The Graduate College requires the student to have at least a 3.0 G.P.A. when submitting the proposal.
• The deadline for submitting a thesis topic proposal to the Graduate College is the last day of class the semester prior
to intended graduation. The Department of Theatre and Film deadlines for departmental approval are: October 1 for spring graduation,
February 1 for summer graduation, and May 1 for fall graduation.
C. Thesis Examination and Approval:
• The thesis committee is normally the same committee that approved the topic. Any changes in the composition of the committee
or change in the thesis advisor must be processed through the Graduate Studies Coordinator.
• The draft of the thesis, which is submitted to the committee, should be complete, readable and contain necessary documentation
for bibliographic entries.
• The thesis committee should have the draft at least two weeks in advance of the proposed oral defense date.
• The Chair of the student's committee will poll the committee to determine whether the thesis is defensible in content and
form.
• If necessary, due to need or disagreement, the Chair will convene the committee.
• If major revisions are in order prior to oral defense, the Chair and the student will develop a plan of action to meet/committee
expectations, including postponement of the oral defense, if necessary.
• The committee's signatures on the Graduate College Form indicate approval of the thesis and passing of the oral defense.
• In addition to required Graduate College copy of the thesis, each student is required to deposit a copy of his/her thesis
with the Department of Theatre and Film , along with a $20 fee to cover the cost of binding the thesis for deposit in the
Harold B. Obee Theatre Collections maintained by the department. A copy in a hardcover, springback binder must be given to
the advisor. All copies must be presented before the Graduate Coordinator sends materials to the Graduate College . Deadlines
for deposit of approved, error-free copy of thesis can be located in Graduate College Web Page.
• Those students planning to graduate in August should be aware that the thesis must be completed and distributed to the
committee by mid-June in order to be eligible for summer graduation. They should also be aware that not all faculty are available
for consultation during summer term.
III. Specifics for Plan II: Portfolio Track
A. Program Requirements:
• Minimum of 32 semester hours, three of which are THFM 691: Research in Portfolio Development.
• THFM 697 credits may not appear on the Tentative Degree Program.
• G C 600 may not be included in the minimum hours.
• THFM 695 credits may not appear on TDP.
• Students may register for a total of 12 hours of THFM 688 (Internship in Repertory Theatre) and 696 (Supervised Practicum
in Creative Work), but only a total of six hours in these two areas can count on the tentative degree program toward graduation.
•Three hours of THEA 686 and THEA 684 can be listed on the TDP to satisfy graduation requirements.
Students enrolled in Plan II will complete coursework and a portfolio, which is comprised of a mixture of scholarly work and
creative work. All creative work in the portfolio must include documentation and analysis relating the production of those
materials. Early in the second semester of coursework, students begin the process of articulating the contents of their portfolio
with the portfolio track advisor. In conference with this advisor, the student will choose two other faculty members to serve
on his/her portfolio review committee. Thus, the portfolio review committee will consist of three graduate faculty members.
Since the materials that comprise the portfolio are necessarily drawn from diverse areas of theatre practice and scholarship,
students are encouraged to assemble a committee that includes members with expertise to guide and assess the development of
materials in each of these respective areas. Students who wish to graduate in spring will submit the portfolio materials to
the advisor by April 1 in preparation for a full committee review later that month, while those working toward an August graduation
will submit materials by June 1 in preparation for a full committee review in June or early July. Students who plan to register
for THFM 688, Internship in Repertory Theatre, over the summer session are strongly encouraged to submit their portfolios
for review during the spring semester. Portfolios will be assessed on a pass/fail basis. Students whose portfolio materials
are deemed unsatisfactory during this assessment will have the opportunity to revise and resubmit for a second assessment
no later than the second week of the fall semester. Students who twice fail the portfolio review will be subject to termination
from the program. Results of the faculty assessment of the portfolio are certified in writing by the Graduate Coordinator.
Students should also be aware that not all faculty are available for consultation during the summer term.
B. The M.A. portfolio should contain the following items:
• A resume or CV appropriate to the student's stated professional goals and objectives and suitable for inclusion as part
of a job application
• A four to six page professional profile or statement of purpose, appropriate for submission as part of a job application
or application to an academic program
• An example of the student's critical writing. This must be a SUBSTANTIVELY REVISED and expanded version of a paper originally drafted in a graduate level course taken at BGSU while enrolled in the M.A. program.
The paper should be NO LESS THAN 20 PAGES in length and should cite a range of critical sources, including journal articles, books, or contributions to edited volumes.
Be aware that simply cleaning up the typos on a class term paper will be highly unlikely to produce work suitable to satisfy
this requirement.
• Two practical or creative components. Examples of appropriate creative projects may include (but are not limited to):
-An original script or adaptation
-An original translation of a short play or critical article
-A director's or dramaturg's notebook with detailed analysis and documentation of research leading to the development of a
production concept
-A design concept for a specific production, supplemented with appropriate models, renderings, or other suitable forms of
notation, along with a detailed analysis of the research process and the reasons behind the creative choices that were made
-An actor's journal describing preparation for performance of a substantive role in a professional or university theatre production,
along with analysis of the actor's process of research and preparation (which should include some sort of detailed textual
analysis or use of appropriate secondary sources)
-An original video production or performance installation
-A community-based project in theatre or oral history
Under no circumstances should students complete two projects in the same area of theatre practice (for example, two costume
design projects or two original scripts). Moreover, all practical or creative work must be generated while enrolled in the
M.A. program at BGSU.
Faculty Accomplishments
The graduate faculty in the Department of Theatre and Film are accomplished researchers and artists. Many serve or have served
as leaders in numerous regional, national and international scholarly organizations, including the editorial boards of a number
of refereed scholarly journals. Individual members of the faculty serve or have served as senior editor for Theatre Annual and editor for Theatre Topics .
Members of our faculty have published or are contracted to publish book length studies with:
- University of Michigan Press
- University of Mississippi Press
- Southern Illinois University Press
- Alta Mira Press
- Wayne State University Press
- Scarecrow Press
- University of Alabama Press
Essay length studies authored by our faculty have appeared in numerous prestigious journals including:
- The Drama Review
- Text and Performance Quarterly
- Theatre Topics
- Journal of American Drama and Theatre
- Theatre Annual
- Theatre History Studies
- Qualitative Inquiry
- Women's Studies Quarterly
- Popular Culture Review
- Spectator
In terms of artistry, the doctoral faculty has and continues to be involved practically in theatre in both university and
professional contexts, participating as performers, directors, and dramaturges.
Placement
Successful M.A. graduates have secured employment at George Washington University, Illinois State University, Michigan State
University, Limestone College, Charleston Southern University, and Fresno Pacific University.
Recent Theses
Some recent theses include:
- Creating an Audience for Community Theatre: A Case Study of Night of the Living Dead at the Roadhouse Theatre
- Awareness of the Acting Body: The Theatre Writings of Michael Checkhov and Tadashi Suzuki
- Come Look at the Freaks: the Complexities of Valorizing the "Freak" in "Side Show"
- From Hidden to (Over-) Exposed: The Grotesque and Performing Bodies of WW II Nazi Concentration Camp Prisoners
- Ritual as the Way to Speak in Dancing at Lughnasa
- Multiculturalism and Alienation in Contemporary Japanese Society As Seen In the Films of Takashi Mike
- A Descriptive Study of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society
- New Historicist Reading of Marat/Sade
- If You Haven't Made Somebody Angry, you Haven't Done Something Right: Larry Kramer's Outsider Persona
- An Exploration of Sandglass Theater
- The Bauhaus and the Bauhaus Theatre Workshop: Theories Generated by Oskar Schlemmer and Laszlo Moholy Nagy and Their Influence
on Present Day Theatre
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