Description of the Program:
The Master of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies program offered at the University of Maryland is a two-year masters program. It is a generalist's degree that emphasizes research and writing. The M.A. program is intended to serve as a preparatory course of study for students wishing to pursue a Ph.D. It is also suitable for teachers and artists who wish to strengthen their expertise in theatre and performance studies.
Requirements:
The M.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies requires minimum of 33 credit hours of courses numbered 400 and above. Out of 33, 12 credit hours must be from courses at the 600 level or higher, and 9 of those credit hours must be from Theatre (THET) courses taught by faculty in the History/Theory area. In general, 700 level courses are not open to M.A. students, but students may be permitted to take them with the approval of the student’s advisor and the instructor of the course.
Students have two options to complete the degree:
Thesis Option:
For the thesis option, 6 credit hours must be thesis research credit (799). The thesis should be completed during the fourth semester of the student’s coursework. The thesis must be approved by the Thesis Examining Committee, which consists of three members of the Graduate Faculty. The chair of the committee should be the student’s thesis advisor.
Non-Thesis Option:
For non-thesis option, a minimum of 18 credit hours must be from courses numbered 600 and above. Instead of a thesis, students should submit two article-length essays to the Non-Thesis Examining Committee, which consists of three members of the Graduate Faculty. The chair of the committee should be the student’s advisor.
For both options, students should be aware of the Graduate School requirements for Master’s Degree at the University of Maryland.
http://apps.gradschool.umd.edu/Catalog/policy.php?master-s-degree-policies#professional-master-s-degrees
