MFA in Performance Pedagogy

We accept MFA students every two years.
The next class will be admitted in the fall of 2014. Auditions will be held at the end of 2013 and start of 2014. 

Designed to equip working, professional actors with the tools to expand their employment opportunities in teaching at the college and university level, the MFA in Performance Pedagogy offers a dynamic synthesis of teaching, practice, and scholarship. This program is based on the premise that the professional actor already has a level of craft that can be drawn upon to help create a good teacher. Therefore, emphasis is placed on pedagogical techniques in relation to acting, and, depending on the student’s background, movement or voice. Additional coursework is required in areas of theatre history, literature, and criticism. Each student is given the mentorship of an experienced teacher of performance and works closely with a mentor to create opportunities for independent studies in pedagogy and curriculum development. Students are also encouraged to develop an area of specialty, and credit may be given for study and/or certification in the chosen area.

The MFA in Performance Pedagogy is designed to be completed in two years, and includes practical and supervised experience in teaching throughout the period of study, as well as the opportunity to perform with both Pitt's academic theatres and outside professional theatres, for which credit is given. It is our expectation that teachers of acting, voice, or movement will continue to practice their craft.

Successful applicants will be seasoned professional actors willing to make a full commitment of time and energy to the program. Although it is possible—and encouraged—for the actor to continue commercial, voice-over, industrial, and some film work in Pittsburgh, longer-term professional engagements cannot be accommodated within the structure of the program. 

Page Contents:

• Entrance Qualifications
• Admission Procedures
• Curriculum
• Thesis Project
• Evalution Procedures
• Service
• Statute of Limitations
• Sample Course of Study
• Other Criteria
• Alumni

Entrance Qualifications

The MFA in Performance Pedagogy is open to all qualified applicants who have completed an undergraduate degree (or who will complete one prior to registration), along with an expectation of five or more years of professional theater experience. An undergraduate major in theatre arts is normally a prerequisite for admission to the program, though exceptions can be made if circumstances warrant. Because candidates will be teaching during their course of study, some teaching experience is preferred.  Applicants are not required to take the GRE, but it is strongly recommended.  A TOEFL score of 80 (with at least a score of 22 in all of the four sections of speaking, listening, reading, and writing) or an IELTS score of 7.0 (with at least 6.5 in each of its four sections) is required for international students.  

Admissions Procedures

Please check this website in the spring of 2013 for detailed admissions information.
 

Curriculum

The curriculum for the MFA degree in Performance Pedagogy centers around three focus areas: 1. Pedagogical Study, 2. History/Literature/Criticism, and 3. Other Electives. Each semester students are expected to carry a 15 credit load in addition to teaching two performance classes.  Classroom teaching serves as fulfillment of the student’s work obligation to the university in addition to providing a laboratory for applying the pedagogical ideas under study.

Please note, this information may change before the program admits new students for the class of 2014-2016. 

Requirements for completion of the degree

Thesis Project

The thesis project is the final requirement for the Performance Pedagogy degree. It is comprised of an original, created course plus a substantial written document that serves as a teaching guidebook for other instructors interested in using the thesis topic in the classroom. The thesis document identifies a pedagogical question, investigates that question through research or classroom work, and then identifies conclusions reached.  Thesis documents should be written in such a way that a performance teacher could use the document as a study guide on the topic in question.  Thesis documents typically range from 40-80 pages in length and are directly connected to the created course devised by the student. Thesis planning occurs in the fall semester of the second year. The thesis document must be completed and approved by a two or three person committee selected by the student. An outline of the thesis proposal and the names of the thesis committee are due at the beginning of the final semester. At least one committee member must be from the performance faculty.  All thesis documents require a committee signature page. The student must submit the final document (after committee approval) by the end of April of the graduating year.  Common formats for thesis documents include: an introduction that identifies the pedagogical question under study, an overview of supporting research usually gathered during the created course research, course materials from the created course (course description, syllabus, exercises with detailed goals and instructions), an analysis of discoveries while teaching the course, and a conclusion that includes next steps.  Copies of thesis documents from previous students are available for review.

Evaluation Procedures

MFA students are given an advisor from the performance faculty during the first week of their first semester.  They will meet regularly (usually weekly) with this mentor to discuss progress in the program.

The department creates a file for every graduate student. This file contains copies of documents that identify work accomplished during the course of study.

MFA students’ teaching is evaluated several times during the course of the semester. The student’s advisor will visit the class at least twice and another member of the performance faculty will observe the class near the end of the term. Each of these visits results in a written report which will be reviewed by the student and his or her advisor, and become a part of the student’s file. In addition, the University conducts in-class evaluations of everyone teaching a course. These scores become a part of the student’s file as well.

At the end of each semester, MFA candidates meet with the graduate faculty to discuss and evaluate progress in the program.  The advisor provides the student with a written report of his or her progress to date, which becomes a part of his or her departmental file.  A student who does not meet departmental expectations in any area will be put on probation and/or may be asked to leave without notice.

Service

Service is a significant portion of a teaching position at a university. Students may be asked to serve on a committee, assist a production (as a one-time event, not as a coach), serve as tour guide for a prospective student, or teach an Honors Workshop for Introduction to Performance students.  They do not receive credit for these endeavors.  Although they are encouraged to participate when time and experience allow, they may opt out when the work load in a given semester would make such participation a hardship.

Statute of Limitations

MFA candidates must complete all requirements for the degree within four years of enrollment in the program.  Extensions may be granted by the Graduate Dean only in exceptional cases.

Sample Course of Study

Although some courses are fixed and immovable in their sequencing, many are not.  Students will work closely with the advisor to devise a four semester schedule that best suits their needs while accomplishing the requirements for the department.  The following is offered as an example of what to expect but should not serve as the only possible sequencing of course requirements.  MFA students must take 15 credits all four semesters to graduate in two years with the required 60 credits.

First Year Fall Semester

Classes:

Teaching:

First Year Spring Semester

Classes

Teaching

Second Year Fall Semester

Classes

Teaching

Second Year Spring Semester

Classes

Teaching

Other Criteria

Admissions criteria also include (not necessarily in order of priority) college transcripts, one writing sample, three letters of recommendation, and evaluation of interview, experience, and compatibility with departmental goals.
Pitt no longer accepts paper applications. Apply online.