Master of Arts for Teachers

Master of Arts Program K-12 Teacher

The School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State University offers a Master of Arts in Theatre for K-12 teachers (a bachelor's degree in Theatre is not required to enter this track of the Master of Arts program).  The curricular plan for this track assumes the student will continue full-time K-12 teaching while completing the degree, and, therefore, may move through the degree plan more or less quickly, as preferred.  The course arrangements which follow show a slow rate of one course each semester (6 hrs. per academic year) or a fast rate of two or three courses a semester (12-18 hrs. per academic year).  Courses are arranged as follows:

First Academic Year. 

            6-12 hours                 THEA 61000  Intro to Grad Study (fall)

                                   THEA 61095  Special Topics (spring)

                                   add a second 3 hr. course for 9-12 hrs.

First Summer.

      7 hours                  KBT 60992  Internship

Second Academic Year.

           6-12 hours                a 3 hr. course (fall)

                                  THEA 61095 Special Topics (spring) 

                                   add a second 3 hr. course for 9-12 hrs.

Second Summer.

     7 hours                   KBT 62992  Internship

Total hours required for degree = 32 [1 course each academic-year semester totals 12 of a needed 18 hrs. of academic year work].

[Note:  KBT 60992/62992 are School of Theatre and Dance courses administered by the Kent-Blossom Theatre program at Porthouse Theatre.  Each may be taken for as much as six credit hours at a time and can be repeated.  M.A. K-12 students would take their 7 hrs. each summer spread over the University's summer sessions, which coincide with Porthouse Theatre's June through August season.  Stipends covering tuition are available for these Internships, representing a substantial savings for 14 of the degree's required 32 hours.]

Clarifications

All graduate students in the School of Theatre and Dance are required to take Intro. to Graduate Study in Theatre (61000) at the beginning of their study.  (Intro. to Graduate Study in Theatre focuses on research materials and methods in the field and is only offered in the fall semester.)  M.A. K-12 students would take this course as early in their registrations as possible.

THEA 61095 Special Topics precedes and prepares the M.A. K-12 student for the summer Internship work by focusing study either in the area of acting and directing or in the area of design and technology.  The Special Topics classes provide an opportunity for M.A. K-12 students to do the reading and research necessary to undertake the summer's Internship work at Porthouse Theatre and its affiliates. 

While we recommend students in the M.A. K-12 take Theatre in a Multicultural America (51113), the fifteen hours taken (in addition to Intro. to Graduate Study) are to be drawn from the following list, based upon course availability during the terms the student is enrolled, and upon the individual student's interest (all are or may be taken for 3 credits):

    THEA         51110   Theatre Criticism

                   51113   Theatre in a Multicultural America 

                  51114   Gay and Lesbian Theatre

                  51133   History of Theatre and Drama in America I

                  51134   History of Theatre and Drama in America II

                  51191   Variable Content Seminar

                  57073   History of Dance 

                  61001   Theatre Research Strategies

                  61096   Individual Investigation

                  61110   History of Theories of Acting and Space I 

                  61111   History of Theories of Acting and Space II

                  61191   Seminar:  Theatre History and Theory

                  62792   Production Dramaturgy 

During the semester or summer session in which the student expects to complete his or her work, s/he needs to meet the deadline for filing for graduation and to obtain the appropriate forms from the College Office and complete them.  (These are sent to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies for verification and returned to the College.)  All degree requirements must be completed in six years from the first enrollment.

Requirements for Admission

Admission to the MA in Theatre for Teachers program requires an application for graduate study, two letters of recommendation, GRE scores and a brief statement summarizing the student’s background and career goals.  The summary of background and career goals, letters and GRE scores should be sent to the School of Theatre and Dance.

ASSISTANTSHIPS

The School of Theatre and Dance offers a limited number of Graduate Assistantships for full-time students which provide a full tuition waiver and a stipend.  Graduate Assistants contribute a minimum of 20 hours of service per week in the form of instruction, supervision of labs, or work in a specific area such as the scene, electrics or costume shop.

For more information, contact Dr. Rosemarie K. Bank, Graduate Coordinator at rbank@kent.edu or 330-672-0108 or Cynthia Stillings, Interim School Director at cstillin@kent.edu or 330-672-2082.  

Graduate Catalog Course Descriptions, click here.

To Download the Application for Graduate Study, click here.