Master of Fine Arts in Directing

The MFA in Directing in the School of Communication trains stage directors to possess strong practical knowledge of theater practice and to demonstrate an understanding of a range of storytelling styles and practices in the theater. The Department of Theatre offers two distinctive MFA programs: the MFA in Stage Design and the MFA in Directing. Students wishing to consider doctoral study should examine the description of the Interdisciplinary PhD in Theatre and Drama. The MFA degrees in Stage Design and Directing are terminal degrees analogous to the PhD.

The MFA in Stage Design, including scenery, costume, and lighting design, focuses on the development of the artistic, design, theoretical, and communication skills necessary for significant careers in the theater. Students study in primary and secondary design areas according to their interests and career goals. In addition, design students participate in seminars to study text analysis, period research, and collaboration skills. The collaboration between designer and director is central to this study and results in produced and theoretical theater work.

The program leading to the MFA in Directing trains stage directors to possess strong practical knowledge of theater practice and to demonstrate an understanding of a range of storytelling styles and practices in the theater. The curriculum is designed to acquaint the student with a wide variety of literary and theatrical styles, text interpretation, working knowledge of stage design, and basic and advanced directing theory and practice. The director will work on collaboration techniques with designers in classroom and production activities. Assistantships with professional theaters in and out of Chicago provide additional training and professional connections. Understanding of the collaborative process involved in directing individual artistic skills toward a shared vision of a theatrical experience is of central importance in the curriculum.

Admitted students must hold a U.S. bachelor’s degree or a comparable non-U.S. degree from a regionally accredited institution.

The minimum IELTS score for all applicants is 7.0. The minimum TOEFL scores are 80 (internet based), 213 (computer based), and 550 (paper based).