Theatre Studies

The M.A. / M.S. degree program is designed for two populations of students:

• Students who intend to pursue a Ph.D. in Theatre and need a rigorous master's degree program to prepare them for further graduate study.
• Students who know they want to work professionally in theatre but are not yet certain which aspect of theatre best fits their interests.

A flexible program allows you to customize your course of study and build a solid foundation for further M.F.A. or Ph.D. studies, for teaching at the community college level, or for other professional careers in theatre, such as dramaturgy or literary management.

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Point of Pride

Our Illinois Shakespeare Festival is a nationally acclaimed Equity summer theatre operated by the School of Theatre, Dance, and Film, with opportunities for students to work with professionals.

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How to Apply

University Admission Requirements

A student applying to a master's program must:

• have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so within one academic year
• have a minimum 2.8 GPA (on a scale in which an A is a 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work
• present unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term. If accepted, official transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 209 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

To be considered for this program, you must submit the following materials:

• statement of purpose
• resume or c.v.
• one example of scholarly writing
• names and email addresses of three references for letters of recommendation within the online application

Application Deadlines

• Fall Term — February 1

Graduate Assistantships

The University provides graduate assistantships as a means of financial support. They are intended as a way to facilitate a student's progress to degree while providing important professional development.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an assistantship a student must, generally,

• be admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student into a graduate academic program, or have a minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program
• be in good-standing
• be enrolled full-time (typically at least 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters, or at least 6 hours during the summer session).

Benefits

Graduate assistants receive

• monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage
• a waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment
• a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment

Costs & Funding

See Student Accounts for information on tuition and fees. Funding for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from contiguous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.