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The School of Theater offers programs leading to the Master of Fine Arts and Master of Arts degrees. To apply, you must have earned a baccalaureate degreefrom an accredited college or university and be able to demonstrate motivation and talent for the program of your choice. In addition, you should present a background of training that correlates with your professional goals. For unconditional admission, you must have a satisfactory academic record with strong indications of success in your chosen area and sufficient preparation to qualify for graduate courses to be included in the program. Any deficiencies must be made up by taking appropriate courses in addition to normal requirements.

Applicants for admission to one of the professional M.F.A. programs must demonstrate qualification by audition, submission of portfolio, interview, or other appropriate means before final approval is granted (see below). This requirement is in addition to the basic admission standards for entrance into the graduate program of the School of Theater.

Throughout the program, you are closely observed and counseled by the faculty. You are expected to show consistent progress toward improvement of those skills that the faculty deems necessary for entry into the profession. At the end of every quarter in residence, and in some programs also at midterm of each quarter in the initial year, a thorough evaluation is made. The faculty discuss with you particular areas of strength and weakness in your performance and how they may affect your professional potential.

If, in the judgment of the faculty, you fail to meet professional standards or to show improvement in necessary skills, you are placed on program probation for the following quarter. Normally this action occurs at the end of a quarter, and the probation is for the following quarter. However you may be placed on program probation at any time if the faculty deems it necessary. Written notice of this decision is provided, along with an explanation of the academic or artistic reasons for the decision. You are expected to make improvement immediately in the indicated areas.

At the end of the period of program probation, the area faculty, in consultation with the director of the School of Theater, takes one of three actions:

1 Removal of program probation; recommendation for continuation in the program.

2 Continued program probation for an additional quarter.

3 Denial of further enrollment.

If you are placed on program probation in the first five weeks of a quarter, the period of probation may extend until the end of that quarter. If you are placed on probation after the first five weeks of the quarter, the period of probation may extend until the end of the following quarter.

In no case will program probation continue for more than three consecutive quarters.

Students in the Professional Actor Training Program, the Professional Director Training Program, The Professional Playwriting Program, and the Production Design and Technology Program must begin their program of study in the fall quarter. Application materials for these programs must be received by April 1. Students in the other M.F.A. programs are encouraged to begin their program in the fall quarter and should observe the April 1 application deadline. An M.A. degree candidate may apply for admission for any quarter.

Applicants seeking financial aid in the form of OGS tuition waivers or graduate stipends for the following academic year should submit application materials to the School of Theater by March 1. If you wish to apply for financial aid in the form of work study and/or loans, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. (See the Financial Aid section.)

Graduate candidates are required to participate each quarter in the production activities of the school as a supplement to and as an extension of their academic work. In addition, all graduate candidates are required to enroll for Lunchbag Theater Seminar each quarter of residence.

The production program of the school is conducted in two adjoining buildings on the Athens campus. The first is Kantner Hall, housing a comfortable and well-equipped proscenium theater;four small studio-classroom theaters; scenery, props, and costume laboratories; and related facilities. A second mainstage theater, incorporating a thrust stage and capable of modification for use in various theatrical forms, is located in the Radio-Television Communication Building next door. Significant repertory production opportunities are available through the University’s Monomoy Theater on Cape Cod (Chatham, Massachusetts).

Visiting artists from the professional theater are brought to the campus in all areas of the school to augment the teaching of the faculty. Full-term residencies, shorter-term (two or more weeks) residencies, master classes, and audition opportunities with theater professionals are supported by visiting artist funds. Recent visiting artists have included prominent actors, directors, designers, playwrights, administrators, and teachers from England and Europe, as well as the North American commercial and LORT theaters.

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