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Department of Theatre and Dance

MFA in Scenic Design

Curriculum

Degree Requirements

At least 63 hours of graduate credit and residency at the University of South Carolina are required.  The MFA degree may be taken with an emphasis in acting, directing, costume design, scene design or lighting design. Each student’s program of courses will be determined by departmental guidelines with the agreement of the major advisor and will be formulated using three criteria: professional goals, past education and experience, and appropriate preparation for a thesis project and written comprehensive examination. All students in the program will complete a professional internship.

Other Requirements

  1. A thesis must be accepted by the MFA Advisory Committee and by the Graduate School;
  2. A comprehensive examination must be passed;
  3. All course work must be at the 500 level or above, and one-half of the course work (exclusive of thesis preparation) must be at the 700 level or above;
  4. A professional internship must be successfully completed.

 

Sample Program of Study

Scenic design students normally take the following core courses:

THEA 557  •  ADVANCED SCENIC DESIGN I (3 credits)

THEA 786  •  PROFESSIONAL SCENIC DESIGN PRACTICES I (3 credits)

THEA 787  •  PROFESSIONAL SCENIC DESIGN PRACTICES II (3 credits)

THEA 797  •  RENDERING TECHNIQUES (3 credits)

THEA 721F  •  SCENIC DESIGN PRACTICUM I (3 credits)

THEA 721F  •  SCENIC DESIGN PRACTICUM I (3 credits)

THEA 790  •  PROFESSIONAL SCENIC DESIGN INTERNSHIP (3-9 credits)

All design students normally take: 

THEA 710  •  GRADUATE DESIGN STUDIO

THEA 760  •  TEXT ANALYSIS

THEA 550  •  HISTORY OF COSTUMES

THEA 778  •  DIRECTOR'S WORKSHOP I


Scenic design students normally take 9 credits from among the following 3-credit courses: 

THEA 567  •  DRAMATIC THEORY I

THEA 568  •  DRAMATIC THEORY II

THEA 588  •  LIGHTING DESIGN

THEA 582  •  COSTUME DESIGN

THEA 761  •  STUDIES IN THEATRE HISTORY

THEA 765  •  STAGING IN THE NON-TRADITIONAL THEATRE

Scenic design students normally take a total of 12 credits from among the following 3-credit courses:

THEA 553  •  ADVANCED STAGECRAFT

THEA 554  •  THEATRE SAFETY

THEA 755  •  ADVANCED SCENE PAINTING FOR THE STAGE

THEA 796  •  COMPUTER-ASSISTED DESIGN FOR THE THEATRE

THEA 796  •  TECHNICAL DRAWING

THEA 797  •  COMPUTER IMAGING FOR THE THEATRE

THEA 797  •  MODEL BUILDING

THEA 799 • THESIS PREPARATION

 


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