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
- A thesis must be accepted by the MFA Advisory Committee and by the Graduate School;
- A comprehensive examination must be passed;
- All course work must be at the 500 level or above, and at least half of the course
work (exclusive of thesis preparation) must be at the 700 level or above;
- A professional internship must be successfully completed.
Coursework
THEA 556 • Stage Design I
THEA 557 • Stage Design II
THEA 796 • Design for Live Performance
THEA 710 • Graduate Design Studio
THEA 510 • Digital Rendering Techniques
THEA 555 • Scene Painting for the Stage
THEA 599 • Model Making
THEA 731 • Technical Drawing for the Theatre
THEA 531 • Theatre Graphics
Courses must be taken from each of the following areas of study:
Lighting
Costume
Media Arts
Art History
Sample courses include:
THEA 588 • Stage Light Design I
THEA 582 • Costume Design
THEA 550 • History of Costume
MART 581A • Site-Based and Installation Art (can be 700 level)
ARTH 522 • History of Renaissance Architecture
ARTH 527 • History of Baroque Architecture
ARTH 537 • Topics in Modern Architecture
ARTH 547 • Afrofuturist and Afrosurrealist Art
THEA 561 • History of the Theatre I
THEA 562 • History of the Theatre II
THEA 760 • Graduate Text Analysis
THEA 721F • M.F.A. Practicum, Scenery and Properties
THEA 796 • Professional Portfolio
THEA 790 • Professional Theatre Internship
THEA 799 • Thesis Preparation