Graduate Program

Degrees Offered

  • Master of Arts in Theatre and Dance (M.A.)
    Concentrations: Dance History and Criticism; Dramatic Writing; Theatre Education and Outreach.
  • Master of Fine Arts in Dance (M.F.A.)
  • Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing (M.F.A.)

Time Limit for Completion of Degree

All work toward an M.A. or M.F.A. degree in the department (including course work transferred from another institution) must be completed within a five-year period. This time is calculated by counting back from the planned semester of graduation.


Admission Information

All questions should be directed to: (505) 277-4332
(calls are directed to appropriate advisor)
FAX (505) 277-8921
e-mail: theatre@unm.edu or dance@unm.edu

Admission Deadlines

Semester Domestic Applicants International Applicants
Fall: April 15 May 1
Spring: None accepted  
Summer: None Accepted  

The deadline for Financial Aid consideration is February 1.

To receive an early response, applicants are encouraged to submit a complete application as early as possible.

International applicants require additional materials and are processed through The University of New Mexico’s International Admissions Office. Call (505) 277-5829 or e-mail: goglobal@unm.edu for more information.

Programs in the Theatre and Dance department are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) and the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD).

To enter the program, the student should have completed an undergraduate major in theatre or dance or have taken a minimum of 24 credit hours in Theatre and/or Dance, including History, Criticism, Dramatic Literature, Directing, Playwriting, Choreography, Technical Theatre and Performance. However, students with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines are eligible for admittance. Contact the department for information.

The student applying for admission should obtain a Self-Managed Application from the Office of Admissions:
Call: (505) 277-4332
Online application form

Other application materials required by the department:

  • Letter of Intent clearly expressing your ability to undertake graduate studies
  • Three letters of recommendation

  • M.A. in Theatre and Dance
    • Unbound Academic Writing Sample (10-20 pages)
  • M.F.A. in Dance
    • Unbound Academic Writing Sample (10-20 pages)
    • A resume of educational and professional dance experience
    • 5 minute VHD or Web link of choreography or performance
  • M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing 
    • A full-length stage play (60-100 pages)

Master of Arts in Theatre and Dance

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Theatre and Dance is offered under Plan I (thesis) or Plan II (non-thesis) according to the general requirements specified in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog. The M.A. in Theatre and Dance is intended for the student preparing for teaching, practice, or further graduate study in dance or theatre. In general, the focus of the program is the creation of new works of theatre and dance for stage and classroom, and development of research skills.

The M.A. in Theatre and Dance with a concentration in Dance History and Criticism is a two-year program that allows students to explore the range of dance studies. From historic reconstruction to contemporary performance theory, students are involved in intensive discussion and rigorous training in the practice of research and writing about dance. The program serves as a preparation for doctoral studies. Students in the Dance History and Criticism concentration have continued to Ph.D. programs at UC Riverside, University of Arizona, University of Surrey and other national and international institutions. Students in the concentration undertake their studies in a vibrant dance program that also emphasizes performance and choreography in contemporary dance and flamenco. All of these factors make for a unique graduate experience.

Required Courses

The purpose of the required courses for the Master of Arts degree is to provide a common conceptual framework for all graduate students in the program. The required courses aim to strengthen critical and practical skills that support and guide students' direction and concentration in the remainder of the program and beyond.

Credit
Hours
DANC 500
-or-
THEA 500
Introduction to Graduate Study

Introduction to Graduate Studies
3
THEA 503 Performance Theory 3
THEA 506 Critical Issues in the Performing Arts 3


Concentration Requirements

Credit
Hours
Dance concentration in Dance History and Criticism
Required core: DANC 500 and either DANC 503 or 506 6
Dance requirements: 6 credit hours from DANC 562, 566 6
DANC 531 Criticism 3
Electives related to concentration 9
DANC 599 Master's Thesis 6
Total 30
Theatre concentration in Dramatic Writing or Theatre Education and Outreach  
Plan I (Thesis):  
Required core: THEA 500, 503, and 506 9
Electives related to concentration 15
THEA 599 Master's Thesis (minimum credit hours) 6
Total 30
Plan II (Essay):  
Required core: THEA 500, 503, and 506 9
Electives related to concentration 15
THEA 598 Master's Essay in Theatre and Dance 3
Other electives 6
Total 33


Plan I: Master’s Thesis

This is the traditional M.A. program, and culminates in the writing of a formal Thesis, a work of original research and writing (typically, 60-85 pages) that explores in depth a particular, carefully delimited subject related to the student’s area of study. Plan I is especially recommended for students who intend to eventually pursue a Ph.D. The thesis must be written in the UNM Graduate Studies format.

Plan II: Master’s Essay and Creative Project

Plan II does not require a Thesis, but does require both a substantial Creative Project (usually, this means directing a full-length performance or project in the department, the schools or community, as well as a Master’s Essay. The Master’s Essay is intended to conform to the standards of a major seminar paper or journal article, including careful organization, clarity of argument, original research with full citation, bibliography, typically 30-50 pages in length. The Master’s Essay may address a topic related to the Creative Project, but this is not absolutely necessary. Plan II also includes a written exam, taken during the student’s final semester in the program.

Plan II: Master’s Exam

The Master’s Exam is conducted by a faculty committee of three. The supervisor of the student’s Master’s Essay normally serves as chairperson of the committee and the other two members are chosen in consultation with the student. The subject matter of the examination questions is taken from the particular program of studies followed by the student. The subject matter of the Master’s Essay must be included in the examination questions. Usually the exam is written; the committee may elect, however, to conduct some portion of the exam orally. The length of the exam is three credit hours. Each member of the committee conducting the exam submits at least one question.


Master of Fine Arts in Dance

The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Dance is a three-year terminal degree program that serves a select population of emerging artists pursuing a future in performance, choreography, and teaching, with focus areas in Choreography and/or Performance. The program promotes the growth and development of artistic achievement balanced with scholarship, accepting only students who show artistic excellence and who demonstrate exceptional potential for future progress. The M.F.A. dissertation in Dance consists of an evening concert of original choreography and an accompanying written dissertation. 

General guidelines for completion of M.F.A. degrees are set forth in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog.

Required Courses 

  Credit
Hours
Graduate Core:
DANC 500 Introduction to Graduate Study 3
THEA 503 Performance Theory 3
THEA 506 Critical Issues in the Performing Arts  3
Dance Core:  
DANC 510 Creative Investigations I 3
DANC 511
-or-
DANC 579
Choreography II

Flamenco Choreography
3
DANC 515 Creative Investigations II 3
DANC 516 Dance Pedagogy 3
DANC 549 Dance Technique for Graduate Students 24
DANC 531, 562, or 566 Dance History or Dance Criticism 3
DANC 699 Dissertation 6
Electives:  
  Six credit hours graduate electives in the student's area of interest 6
  Total 60

Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing

For the student preparing to enter the profession of writing for the stage and media the department offers the Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing (M.F.A.). The focus of the program is the creation of new work for the stage, the media and the classroom.

General guidelines for completion of M.F.A. degrees are set forth in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog.

Required Courses

  Credit
Hours
Graduate Core:
THEA 500 Introduction to Graduate Studies 3
THEA 503 Performance Theory 3
THEA 506 Critical Issues in the Performing Arts 3
  Subtotal 9
Writing Core:  
THEA 555 Dramatic Writing I 8
THEA 556 Dramatic Writing II 8
THEA 557 The Writer's Stage III 8
THEA 558 Screenwriting 6
THEA 559 Topics in Dramatic Writing 6
  Subtotal 36
Elective Courses 9
THEA 699 Dissertation 6
  Minimum credit hours required for degree 60

Qualifying Review

After completing 20 credit hours of graduate credit the student submits all writing completed since entering the program. A committee of review with three to five members is appointed by the department’s graduate committee. This committee is composed of individuals with expertise in writing both in and outside the department. To continue in the second year of the M.F.A. program, all students must receive a pass on the promise of their writing. Students are notified before the start of the Fall semester. The review is the occasion for a comprehensive review of the student’s work to that point and a frank evaluation of his or her promise in the profession. Three options are open to the M.F.A. Graduate Committee at this point: 1) continuation in the M.F.A. program; 2) dismissal from the graduate program; or 3) the committee may request the work be resubmitted after addressing a specific set of concerns. Resubmissions must be completed and reconsidered before the beginning of the Fall semester. Students may have a maximum of two attempts to pass this review.

Advancement to Candidacy and Comprehensive Examination

After successfully completing 30 credit hours of graduate work, including completion of one full cycle of the writing core: 555, 556 and 557, all students take a comprehensive examination at the end of their fourth semester of study. This examination covers the areas of knowledge explored in the required core courses. Once the Comprehensive Examination is passed the student submits the Application for Candidacy to Graduate Studies. If approved, the Dean of Graduate Studies formally advances the student to Candidacy.

Requirements for Graduation

The Master of Fine Arts degree requires a minimum of 60 credit hours of work, no more than 24 of which can be transferred from other programs–either from within the University of New Mexico or elsewhere. In addition, the candidate must have:

  1. completed no fewer than 42 graduate credit hours in residency at the University of New Mexico;
  2. completed 9 credit hours of a "core" curriculum, plus the remainder of the recommended sequence within the program and passed a Comprehensive Examination on the "core" curriculum;
  3. completed a minimum of six complete scripts to the satisfaction of the M.F.A. Committee;
  4. have at least three scripts produced in a forum suitable to the M.F.A. Committee. These might include: Concert Readings; The Writer's Stage; Experimental Theatre Series; University Theatre season productions (at the University of New Mexico or elsewhere); Professional Productions.

M.F.A. Dissertation

The M.F.A. Dissertation is the major work, full length play or screenplay written in the final year of the candidate’s program. It is written in the course of the final year’s work in 555 and 556. The Dissertation work must be presented in 557 Writer’s Stage in the final semester in a public presentation which can take the form of a staged concert reading or, given questions of merit and availability of facilities, a more comprehensive presentation.

The play or screenplay must be accompanied by an essay that addresses such topics as the creative process which lies behind the work’s development, the research done for the Dissertation work, and presents an analysis of the issues and meaning embodied in the Dissertation work.

In addition to the Dissertation work the successful M.F.A. candidate must complete the following works to graduate: four scripts (two full length plays, one full length screenplay, one short screen or stage piece).


Courses

DANC 1110. Dance Appreciation. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 1120. African Dance I. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



DANC 1130. Ballet I. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



DANC 1140. Flamenco I. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



DANC 1150. Modern Dance I. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



DANC 1160. Jazz I. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



DANC 1170 [170]. Hip Hop I. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



DANC 201. Crew Practicum. (0)



DANC 2040 [204]. Stretching, Strengthening and Conditioning for the Performing Arts. (3, may be repeated four times Δ)



DANC 2120 [212]. Improvisation. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 2130. Ballet II. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



DANC 2150 [210]. Contemporary Dance II [Modern Dance II]. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



DANC 2160. Jazz II. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



DANC 2400 [240]. Music Essentials for Contemporary Dance. (3)



DANC 2420. Music Essentials for Flamenco. (3)



DANC 2690 [269]. Flamenco II. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



DANC 295. Special Topics. (3, may be repeated four times Δ)



DANC 310. Contemporary Dance III [Modern Dance III]. (3, may be repeated seven times Δ)



DANC 311. Choreography I. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 313. Kinesiology for Dancers. (3, no limit Δ)



DANC 314. Introduction to Dance Studies. (3)



DANC 349. Ballet III. (3, may be repeated seven times Δ)



DANC 369. Flamenco III. (3, may be repeated eight times Δ)



DANC 370. Hip Hop II. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



DANC 379. Flamenco Structure/Improvisation. (3)



DANC 411 / 511. Choreography II. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 416 / 516. Dance Pedagogy. (3)



DANC 431. Writing About Dance. (3)



DANC 466 / 566. Flamenco History. (3)



DANC 468. Contemporary Dance History. (3)



DANC 469. Flamenco IV. (3, may be repeated eight times Δ)



DANC 479 / 579. Flamenco Choreography. (3)



DANC 487 / 587. Contemporary Interdisciplinary Topics. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 492. Contemporary Dance Performance Ensemble. (3, may be repeated eight times Δ)



DANC 494. Flamenco Performance Ensemble. (3, may be repeated eight times Δ)



DANC 495. Special Studies in Dance. (3, may be repeated four times Δ)



DANC 496 / 596. Student Production Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



DANC 497 / 597. Independent Study. (1-3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



DANC 499. Departmental Honors. (3-6 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



DANC 500. Introduction to Graduate Study. (3)



DANC 506. Critical Issues in the Performing Arts. (3)



DANC 509. Graduate Internship. (3-6 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



DANC 510. Creative Investigations I. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 511 / 411. Choreography II. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 512. Graduate Seminar. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



DANC 515. Creative Investigations II. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 516 / 416. Dance Pedagogy. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 531. Dance Criticism. (3)



DANC 549. Dance Technique for Graduate Students. (1-4, no limit Δ)



DANC 551-552. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



DANC 562 [562 / 462]. Dance History I. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 566 / 466. Flamenco History. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 579 / 479. Flamenco Choreography. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 587 / 487. Contemporary Interdisciplinary Topics. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



DANC 596 / 496. Student Production Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



DANC 597 / 497. Independent Study. (1-3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



DANC 598. Master's Essay in Theatre and Dance. (3)



DANC 599. Master's Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)



DANC 699. Dissertation. (3-6, no limit Δ)



THEA 1110. Introduction to Theatre. (3)



THEA 1220. Beginning Acting. (3)



THEA 1310. Introduction to Costuming. (3)



THEA 2210. Acting for the Camera. (3)



THEA 2220. Intermediate Acting. (3)



THEA 2310. Stagecraft. (3)



THEA 2320. Lighting for the Theatre. (3)



THEA 2325 [296]. Lighting Methods and Equipment. (3)



THEA 2330. Introduction to Theatre Makeup. (3)



THEA 2335 [292]. Rendering for Stage, Screen, and New Media. (3)



THEA 2345 [231]. Voice for the Actor I. (3)



THEA 2350 [232]. Movement for the Stage I. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 300. Studies in Theatre. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



THEA 314. Pattern Development. (3)



THEA 328. Musical Theatre. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 330. Acting III. (3)



THEA 331. Voice for the Actor II. (3)



THEA 332. Speech and Dialects for the Stage. (3)



THEA 333. Topics in Physical Theatre. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



THEA 334. History of Fashion and Costumes. (3)



THEA 345. Theatre History I. (3)



THEA 346. Theatre History II. (3)



THEA 350. Script Analysis. (3)



THEA 355. Playwriting I. (3)



THEA 366. Stage Management. (2)



THEA 367. Stage Management Production Laboratory. (1, may be repeated three times Δ)



THEA 370. 2D Computer-Aided Drafting for Design. (3)



THEA 371. Digital Imagery and Production. (3)



THEA 387. Design History and Styles for Performance and New Media. (3)



THEA 390. Scenic Painting for Stage and Screen. (3)



THEA 391. Advanced Scenic Techniques. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 392. Introduction to Scenic Design for Performance and New Media. (3)



THEA 394. Costume Design for Performance and New Media. (3)



THEA 396. Lighting Design I. (3)



THEA 397. Sound for Performance. (3)



THEA 398. Costume Techniques. (3)



THEA 399. Special Problems in Theatre and Production. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



THEA 403. Directing I. (3)



THEA 404 / 504. Directing II. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 428. Topics in Musical Theatre. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 431. Advanced Acting: Tools for Acting the Classical Repertory. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 432. Advanced Acting- Beyond Realism. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 434. Performance Art. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 437. Entering the Profession. (3)



THEA 440 / 540. Devised Performance. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 445 / 545. Topics in Performance. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 446. Theories of Performance. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA *455. Playwriting II. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA *456L. Playwriting Laboratory. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 457. Advanced Dramatic Writing Workshop. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 458 / 558. Screenwriting. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 465 / 565. Live Performance: International Theatre Festival Immersion. (3-4, may be repeated three times Δ)



THEA 468 / 568. Navajo Expressive Culture. (3)



THEA 470. 3D Modeling and Visualization for Design. (3)



THEA 472. Prop Design and Construction. (3)



THEA 474. Production Performance. (0, may be repeated seven times)



THEA 475 / 575. Special Topics in Computers for Design. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



THEA 481. Costume Design and Technology Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



THEA 482. Scene Design and Technology Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 3 Δ)



THEA 486. Lighting Design II. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 487 / 587. Contemporary Interdisciplinary Topics. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 488. Lighting Design and Technology Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 3 Δ)



THEA 491. Professional Apprenticeship. (1-6, no limit Δ)



THEA 492. Advanced Scene Design for Performance and New Media. (3)



THEA 494. Advanced Costume Design for Performance and New Media. (3)



THEA 495. Studies in Theatre. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



THEA 496 / 596. Student Production Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



THEA 497 / 597. Independent Study. (2-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



THEA 498. Design Seminar. (3)



THEA 499. Departmental Honors. (3-6 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



THEA 500. Introduction to Graduate Studies. (3)



THEA 503. Performance Theory. (3)



THEA 504 / 404. Directing II. (3, no limit Δ)



THEA 506. Critical Issues in the Performing Arts. (3)



THEA 512. Graduate Seminar. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 529. Advanced Topics in Theatre and Dance. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



THEA 540 / 440. Devised Performance. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 545 / 445. Topics in Performance. (3, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 551. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



THEA 555. Dramatic Writing I. (4, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 556. Dramatic Writing II. (4, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 557. The Writer's Stage III. (4, may be repeated twice Δ)



THEA 558 / 458. Screenwriting. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



THEA 559. Topics in Dramatic Writing. (3, may be repeated three times Δ)



THEA 565 / 465. Live Performance: International Theatre Festival Immersion. (3-4, may be repeated three times Δ)



THEA 568 / 468. Navajo Expressive Culture. (3)



THEA 575 / 475. Special Topics in Computers for Design. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



THEA 587 / 487. Contemporary Interdisciplinary Topics. (3, may be repeated once Δ)



THEA 596 / 496. Student Production Project. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



THEA 597 / 497. Independent Study. (2-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



THEA 598. Master's Essay in Theatre and Dance. (3)



THEA 599. Master's Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)



THEA 699. Dissertation. (3-12, no limit Δ)



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Office of the Registrar

MSC11 6325
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: (505) 277-8900
Fax: (505) 277-6809