MFA Admission Requirements
School of the Arts Admission Requirements
The Department of Theatre is one of 13 departments in the School of the Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University. In order to be admitted to the Theatre VCU programs, the applicant must first meet the school requirements.These requirements are:
1. The applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
2. The applicant must have a 3.0 "B" average on the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission to the Department of Theatre Master of Fine Arts programs.
Occasionally, students are admitted for the spring semester. Generally, students are encouraged to begin their program in the fall, as some fall courses are prerequisites for spring offerings.
Specific admission requirements for the various degree tracks can be found at: http://www.vcu.edu/arts/prospective_students/graduate_studies/index
After applying to the VCU Graduate School and sending the supplemental materials to the School of the Arts, the applicant should send to Noreen Barnes these materials:
• A theatre and/or teaching resume
• A sample of a research paper (preferably in theatre) fro previous undergraduate or MA course work
To schedule a on-campus interview and portfolio presentation or audition please contact the Director of Theatre Graduate Studies:
Noreen C. Barnes, PhD
Director of Graduate Studies/Theatre
Department of Theatre
Virginia Commonwealth University
922 Park Avenue
PO Box 842524
Richmond, Virginia 23284-2524
Email: nbarnesm@vcu.edu
Telephone: 804 827.1677 | Fax: 804 828.6741
If you are interested in scene design or costume design you should prepare a portfolio of designs for your interview.
In addition to the School of the Arts admission requirements, applicants in Professional Studio: Scene Design and Costume Design must have completed a minimum of 30 semester credits in theatre at the undergraduate level. Professional experience will be considered.
The applicant is required to present a portfolio of work for consideration as part of the admissions process. This portfolio should include representative work from studio studies as well as realized designs for production. Slides and photographs may be used. Examples of work demonstrating rendering techniques as well as scene painting (for scene designers) should be included.
Any questions regarding the portfolio presentation should be addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies/Theatre. In addition to the portfolio presentation, the applicant will arrange a personal interview with a committee of the faculty through the Director of Graduate Studies/Theatre .
Fees and Tuition
Tuition and fees are set by university officials and are listed in the VCU Graduate Bulletin: http://www.pubapps.vcu.edu/bulletins/prog_search/?uid=10045&iid=30080&did=20155Charges are subject to change.
Information about the VCU Schedule of Tuition, Fees and Other Expenses can be found at: http://www.vcu.edu/enroll/sa/tuition/
Financial Aid
The Department of Theatre offers a limited number of graduate assistantships and partial tuition scholarships to full-time students. Applicants seeking financial assistance must submit completed applications by February 15 for fall admissions and November 1 for spring admissions.In addition, The Department of Theatre has a limited number of adjunct positions available in the speech communication program, teaching basic courses in speech communication and speech for business and professionals. There are limited teaching opportunities in the undergraduate acting and design theatre classes. Applications should be made to the Director of Graduate Studies/Theatre.
Apply Now
