CONTACT
Ashley Rivera
Senior Undergraduate Admissions Coordinator
tadadmissions@utexas.edu
Frequently Asked Questions for Undergraduate Program Admission
- When is the application deadline?
- When will I know whether or not I've been accepted?
- How many students are majoring in Theatre and Dance at UT?
- How long will it take me to complete my degree?
- May I have two majors (simultaneous majors)?
- Can I minor in Theatre or Dance?
- Are scholarships and/or financial aid available to Department of Theatre and Dance students?
- I love the performing arts but am concerned about my professional life after school. Can you help me?
- UT Austin is a big place. Is there a way I can better connect with the theatre and dance community?
- Can I have a tour of the Department of Theatre and Dance?
- What if I'm not in the top 6% of my high school, or if I attend a private or out-of-state school?
- Who can help me with questions about admission to the Department of Theatre and Dance?
When is the application deadline?
Freshmen applicants must complete the Common App application by December 1. Transfer applicants must complete the Common App application by March 1. Current UT Austin students applying to add or change majors must apply by May 1. Depending on the program you are considering, an audition, interview or portfolio may be required.
When will I know whether or not I've been admitted?
Freshmen and external transfer students will be notified of their acceptance by the UT Austin Office of Admissions through their MyStatus pages. Freshmen notices are distributed by March 1. External transfer notices are typically distributed in June. Current students at UT Austin applying to the department will receive a notification through their internal transfer application portal in June.
How many students are majoring in Theatre and Dance at UT?
The number of students fluctuates year to year, but we typically admit approximately 100 students to the department each year: 16 to the B.F.A. in Acting, 20-25 to B.F.A. Dance and UTeach Dance, 20 to UTeach Theatre (B.F.A. Theatre Education) and 40 to our B.A. in Theatre and Dance.
How long will it take me to complete my degree?
Most degrees may be completed within four years depending on the number of hours taken each semester (including summer sessions).
May I have two majors (double majors)?
Declaring a double major at UT Austin is contingent upon your successful approval for a second major by another college or school at UT. You must have 30 credit hours of coursework to apply to a second major and be able to demonstrate your ability to graduate within four years. The B.F.A. in Acting program does not allow a double major.
Can I minor in Theatre and/or Dance?
The Department of Theatre and Dance does not offer any official minor. Non-majors are encouraged to get involved with our community by taking non-major classes, auditioning for productions and joining our student organizations.
Are scholarships and/or financial aid available to Theatre and Dance students?
Yes! The department’s scholarship committee awards merit and financial need-based scholarships to incoming students. There is no separate scholarship application for departmental awards. Students who fully complete their application to the Department of Theatre and Dance at The University of Texas at Austin will automatically be considered for departmental funding. The department also awards scholarships to continuing students.
To be considered for financial aid, applicants should complete the FAFSA by March 15.
For more information regarding financial aid and university scholarships, please visit the Texas One Stop website.
I love the performing arts but am concerned about my professional life after graduation. Can you help me?
The College of Fine Arts Career Services (FACS) provides a full range of services and resources to help you realize your full potential during and after your time at UT. These services continue to be available to alumni after graduation.
Peruse our alumni profiles and set your mind at ease! Longhorns are enjoying great success in theatre, dance and business.
UT Austin is a big place. Is there a way I can better connect with the theatre and dance community?
Yes! The Department of Theatre and Dance is a close-knit community of students and faculty dedicated to exploring the performing arts. Here, you can collaborate with your peers through the Student Organizations and Hook ‘Em Arts. And, connect with Theatre and Dance by liking us on Facebook and following on Twitter and Instagram!
Can I have a tour of the Department of Theatre and Dance?
Yes! Check out our Information Sessions and Tours for prospective freshmen and transfer students.
What if I'm not in the top 6% of my high school, or if I attend a private or out-of-state school?
We seek talented students who are academically strong but recognize they may not attend a ranking school in Texas or be in the top 6% of their class. Admission to this program is based on a holistic review of your academic merits and artistic talent, not strictly class rank.
Who can help me with questions about admission to the Department of Theatre and Dance?
Ashley Rivera
Senior Undergraduate Admissions Coordinator
512-232-1720
tadadmissions@utexas.edu
CONTACT
Andrea Grapko
Graduate Coordinator
andrea.grapko@austin.utexas.edu
Frequently Asked Questions for Graduate Program Admission
- Will you send an application?
- Is the GRE required?
- How soon should I take the GRE if it is required for my application?
- Do I have to take the TOEFL? (international students only)
- Would I be able to come into the graduate program in one area and later transfer to another area?
- May I fax or e-mail some of my application materials to the Department of Theatre and Dance?
- How do I decide which persons to ask for references?
- Is there a separate scholarship application that I must complete?
- May I attend classes during the summers and finish early?
- What classes will I take? Will my old classes transfer?
- What production opportunities do M.F.A. students have?
- Are students given the opportunity to be a teaching assistant (TA) for other classes in the Department of Theatre and Dance? If so, is it a once-in-a-while thing, or is the chance to TA fairly frequent?
- Do students get office space?
- What are the overall writing requirements for the various degrees? What courses will I be required to take? What and how many productions will I have to participate in?
- Are grad students able to participate in other classes outside of their area?
- Should I schedule an interview?
- I'd like to schedule a private audition/interview at U/RTA. Is that possible?
Will you send an application?
No. The online application is our only way of receiving applications. Your information will be available much sooner electronically and will speed the application process. You need apply only to the University's Graduate School as there is not a separate application required for the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Is the GRE required?
The GRE is required for application to the following area:
Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities
The GRE is no longer required for application to the following areas:
Dance
Design and Technology (Costume Design, Costume Technology, Lighting Design, Scene Design and Integrated Media)
Directing
Playwriting
Performance as Public Practice
How soon should I take the GRE if it is required for my application?
The GRE should be taken as soon as possible. Applications cannot be considered without the GRE scores. Information may be obtained through the GRE website.
Do I have to take the TOEFL? (international students only)
All international applicants must submit the TOEFL or IELTS with their application. The TOEFL can be waived if the applicant comes from an English-ONLY country, or holds a bachelor's degree from a U.S. university. Masters' degrees cannot waive the TOEFL.
A score of 550 (paper test), 213 (computer-based test), or 79 (internet-based test) on the TOEFL OR an overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination of the Academic Examination of the TOEFL or IELTS is considered the minimum acceptable for admission to the University of Texas at Austin.
Would I be able to come into the graduate program in one area and later transfer to another area?
Please consider your concentration carefully. You must have a focus which will make one of our areas appropriate for your work. There is latitude in each student's program of study permitting courses in other areas of interest, but students aren't admitted into the program with the intention of moving to another area.
May I fax or e-mail some of my application materials to the Department?
No, all application materials (with the exception of certain portfolio materials) must be uploaded on designated application sites.
How do I decide which persons to ask for references?
The most valuable references will be from persons able to endorse your ability in your field of specialization and estimate your success in a graduate school environment and the profession.
Is there a separate scholarship application that I must complete?
There is not a separate scholarship application form. Your application file provides all of the information necessary. The scholarships are awarded by the Scholarship Committee based on recommendations from the Graduate Studies Executive Committee. All incoming (new) graduate students are placed in consideration for scholarships.
May I attend classes during the summers and finish early?
There are limited courses offered in the summers. The majority of our graduate students and some of our faculty leave Austin for summer theatre work. The fall and spring semesters offer all of the required coursework. It is best to enter the program with the commitment for the time recommended: M.F.A. - three years, 60 hours; M.A. - two years, 30 hours; Ph.D. - 90 hours, at least four but no more than six years.
What classes will I take? Will my old classes transfer?
As an undergraduate, you were probably handed a "cookie cutter" or "one-size-fits-all" degree plan. Those don't really apply at the graduate level. Each plan is customized for the goals, strengths and weaknesses of the student. If you're admitted, you and your advisor will discuss your educational plans and formulate a degree plan.
In general, the faculty will not discuss specific degree plans before the student has been admitted and accepted our offer. Nor will we discuss transfer possibilities before the student has been admitted and accepted our offer.
What production opportunities do M.F.A. students have?
All M.F.A. students have several opportunities to participate in mainstage productions. Opportunities vary by concentration.
Are students given the opportunity to be a teaching assistant (TA) for other classes in the Department of Theatre and Dance? If so, is it a once-in-a-while thing, or is the chance to TA fairly frequent?
Students should have the chance to TA and even teach their own classes, assuming they are qualified.
Do students get office space?
There is limited office space available for graduate students who are teaching classes. As space is limited, offices are not guaranteed.
What are the overall writing requirements for the various degrees? What courses will I be required to take? What and how many productions will I have to participate in?
These issues are addressed with the faculty when you arrive.
Are graduate students able to participate in other classes outside of their area?
This is required of all of our students. Not only are you required to take classes outside of your concentration, but you will probably have to take classes outside of Theatre and Dance.
Should I schedule an interview?
Please contact the area head from your desired area of focus.
I'd like to schedule a private audition/interview at U/RTA. Is that possible?
Our faculty follows all U/RTA guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions for Specific Graduate Programs
Design and Technology
Should I schedule an interview / portfolio review?
Absolutely.
Playwriting
What length of play must I submit for the Playwriting Area?
Submit two writing samples (complete plays) best representative of your work. At least one must be a “full length” play; one may be a “short play” if you’d like.
What is the difference between the UT Austin Theatre Playwriting M.F.A. and the Creative Writing M.F.A.?
Creative Writing is an interdisciplinary program with ties to English, Radio-Television-Film and Theatre.
Performance as Public Practice
Questions About the Application
Who should I contact with questions about the Performance as Public Practice Program?
For questions about the mechanics of the application progress, general graduate school requirements and assistance with online submission, contact Andrea Grapko. For questions about the Performance as Public Practice Program and the admissions process, contact Dr. Rebecca Rossen.
Is the GRE required?
No, GRE scores are no longer required for admission into the Performance as Public Practice program.
I'm an international student. Is the TOEFL required?
International students whose native language is not English must also submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). See the Graduate School's website for more information about this policy.
How important is the Statement of Goals and Writing Sample(s)?
The Statement of Goals is a critical aspect of your application because it gives the admissions committee the clearest indication of who you are as a person and emerging scholar, why you want a graduate degree, why you want to come to our program and your preparedness for graduate study. The writing samples are also very important because they give us a clear indication of your preparedness for graduate study in performance, specifically your abilities as a critical thinker and writer.
Questions About the Degree Programs
Which degree program should I apply to?
There are many factors that go into this decision. What is your academic and artistic background? What degree(s) do you currently hold? What are your professional goals? What do you hope to do after your complete the degree?
In order to earn a Ph.D., many doctoral programs (including ours) require a Master's degree. The M.A. degree is not a terminal degree and is generally considered a preparatory degree for a doctorate program. While an M.A. degree generally will not qualify you for a tenure-track university teaching position, the degree can enable students to work in a variety of educational, organizational and artistic positions. The Ph.D. is a terminal degree and will quality applicants to teach at the university level.
The M.F.A. degree is a terminal degree designed for performance makers or arts organizers who would like to focus primarily on the integration of research and practice. The M.F.A. can qualify students for university-level teaching as well as a variety of educational, organizational and artistic positions.
Do you separate M.A., M.F.A. and Ph.D. students?
No. Although the program of study is distinct for each degree plan, all of our students are part of one community and are offered the same rigorous, scholarly training in performance as public practice.
Is the M.F.A. program for me?
The M.F.A. in Theatre with a specialization in performance as public practice is a unique program for performance-makers and/or arts organizers seeking a terminal degree. We are not the best fit for newer artists who are looking to build skills in performance making, but rather we are geared toward individuals who are seeking new methods for integrating research, writing, performance practice and arts policy and for deepening the historical, theoretical, social, political and analytical aspects of their work.
Is interdisciplinary work encouraged?
Yes. Our program is interdisciplinary at its core. Students are not only required to take courses within the program and the broader department of Theatre and Dance, but also in other programs and departments across the university. Students can also pursue portfolio certification programs such as African and African Diaspora Studies, Mexican American and Latino/a Studies and Women's and Gender Studies.
Will I still be able to make work as an artist as a Performance as Public Practice graduate student?
Of course. Our program encourages intersections between theory and practice, research and performance. Many of our students (in all of our degree) are involved in performance-making as directors, choreographers, performers, playwrights and dramaturgs. Our students create work as UT as well as in Austin's rich performance community. The University of Texas Department of Theatre and Dance also hosts the Cohen New Works Festival every other year, a unique, student-curated and produced festival of new, collaborative performance.
Questions About Funding and Teaching Experience
Does the Performance as Public Practice program provide funding to graduate students?
Yes. We offer full funding (including salary, tuition remission and scholarships) to M.F.A. (three years) and Ph.D. students (four to five years). Our M.A. students may receive full or partial funding depending on availability. Ph.D. students also have the opportunity to apply for a variety of dissertation fellowships offered by the College of Fine Arts and the Graduate School. We provide explicit details of our funding packages upon request as well as with offers for admission.
Will I have the opportunity to teach?
Yes. The majority of our funding for students comes from teaching assistantships. All students will have the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant and many students will have the opportunity to work as the instructor of record for courses such as Theatre History or Introduction to Theatre. Some students find teaching opportunities in other programs such as African and African Disasporic Studies or Mexican-American and Latin American Studies. Our students have also taught in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing and in Asian/Asian-American Studies. Students complete the Performance as Public Practice Program with a solid resume of teaching experience, one of the many benefits of our program.