| Location | Email Address | Program Website |
|---|---|---|
| Centre for Film & Theatre (CFT) 324, 85 York Boulevard | gradthea@yorku.ca | theatre-studies.gradstudies.yorku.ca |
The Graduate Program in Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies offers two degrees, an MA and PhD, both of which emphasize our collective interest in theatre, performance, and cultural politics. The areas of program specialization, which structure the program’s curriculum and degree requirements, reflect this focus. They include:
- Canadian Theatre, Dance and Cultural Politics
- Postcolonialism and Globalization
- Cultural Policy and Theatrical Economies
- Gender and Sexuality
- Embodiment and Cultural Memory
- Environment and Cultural Geography
- Performance and Popular Culture
- Critical Pedagogy and Community Engagement
- Intermediality and Technology
Degree Requirements
MA
Normally completed in three terms, the Master of Arts in Theatre & Performance Studies can be completed by coursework, by major
research paper, or by thesis, as follows.
Courses
Students must successfully complete 24 credits in coursework, as follows:
- a research methodology course of at least three credits from a list of possible options provided by the program (these change each year)
- a minimum of two courses (six credits), one of which must be a Canadian course with “theatre” in its title and the other of which must be a Theatre & Performance Studies course that aligns with program’s fields.
- 15 credits chosen from graduate-level Theatre & Performance Studies courses or approved graduate-level cognate courses.
Colloquium
Students are required to attend a bi-weekly non-credit colloquium during the first two terms of study. At the colloquium, research approaches are discussed, guest speakers from across the program and the university are brought in, and in-process presentations of each graduate student’s research work is shared. Students are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.
Professional Placement
Students are required to set up a working professional placement of at least 75 hours as part of Theatre & Performance Studies 5051 3.0. This course is designed to give graduate students applied, professionally-oriented work experience in a field related to one of the program’s fields of specialization and/or the student’s research areas (e.g., production dramaturgy, assistant directing, education and outreach, publicity and marketing, producing). The assignment is supervised by a member of the graduate theatre studies faculty (often the Graduate Program Director) in association with an on-site supervisor/mentor. The arrangement for a placement is normally initiated by the student, who first presents a written outline of the placement proposal to the Graduate Program Director for approval.
After approval is obtained the student should contact the institution to set up their schedule. The exact nature of the assignment is worked out and agreed upon by the team of student, faculty advisor and on-site supervisor. The course grade (pass/fail) is determined by the faculty supervisor in consultation with the on-site supervisor. The average number of working hours for a three credit placement is 75-90 hours and there is normally no remuneration involved.
Courses
Students must successfully complete 18 credits in coursework, as follows:
- a research methodology course of at least three credits from a list of possible options provided by the program (these change each year);
- a minimum of two courses (six credits), one of which must be a Canadian course with “theatre” in its title and the other of which must be a Theatre & Performance Studies course that aligns with program’s fields; and,
- nine credits chosen from graduate-level Theatre & Performance Studies courses or approved graduate-level cognate courses.
Colloquium
Students are required to attend a bi-weekly non-credit colloquium during the first two terms of study. At the colloquium, research approaches are discussed, guest speakers from across the program and the university are brought in, and in-process presentations of each graduate student’s research work is shared. Students are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.
Professional Placement
Students are required to set up a working professional placement of at least 75 hours as part of Theatre & Performance Studies 5051 3.0. This course is designed to give graduate students applied, professionally-oriented work experience in a field related to one of the program’s fields of specialization and/or the student’s research areas (e.g., production dramaturgy, assistant directing, education and outreach, publicity and marketing, producing). The assignment is supervised by a member of the graduate theatre studies faculty (often the Graduate Program Director) in association with an on-site supervisor/mentor. The arrangement for a placement is normally initiated by the student, who first presents a written outline of the placement proposal to the Graduate Program Director for approval.
After approval is obtained the student should contact the institution to set up their schedule. The exact nature of the assignment is worked out and agreed upon by the team of student, faculty advisor and on-site supervisor. The course grade (pass/fail) is determined by the faculty supervisor in consultation with the on-site supervisor. The average number of working hours for a three credit placement is 75-90 hours and there is normally no remuneration involved.
a) Major Research Paper
Students must undertake research under the direction of a Theatre & Performance Studies graduate program faculty member (normally in place by the end of the first term of study) on an approved topic and write a major research paper of approximately 40-50 pages. The paper is graded on a pass/fail basis by the faculty member directing the research and by a second reader.
b) Research-Creation Major Research Paper
Students must undertake research under the direction of a Theatre & Performance Studies graduate program faculty member (normally in place by the end of the first term of study) on an approved topic. This research will culminate in a research-creation work in which a key component is the creation of a critically-informed performance work. This work could include: a public or recorded performance (theatre, performance art, installation, etc.); the development of a significant piece of performance-based writing, design, or composition; a public or recorded demonstration of a performance-based method.
A research-creation major research paper must include: a significant performance work, plus a 25-page paper that explores the clearly
defined set of critical, conceptual, and/or theoretical concerns that are at the centre of the research-creation project. The paper and research creation project are graded on a pass/fail basis by the faculty member directing the research and by a second reader.
Courses
Students must successfully complete 12 credits in coursework, as follows:
- a research methodology course of at least three credits from a list of possible options provided by the program (these change each year)
- a minimum of two courses (six credits), one of which must be a Canadian course with “theatre” in its title and the other of which must be a Theatre & Performance Studies course that aligns with program’s fields.
- three credits chosen from graduate-level Theatre & Performance Studies courses or approved graduate-level cognate courses.
Colloquium
Students are required to attend a bi-weekly non-credit colloquium during the first two terms of study. At the colloquium, research approaches are discussed, guest speakers from across the program and the university are brought in, and in-process presentations of each graduate student’s research work is shared. Students are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.
Professional Placement
Students are required to set up a working professional placement of at least 75 hours as part of Theatre & Performance Studies 5051 3.0. This course is designed to give graduate students applied, professionally-oriented work experience in a field related to one of the program’s fields of specialization and/or the student’s research areas (e.g., production dramaturgy, assistant directing, education and outreach, publicity and marketing, producing). The assignment is supervised by a member of the graduate theatre studies faculty (often the Graduate Program Director) in association with an on-site supervisor/mentor. The arrangement for a placement is normally initiated by the student, who first presents a written outline of the placement proposal to the Graduate Program Director for approval. After approval is obtained the student should contact the institution to set up their schedule. The exact nature of the assignment is worked out and agreed upon by the team of student, faculty advisor and on-site supervisor. The course grade (pass/fail) is determined by the faculty supervisor in consultation with the on-site supervisor. The average number of working hours for a three credit placement is 75-90 hours and there is normally no remuneration involved.
Thesis and Oral Examination
Students must undertake research under the direction of a Theatre & Performance Studies faculty member (normally in place by the end of the first term of study) and supervisory committee (normally in place no later than the second term of study) on an approved topic and write a thesis of approximately 100 pages. The thesis must embody the results of original research must be successfully defended at an oral examination.
The MA program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term.
The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 3 terms; part-time students are expected to complete within 6
terms. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 3 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 3 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.
PhD
Normally completed in a maximum of five years, the PhD in Theatre & Performance Studies requires completion of the following:
Students must successfully complete 18 credits in coursework, normally within the first two years (six terms) of study, as follows:
- a research methodology course of at least three credits from a list of possible options provided by the program (these change each year);
- a minimum of two courses (six credits), one of which must be a Canadian course with “theatre” in its title and the other of which must be a Theatre & Performance Studies course that aligns with program’s fields; and,
- remaining coursework chosen from graduate-level Theatre & Performance Studies courses or approved graduate-level cognate courses.
Students are required to attend a bi-weekly non-credit colloquium during the first two terms of study. At the colloquium, research approaches are discussed, guest speakers from across the program and the university are brought in, and in-process presentations of each graduate student’s research work is shared. Students are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.
PhD students entering the program who have not had extensive professional work in theatre and/or a related area may be required to set up a working professional placement of at least 75 hours as part of Theatre & Performance Studies 5051 3.0 (students are evaluated on a case-by-case basis upon entering the program). This course is designed to give graduate students applied, professionally-oriented work experience in a field related to one of the program’s fields of specialization and/or the student’s research areas (e.g., production dramaturgy, assistant directing, education and outreach, publicity and marketing, producing). The assignment is supervised by a member of the graduate theatre studies faculty (often the Graduate Program Director) in association with an on-site supervisor/mentor. The arrangement for a placement is normally initiated by the student who first presents a written outline of the placement proposal to the Graduate Program Director for approval. After approval is obtained the student should contact the institution to set up their schedule. The exact nature of the assignment is worked out and agreed upon by the team of student, faculty advisor and on-site supervisor. The course grade (pass/fail) is determined by the faculty supervisor in consultation with the on-site supervisor. The average number of working hours for a three credit placement is 75-90 hours and there is normally no remuneration involved.
Taken in the Summer term of the second year of graduate study, this examination is intended to ensure students’ familiarity with and ability to identify core ideas in the texts and identify key debates in the fields of theatre and performance studies. It also aims to test knowledge of a student’s chosen research and teaching areas to verify sufficient grounding in scholarship relevant to a student’s area of research, particularly the dissertation topic.
The examination consists of three sections, each based on a list of thirty texts for a total of ninety. List One, the “Theatre & Performance Studies Field List,” is a set list of texts (dramatic and performance theory; theatre and performance history and historiography, dramatic literature, performance texts, etc.) designed to assess the candidate’s overall command of several key theories, controversies, and debates in the field with the goal of equipping students to teach in theatre and performance programs. The second list, the “Dissertation Research Area – General List,” reflects the broader area in theatre and performance studies in which the dissertation is situated (e.g., Canadian theatre, performance theory, actor training methods, performance art, postcolonial theatre, physical and devised theatre). Each text speaks to the relationship between the student’s specialized interest and the broad field of theatre and performance studies. The student chooses the 30 texts on this list in consultation with the comprehensive examination committee. The final list, the “Dissertation Research area – Specific List,” is specifically related to the dissertation and may be outside of theatre and performance studies (e.g., site-specific performance, feminist and queer theory, cultural geography, arts and cultural policy, autobiographical theory). The texts on this list directly inform the dissertation. The list of materials is chosen by students in consultation with the supervisory committee and submitted to the Graduate Program Director for approval.
The comprehensive examination is comprised of a take-home examination, normally taken during the summer term of the second year of doctoral study. Students have two weeks to write three 12-15 page responses to three essay questions. Questions are developed with input from students, who propose three possible questions for each list, for a total of nine questions. The questions are a starting point for the examination committee, who revise and adapt them in consultation with students. At the time of the examination the committee chooses one question per list for the examination; students learn which questions have been chosen at the start of the examination.
Upon successful completion of the written examination, the student is asked to meet for an oral examination approximately one week after the results have been transmitted. The committee meets with the student for approximately 90 minutes, during which students is expected to answer follow-up questions arising from the written examination as well as other questions the committee deems appropriate.
No more than three months after the successful completion of the comprehensive examination, students are required to submit a dissertation proposal, following the program’s dissertation proposal guidelines to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Proposal guidelines are outlined in detail on the program website and in the program handbook. The dissertation proposal is developed in under the direction of the supervisor and supervisory committee. In order to ensure timely submission of the proposal, students should plan to submit a draft to their supervisor and supervisory committee no later than six weeks after the comprehensive examination.
The dissertation must embody the results of original research with significant value for the study of theatre and performance and must be successfully defended at an oral examination, normally by the end of year 5 (term 15).
If the dissertation topic requires work in another language as deemed by the supervisory and supervisory committee, students must demonstrate reading proficiency in that language by the end of year three (term 9).
The PhD program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term.
The PhD in Theatre & Performance Studies is normally completed in a maximum of five years. Doctor of Philosophy students must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of six terms of full-time registration. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be fulfilled within 18 terms (6 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time doctoral student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.