2007-2008 University of Guelph Graduate Calendar

VIII. Graduate Programs

Drama

MA Program

The MA Program in Drama is designed to provide an intensive introduction to graduate-level work in the scholarly study of theatre, particularly to students with research interest in the program's primary focus, Canadian drama and theatre. A secondary focus is the drama and theatre of early modern (16th- and 17th-century) England in performance. However, supervision is available in a range of other areas, including modern British, American, and European drama, and various aspects of performance. Students interested in creative writing may apply to work with a distinguished writer on a creative thesis or research project.

Students may take courses in a variety of areas including dramatic literature, theatre history, and theory. The required core course, Approaches to Research and Theory, is designed to introduce students to research methodologies, leading eventually to individual projects using Guelph's major archival and library collections. The theatre archives at Guelph constitute the largest collection in Canada, with particular strengths in Ontario theatre and materials relating to Bernard Shaw.

Admission Requirements

The normal requirement for admission to the Drama MA program is the equivalent of an Honours degree in drama or literature from a recognized post-secondary institution with at least a high second-class standing (78% or higher) in the last year of study. Students with degrees with excellent academic records in other disciplines will also be considered, or may be allowed to do qualifying undergraduate courses at the University of Guelph prior to beginning graduate study.

Applicants are not required to write the Graduate Record Examination. In very exceptional circumstances, an applicant may lack the required Honours BA degree but may be assessed as qualified to undertake graduate studies in Drama on the basis of other experience and practice. For details, contact the Graduate Coordinator. Students wishing to enter the program normally do so in September.

Applications from international students are warmly encouraged, although the application procedures are somewhat more complex. If the applicant's first degree was completed in a country where English is not the first language, English-language proficiency must be documented at the time of application. Sample minimum scores are 580 for TOEFL or 6.5 for the British Council test.

Degree Requirements

All entering MA students will register for the joint, required two-semester course, DRMA*6010 Approaches to Research and Theory. This course must be taken upon entrance, requiring that entering students be registered in both the first Fall and Winter semesters. Students may choose between two options for completion of degree requirements:

  1. Course work option: the required DRMA*6010 plus four other courses, plus either DRMA*6500 Research Paper or DRMA*6280 Independent Reading Course

  2. Thesis Option: the required DRMA*6010 plus two other courses, plus a thesis of 20,000 to 25,000 words (80-100 pages)

Creative Writing Option: both the thesis and the research paper may, with approval, and contingent upon faculty availability, be completed as exercises in creative writing accompanied by critical/theoretical commentary.