Program Statistics
Visit Master's Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.
Acting
Degree types: MFA
The Northwestern MFA in Acting offers comprehensive training in acting technique to advanced students while offering a historical context for the work of theatre and an understanding of the role and responsibilities of theatre artists in society. The training focuses on mastery, comprehension and practice of the craft of acting, with a focus on body awareness, theatre history and performance. Through the MFA in Acting program’s culture of evaluative critique, a dramaturgical approach to texts in preparation for rehearsal and collaborative classes, research seminars, and critical self-evaluation, students develop an ability to think critically and communicate clearly about acting as an art form.
The MFA in Acting provides students with the skills to expertly stage theatrical storytelling and be active collaborators throughout the process of theatrical production. It offers an intensive and in-depth curriculum in acting while also giving students access to Northwestern’s liberal arts environment. In addition, it also actively engages Chicago’s professional theatre community, one of the most vibrant centers for theatre-making in the world.
Additional resources:
Program Contact
Contact David Kleineick
Program Assistant
847-491-3589
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
Master's
Total Units Required: 30
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | ||
| THEATRE 477-1 | Advanced Acting 1: Realism/Naturalism and Physicalizing the Form | |
| THEATRE 471-1 | Movement 1: Presence | |
| THEATRE 472-1 | Voice 1 | |
| THEATRE 442-0 | Theatre Practice (Innovating Your Artistic Process) | |
| Winter | ||
| THEATRE 477-2 | Advanced Acting 2: Contemporary Drama and Attacking the Scene | |
| THEATRE 471-2 | Movement 2: Research | |
| THEATRE 472-2 | Voice 2 | |
| THEATRE 442-0 | Theatre Practice (Rehearsal Techniques I) | |
| Spring | ||
| THEATRE 477-3 | Advanced Acting 3: Shakespeare 1 | |
| THEATRE 471-3 | Movement 3: Integration/Practice | |
| THEATRE 472-3 | Voice 3 | |
| THEATRE 478-2 | Advanced Acting 5: Acting for the Camera | |
| Summer | ||
| Summer Season – Evanston | ||
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| THEATRE 477-2 | Advanced Acting 2: Contemporary Drama and Attacking the Scene | |
| THEATRE 471-4 | Movement 4: Physical Theatre and New Work | |
| THEATRE 473-0 | Speech (Dialects) | |
| THEATRE 474-1 | Applied Music Theatre Voice I | |
| Winter | ||
| THEATRE 477-3 | Advanced Acting 3: Shakespeare 1 | |
| THEATRE 471-5 | Unarmed Stage Combat | |
| THEATRE 474-2 | Applied Music Theatre Voice II | |
| THEATRE 470-0 | Topics in Acting (LiveArt-Cinema) * | |
| Spring | ||
| THEATRE 478-1 | Advanced Acting 4: Shakespeare 2 | |
| THEATRE 477-2 | Advanced Acting 2: Contemporary Drama and Attacking the Scene | |
| THEATRE 471-6 | Movement 6: Musical Theatre Dance for Actors | |
| THEATRE 470-0 | Topics in Acting (The Lucid Body) * | |
| Summer | ||
| Summer Season – Evanston | ||
*May substitute with an elective
Milestones Year 1
- Positive end-of-year review and completion of coursework with a GPA of 3.5 or above.
- Acceptable participation in production activities (e.g. rehearsal work ethic; depth and quality of characterization; clarity and intentionality of communication on stage).
- Commitment to the goals for development set for the first year as determined by primary faculty and the curricular and co-curricular sequence of the program (e.g. attendance; effort and participation; completion of assignments).
- Participation in Summer Season programming – this will serve as the primary production component of the degree. First year students will assume secondary and supporting roles; casting will be assured.
- Critical self-reflection (8-10 pages) on performance and stage work at the end of the year to be presented before the end-of-year review by the Graduate Executive Committee.
Milestones Year 2
- Positive end-of-year review and completion of coursework with a GPA of 3.5 or above.
- Acceptable participation in production activities (e.g. rehearsal work ethic; depth and quality of characterization; clarity and intentionality of communication on stage).
- Commitment to the goals for development set for the second year as determined by primary faculty and the curricular and co-curricular sequence of the program (e.g. attendance; effort and participation; completion of assignments). These goals will be set prior to the start of the second year and communicated to the student by their advisor.
- Participation in Summer Season programming – this will serve as the primary production component of the degree. Second year students will assume leading roles as their final performance milestone; casting will be assured.
- A final critical self-reflection (8-10 pages) and artist statement (2 pages) constitutes the final written examination and will frame the discussion for the end-of-year review by the Graduate Executive Committee. (In the second year, this review will serve as the degree completion review).