<p>Hello all, I was just wondering about, for all those that might not get into any BFA program this year, pursuing a BA in theatre for undergrad and trying to get a masters in musical theatre where the competition might not be so tough? My parents are thinking this might be the best idea if I don't get into a BFA program because I'll still be allowed to have a "backup" degree.</p>
<p>Unless as an undergrad you were able to pick up many/most of the courses you would have gotten with the BFA you might still find it difficult. You might have to go back and catch up missing courses. Also to consider...I don't know how many go on to get a masters in MT, but I would guess that while it is probably lower, the number of available slots are correspondingly lower. Perhaps someone with more experience in all this could chime in.</p>
<p>There are very few MFA degree programs in musical theater, though there are many in straight theater.</p>
<p>Though I'm not sure the name of the school..the chair of my department actually got a rare doctorate in musical theatre from a shool in california..if that is what you want there are a few out there to find</p>
<p>At the info seesions during my daughter's auditions at Carnegie Mellon and Ithaca, the subject of BA/BFA/MFA was discussed by reps of the drama departments. At Carnegie Mellon, their take was that a BFA program should give you all the training you need to work professionally and that the value of an MFA is if you want to teach and therefore need the terminal degree in this field. At Ithaca, which offers both a BA and BFA, the advice was that MFA programs are reluctant to accept students with BFA's because of the notion held by MFA programs that they will have to "undo" much of what was taught in the BFA program in order to train the student in the "mold" of the MFA program. Ithaca therefore recommended that if an MFA was on your forceable horizon that you get a BA as an undergrad. I have also read that there is a significant tendency for MFA programs to prefer students who have been out in the real world over students straight from undergrad theatre programs and that new undergrads compete unsuccessfully with applicants who have resumes reflecting work experience. Competition for MFA programs is tough.</p>
<p>That being said, I would think that a BA undergrad degree - perhaps with a dual major in acting/theatre and something else - would give a student a broad foundation for a subsequent MFA program. In reading Playbills at various shows, I have noticed a number of performers who list a BA and MFA in their credits.</p>
<p>For someone seeking straight theater, I believe EITHER a BFA or a BA/MFA are good routes. However, for MT, there are very few MFA programs.</p>
<p>I have a sister who got her bachelor's in vocal performance, but felt she needed something more if she wanted to work in the theatre. She got her master's in musical theatre from Boston Conservatory.</p>
<p>After my audition last weekend at Boston Conservatory, I am definitely going to apply for their MM in Musical Theater in the future if I don't get into their BFA. The school was really great and I really, really loved the faculty. </p>
<p>A big part of me is actually planning on going the BA route and then getting a masters anyway because my auditions have been less than stellar. Not tooting my own horn but the talent is really there; I just have real issues of nervousness and self-image problems that cause me to just choke in audition situations. This self-conciousness is really a problem for me and I really need to get over it if I hope to succeed at all. I'm also behind many other applicants at this stage of the game because I didn't have the luxuries of decent theater/music/dance programs in high school and I couldn't afford to take any private instruction until recently. Plus I have a lot of other interests and it would be nice to be able to take a few non-theater classes that interest me in college. </p>
<p>We'll see where I'm at by April, but I'm sort of expecting not to get accepted anywhere, which I am actually comfortable with right now if it turns out that way.</p>
<p>I wonder how long the MFA will be considered the "terminal degree"? Are there PH.D. programs in theater? Many disciplines which used to have the Master's as "terminal" now require Ph.D.'s for tenure-track teaching positions (e.g., nursing, social work) and some have found it difficult to advance without the Ph.D. in a College/University setting.</p>
<p>There are many Ph.D. programs in theatre but they are academic/research-based in nature. MFA's will likely be considered the terminal degree for MT faculty for the foreseeable future, because that is how to get the best practitioners - people who have actually worked in the field as performers, directors, and choreographers. A similar situation occurs in many health care fields, where the clinical instructors are often M.S. practitioners in their fields (athletic training, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, etc.) but the academic faculty people have Ph.D.'s.</p>
<p>I agree that the MFA will most likely be considered a parallel terminal degree to the Phd.. not meaning that the focus of the course work is the same, but that both will remain acceptable "terminal" degrees. An MFA is a 60+ credit degree program that usually takes three years (two if you go non-stop, as some programs do). The focus is practical, where the focus of the Phd degree track is usually more theoretical. </p>
<p>The MM (Masters of Music) is not a terminal degree when it comes to teaching... so those with a MM may be required to pursue a DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) if they want to be considered for promotion and tenure. </p>
<p>Many of the Masters Degree programs in Musical Theatre are MM, not MFA. I believe that the "Big List" mentions which of the MAsters degreeprograms are MM and which are MFA.</p>
<p>where is this "Big List"?</p>
<p>Link to the Big List which is in the FAQ, which is linked on a sticky thread at the top of this forum:</p>
<p>list needs some updating its missing quite a few schools who now has masters</p>
<p>I think if you email the moderators of the big list they will add/ update.
What schools now offer Master degrees in MT Perf? I teach in a BA program, and some of my students are interested in pursuing MFA degrees.</p>
<p>Jiddir: I'm happy to update the list with schools which now have Masters degrees in Musical Theatre. Post them, and I'll check them out.</p>
<p>NYU Steinhardt (MFA)
University of Montana (MM)</p>
<p>and if you wanted to update your bachelor's, columbia college chicago offers a ba which requires no audition and a bfa which requires an audition in the middle or end of sophmore year and out of the 35 to 45 ba majors.. normally 5 to 10 get accepted into the bfa program</p>
<p>Unless something has changed, Steinhardt's program is not an MFA in Music Theatre, but an MA in Vocal Performance with specialization in Music Theatre. Steinhardt's undergrad degree is a Bachelor of Music.</p>
<p>The big list now includes the MM degree at the University of Montana, and the MA in Vocal Performance with a concentration in Musical Theatre at Steinhardt. Columbia College was already listed, and I've left it as is. </p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>