The Department of Drama offers graduate programs leading to the degree of PhD in Performance Studies, Master of Fine Arts degrees in Theatre Design, Directing, Theatre Voice Pedagogy, and Theatre Practice, and Master of Arts in Drama degree.
Graduates will be expected to be competent in costume, set and lighting design. During the program, all of these skills will be addressed through practical projects.
Program Requirements:
Students are required to complete a minimum of ?33 in coursework in the two year program and a minimum of ?15 credits of coursework in the one year program. Both programs are required to complete a thesis-equivalent consisting of a creative project presented in performance, accompanied by a supporting document.
2 year program:
Required Courses (?24)
Required courses depend on the area of specialization and the undergraduate background of the student
T DES 670 - Advanced Theatre Design II taken in the first year
T DES 770 - Advanced Theatre Design III taken in the second year
T DES 577 - Production Design III taken in the first year
T DES 677 - Production Design IV taken in the second year
Two of
T DES 573 - Advanced Scene Painting
T DES 673 - Advanced Lighting Design
T DES 773 - Advanced Costume Techniques
Elective courses (?9)
Three of: graduate level courses in T DES, or DRAMA, including DRAMA 605 Special Projects
Courses are selected in consultation with the MFA Theatre Design Coordinator.
1 year program:
Required Courses (?9)
T DES 770 - Advanced Theatre Design III
T DES 677 - Production Design IV
Elective Courses (?6)
Two of: graduate level courses in T DES or DRAMA, including DRAMA 605 Special Projects
Thesis
Registration in 900-level THES. The thesis-equivalent will consist of the design for all three design elements of a production in the Studio Theatre directed by a faculty member, guest or MFA director, and a support document which addresses collaboration, design concept, design process, production process, and outcomes.
For program completion and convocation, there is no requirement to submit the thesis-equivalent to FGSR.
Ethics Requirement:
For all MFA Design students the FGSR Academic Integrity and Ethics Training Requirement is met through the Graduate Ethics Training course and/or Department-based workshops, seminars, tutorials. Contact the Department for further information.
Residence Requirement:
For the MFA Design, the minimum period of residency is one academic year for candidates holding a BFA Theatre Design Degree from the University of Alberta; all other MFA Design candidates require a minimum period of residency of two years.
Length of Program:
The maximum time to complete the MFA program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is four years.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please
September 2025
University of Alberta
North Campus,
116 Street and 85 Avenue,
EDMONTON,
Alberta (AB),
T6G 2R3, Canada
The Department's minimum admission requirements for the MFA degree are normally a four-year degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last ?60 of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.
English language requirement:
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT): Total score of 90 with a score of at least 21 on each of the individual skill areas (internet-based) or equivalent; IELTS: 6.5, with at least 6.0; PTE Academic: 61 with a minimum band score of 60.
The application deadlines: July 1 for September admission; November 1 for January admission; March 1 for May admission; May 1 for July admission.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
One of Canada鈥檚 top teaching and research universities, the University of Alberta has an international reputation for academic excellence.
Help me Apply
