Graduate Admissions
The program offers a number of options for admission. Students with a B.A. may apply for either
- The A.M./Ph.D. program: Students accepted to this program do not yet have a Masters in the field and expect to acquire an A.M. in the process of doctoral candidacy at Brown.
- The Ph.D. program: Students who already have an M.A. in Theatre and/or Performance Studies or a related field may apply for the Ph.D. Students with an M.F.A. may also apply to the Ph.D., but may be required to complete additional coursework.
- The Brown/Trinity Consortium M.F.A.-Ph.D. program. Directing students in the Brown/Trinity Consortium may apply for admission into the combined M.F.A.-Ph.D. program after their first year of study. The combined program requires at least one year of additional course work to reach a total of 18 courses, as well as comprehensive exams and a scholarly dissertation. Directing students would complete their next 2 years according to the Ph.D. curricular model, but would receive mentoring that would allow them to make the most effective progress towards Ph.D. candidacy.
For graduate application deadlines please check the Graduate School website (link at right). A statement of purpose, a writing sample, and three letters of recommendation are requested with the application. Also requested are complete official transcripts of all work (graduate and undergraduate) in sealed envelopes. GRE verbal reasoning scores are required. TOEFL test results are required for applicants coming from non-English speaking countries. An undergraduate major in theatre or performance studies is not required for admission. Applicants who have had little or no academic work in theatre may, however, experience initial difficulty with graduate courses that presuppose undergraduate work in theatre or performance studies and may be guided by advisors to acquire the competence in theatre scholarship expected for the Ph.D.
Inquiries should be addressed to Spencer Golub, Director of Graduate Studies in Theatre and Performance Studies, Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies, Box 1897, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912; e-mail: Spencer_Golub@brown.edu. The application can be downloaded though the Graduate School site (link on right).
Inquiries regarding the Trinity/Brown MFAs in Acting or Directing should be addressed to Jill Jann, Consortium Administrator at Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903; e-mail: jjann@trinityrep.com. Inquiries regarding the MFA in playwriting should be addressed to Writing@Brown.edu.