• Director of Graduate Studies: Professor Kenton Yeager 865-974-2207
• University of Tennessee Graduate School
• Graduate Handbook
• Accessibility
• Professional Organizations
• External Project Authorization Form
  To be filled out and approved by faculty prior to acceptance of any project not sponsored by the department, including projects in and outside Knoxville. This form is also to be used to request funding and travel authorization for any project, conference, assisting, and/or theatre related trip.
• MFA Design Reading List

The following is a typical 3-year study program. It can and should be adapted to suit the interests and experience of each individual student.

SEMESTER 1:

• Theatre 501 Intro to Graduate Studies (3)
  • Through projects in dramaturgy, students learn research tools and methods for the theatre artist.
• Theatre 503 Elements of Design for the Theatre (3)
  • Analysis of the principles of design including visual, structural and emotional relationships.
• Theatre 540 Graduate Studies in Costume Design (3)
  • The purpose of this class is to build the student’s working portfolio.  Students will develop research, rendering, and conceptualization skills.  This course will analyze the principles and theories of costume design for theatrical productions. Students will learn a range of design-related skills, which include drawing the figure and rendering in various media, understanding of design elements such as color, proportion, scale and others, develop a familiarity with costume history, and understand the process of costume development from concept to performance. Repeats 6 semesters.
• Theatre 580 Design Seminar (3)
  • In this intensive 3-semester design course, students learn to analyze research, interpret and design productions in a cross-disciplinary environment. Through a series of fast paced projects, semester one is designed to dramaturgically connect the designer to the source material and develop a visual expression of that understanding.

SEMESTER 2:

• Theatre 446 Costume Patterning (3)
  • Techniques in making patterns for theatrical costume.
• Theatre 540 Graduate Studies in Costume Design (3)
  • The purpose of this class is to build the student’s working portfolio.  Students will develop research, rendering, and conceptualization skills.  This course will analyze the principles and theories of costume design for theatrical productions. Students will learn a range of design-related skills, which include drawing the figure and rendering in various media, understanding of design elements such as color, proportion, scale and others, develop a familiarity with costume history, and understand the process of costume development from concept to performance.
• Theatre 580 Design Seminar (3)
  • In the second semester we will return to the text and embark on a series of projects designed to stimulate creative concept creation and the initial aural and visual images that support your ideas.  Each week, through written, oral and visual presentation you will share your bold, innovative concepts with the class.  You will be expected to step out of your comfort zone during this semester and present your conceptual ideas clearly and concisely explain how your research and visual aids support the text.
• Theatre 492 Off-Campus Study (1)
  • Intensive study NYC trip.

SEMESTER 3:

• Theatre 540 Graduate Studies in Costume Design (3)
  • The purpose of this class is to build the student’s working portfolio.  Students will develop research, rendering, and conceptualization skills.  This course will analyze the principles and theories of costume design for theatrical productions. Students will learn a range of design-related skills, which include drawing the figure and rendering in various media, understanding of design elements such as color, proportion, scale and others, develop a familiarity with costume history, and understand the process of costume development from concept to performance.
• Theatre 547 Painting and Dyeing (3)
  • Fibers, dyes and dye processes; color matching and distressing.
• Theatre 580 Design Seminar (3)
  • In the third semester, design students explore advanced projects in design including those outside of the traditional theatre setting.  Diverse productions, large-scale projects and complex design situations are the primary focus this semester.
• Theatre 584 Photography for the Theatre (3)
  • Photographic techniques for shooting live theatrical events under challenging lighting environments and the incorporation of these into a professional portfolio.
• Theatre 587 Computer Aided Rendering for the Theatre (3)
  • Computer rendering programs and their use by theatrical designers.

SEMESTER 4:

• Theatre 510 Theatre History (3)
  • Intensive study of selected topics in theatre history.
• Theatre 540 Graduate Studies in Costume Design (3)
  • The purpose of this class is to build the student’s working portfolio.  Students will develop research, rendering, and conceptualization skills.  This course will analyze the principles and theories of costume design for theatrical productions. Students will learn a range of design-related skills, which include drawing the figure and rendering in various media, understanding of design elements such as color, proportion, scale and others, develop a familiarity with costume history, and understand the process of costume development from concept to performance.
• Theatre 545 Millinery for the Stage (3)
  • Pattern making and construction techniques for hats from antiquity to present.
• Theatre 549 Special Projects in Costume Technology: Corset Making (1)
  • Pattern making and construction techniques for historical corsets.
• Theatre 588 Digital Portfolio (3)
  • Creating a digital theatrical design portfolio and supporting materials and the exploration of presentation options and standards.
• Theatre 491 Foreign Study (1)
  • Intensive study abroad trip.

SEMESTER 5:

• Theatre 540 Graduate Studies in Costume Design (3)
  • The purpose of this class is to build the student’s working portfolio.  Students will develop research, rendering, and conceptualization skills.  This course will analyze the principles and theories of costume design for theatrical productions. Students will learn a range of design-related skills, which include drawing the figure and rendering in various media, understanding of design elements such as color, proportion, scale and others, develop a familiarity with costume history, and understand the process of costume development from concept to performance.
• Theatre 549 Special Projects in Costume Technology: Advanced Patterning (3)
  • Individualized studies in costume technology in theater production.  This semester the focus will on advanced patterning techniques for the stage.
• Theatre 599 Project in Lieu of Thesis (6)
  • Culminating project proposed by student. Includes produced production/performance/exhibit and written thesis, or In-depth research in a topic of specific interest to the student, culminating in a paper or project.
• Elective (3)

SEMESTER 6:

• Theatre 540 Graduate Studies in Costume Design (3)
  • The purpose of this class is to build the student’s working portfolio.  Students will develop research, rendering, and conceptualization skills.  This course will analyze the principles and theories of costume design for theatrical productions. Students will learn a range of design-related skills, which include drawing the figure and rendering in various media, understanding of design elements such as color, proportion, scale and others, develop a familiarity with costume history, and understand the process of costume development from concept to performance.
• Theatre 542/ 557 Period Styles (3)
  • Study of period styles and how all aspects of architecture, clothing, music and light are connect throughout history.
• Theatre 549 Special Projects in Costume Technology: Advanced Patterning (3)
  • Individualized studies in costume technology in theater production.  This semester the focus will on advanced patterning techniques for the stage.
• Theatre 599 Project in Lieu of Thesis (3)
  • Preparation of marketing materials, portfolio, and catalog of individual work produced while in the program, culminating in a formal presentation and oral defense.
• Elective (3)

SUGGESTED ELECTIVE COURSE MENU:

• History of Art, History of Opera, Music Theory/ Technology, Music Composition, Music History, Dramatic Literature and Criticism, Renaissance Drama, Modern Drama, Contemporary Drama, Shakespeare, Drama of the Restoration and 18th Century, Photography, Costume Design, Lighting  Design, Sound Design, Media Design, Advanced Theatre Technology.

All Graduate Students in the MFA Theatre Design Program are required to have a computer, software, and other equipment, prior to their use in programmatic classes. As designers in the theatre, these items are standard and essential, and will allow for success in your chosen field.

The department of theatre has a dedicated iMac computer lab that is accessible by graduate and undergraduate students. However, most individual work will be done in provided studio workspaces, in tech, at home, and while traveling.  The dedicated graduate workspaces include peripherals such as plotters, printers (3D and 2D), scanners, engravers, lighting/projection/sound studios, spray booths, and more.

The following list of equipment and software is required by classes in the MFA Program.

These items are to be supplied by the student at the student’s expense.

Laptop, Windows or Apple

• Minimum Requirements: able to run current Adobe Suite, Vectorworks, and Autocad.
• Adobe Suite will be provided to you at no charge while in the program.
• Lighting, Scenic, Sound/Media Students must have Vectorworks, which is free for students.
• Scenic Students must have Autocad (free for students)
• Sound/Media students must have a computer capable of video production.

A Digital Camera capable of using interchanging lenses (required for Fall of the second year).

• We are partial to Nikon and Cannon but any good brand will work. Sensor of 20 Megapixel or higher
• A zoom lens or fix focus lenses ranging from 18-200mm
• 2 Memory cards 64gb or higher
• A good quality monopod

iPad and Apple Pencil (required for Fall of the first year).

• Required for Costume, and Scenic.
• Recommended for Lighting and Sound/Media
• Procreate software
• iPad must be 10” or greater (iPad minis will not be allowed for content creation).

Costume Students:  Students will be required to purchase high quality art supplies for class projects, as needed. We recommend you start with the following supplies:

• 1 roll of tracing paper/Onion Skin
• Watercolor paper (Arches large sheets of paper- I prefer Cold Press, 140lb or 300lb in natural)
• Set of tube watercolors (Windsor & Newton, Cotman, Grumbacher, Daniel Smith)
• Metal Butcher Tray Paint Palette (I would recommend buying in two sizes)
• Brushes (Round brushes size 40 or 30, and various smaller sizes)

Scenic Students: Be prepared to purchase significant amounts of various art supplies and materials for the building of models, paint elevations, prop sketches, and other work product.

Sound/Media students:

• Flat response studio quality headphones.
• Flash/external drives, no smaller than 128GB
• Sound/Media Students will be provided with a Qlab license at no charge while in the program.