Overview

The MFA Acting at Ohio University is structured accordingly:

The Professional Actor Training Program (PATP) prepares advanced students for careers as professional actors, with the expectation that students will take responsibility for the depth and development of their own artistic practices. A class of ten is admitted once every three years, and each student is closely mentored by a faculty committed to individual student growth.

The training is dedicated to producing process-driven, skillful, and creative actor/artists with a specific and personal approach to the craft of acting. To meet the demands of the 21st century, actors must have expertise in a range of styles and be adept at working in any medium. We offer a comprehensive progression in acting, voice and speech, and movement. Additional coursework includes on-camera technique, stage combat, devised and solo work, text analysis, specialized areas of voice and movement, audition techniques and business practices.

The Acting Studios

With a strong foundation in the Meisner Technique, the first year of training puts emphasis on the authentic use of self and the collaborative process. The second year of training focuses on creating complex characters through application of the foundation work to scenes, exercises and performance.

Style work begins in the second half of the second year with a semester long focus on playing Shakespeare.

In the movement studio, emphasis is placed on the human body as an instrument of expression; on developing strength, alignment, flexibility, availability and stamina. Voice and speech training centers on releasing habitual tension, increasing power and range, and utilizing specific speech choices.

The third year bridges the past and the present: encompassing a range of contemporary and period style work as well as integrated studies of the actor in new media. Third year students will work with a wide range of industry professionals and hone their audition technique and business acumen in classroom and professional settings.

Performance Opportunities

Every actor performs a minimum of one role per semester. This may be in the School of Theater’s main stage offerings, Tantrum Theater productions, or studio/laboratory productions. Actors also work regularly in the development and production of new plays: both in workshop and in the annual Seabury Quinn Jr., Playwright’s Festival, in collaboration with the students in the MFA Playwriting Program.

Collaborations with the School of Film are common, and actors will have ample opportunity to work on camera and build a professional reel. In all cases, emphasis is placed on the student’s ability to synthesize the work of the studio with the practical realities of his or her casting.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Voice and Speech: Release of Physical Tension and Connection to Impulse

Movement: Yoga and Authentic Movement. Temporal and spatial explorations via Viewpoints and Laban Movement Analysis. Ensemble building and creating original movement scores.

Acting: Meisner Technique

Movement: Suzuki, Viewpoints, Neutral Mask
Focusing Voice and Speech through Action

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-01-13 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-09-01 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-02-01 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

115

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

90 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Athens, United States

Disciplines

Drama View 257 other Masters in Drama in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Graduate Admissions Requirements

Graduate students are selected after careful review of portfolios, writing, or auditions. An online application through the Graduate College begins the process, but each candidate is accepted by the program head of the specific program. The GRE is not required, however a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required, except in cases of provisional admittance.

Assessment and Admission

Admission to the program is by interview and audition at the annual University Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA) sites and at scheduled auditions on campus (dates to be determined). International students may submit digital auditions and interview via the online platform.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

33390 USD / year

≈ 33390 USD / year
Out-of-State

33390 USD / year

≈ 33390 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

17790 USD / year

≈ 17790 USD / year

Living costs

Athens

United States

1079 - 1780 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Acting.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

The MFA Acting at Ohio University is structured accordingly:

The Acting Studios

Performance Opportunities

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Athens

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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