Using a wide range of qualitative methods and theoretical frameworks (from dramaturgical analysis to ethnography and phenomenology), our graduate faculty has expertise in the study of religion and spirituality, theater, media and technology, popular music, state affairs, law, diplomacy, martial arts, urbanism, dance, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. 

Our two-year graduate program offers a true mix of scholarship and practice: besides learning and discussing ideas from a close reading of texts, students have room to explore other modes of knowledge transmission, such as concerts and exhibitions. We keep our graduate classes small to give each student ample opportunity to engage more deeply with the course materials in class discussions. Our students often come from all parts of the world, which stimulates cross-cultural debates in our seminars. 

Students can choose between three tracks: Thesis, Performance and Portfolio, and Comprehensive Examination. The thesis track requires the submission of a 40-60-page monograph and is recommended for students who want to focus on their writing skills. The Performance & Portfolio track entails putting together a performance (from an online platform to a theater play). The Comprehensive Examination track allows the student to examine the field of performance studies more broadly. In all three tracks, students develop their research projects with the guidance of an advisor. 

Our MA prepares students to pursue a broad range of career paths, particularly in cultural institutions (such as museums), intercultural industries (such as tourism), and in the media/communication sector (music production, for instance). Our recent graduates have found jobs as project coordinators at organizations such as Texas Folklife, Safe Space, EMERGE Fellowship, PBK, Hands on Nashville, and the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Center. Others have used the skills learned in the program to embark on an artist-scholar career. Students interested in continuing their academic training have been admitted to highly competitive PhD programs around the country (Indiana University, Northwestern University, University of California, Davis, among others).

Program Requirements

• Student's Advisory Committee
• Degree Plan
• Credit Requirements
• Limitations on Credits and Coursework
• Thesis Option
  • Thesis Proposal
  • Thesis Defense/Final Examination
  • Final Examination Grading
• Non-Thesis Option
  • Comprehensive Examination
  • Performance and Portfolio
  • Final Examination/Defense

Student’s Advisory Committee

After receiving admission to graduate studies, students will consult with the graduate program concerning selection of a chair and members (if applicable) for an advisory committee representative of the student’s field(s) of study and research.

The student’s advisory committee for the Master of Arts degree will consist of no fewer than three members of the graduate faculty, representative of the student’s fields of study and research. The chair, or one of the co-chairs, of the advisory committee must be from the student’s department, and at least one or more of the members must have an appointment to a department other than the student’s major department.

Only members of the Graduate Committee Faculty located on Texas A&M University campuses may serve as chair of a student’s advisory committee. Other members of the Graduate Committee Faculty – including those located outside the university or off-campus (if permitted by program, department, and college/school policy) – may serve as a co-chair or member.

The advisory committee as a group – and as individual members – are responsible for advising the student on academic matters. The duties include responsibility for approving the student’s proposed degree plan; research proposal (if applicable); thesis (if applicable); and conducting examinations (if required). The advisory committee members’ approval of a degree plan indicates their willingness to accept the responsibility for guiding and directing the entire academic program of the student and for initiating all academic actions concerning the student. Additionally, in the case of academic deficiency, the advisory committee is responsible for initiating recommendations to the Graduate and Professional School.

The chair of the advisory committee, who usually has immediate supervision of the student’s degree program, has the responsibility for calling meetings at any time considered desirable.

If the chair of the student’s advisory committee is unavailable for an extended period of time in any academic period during which the student is involved in activities relating to an internship, thesis or professional paper – and is registered for courses such as 684, 691, 692, or 693 – the Department Head or intercollegiate faculty Chair may appoint an alternate advisory committee chair during the interim period.

If the chair of a student’s advisory committee is on an approved leave of absence – and the student is near completion of the degree and wants the chair to continue to serve in this role – a written request must be submitted to the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School, by the Department Head or intercollegiate faculty Chair, that the faculty member who is on an approved leave of absence be allowed to continue to serve as chair of the advisory committee – without a co-chair – for up to one year. The request must confirm that the faculty member is able to engage in the required duties as chair during the leave of absence. Extensions beyond the one-year period (if necessary) may be granted with additional approval of the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School.

If the chair of a student’s advisory committee voluntarily separates from the university, and the student is nearing completion of the degree, the chair may continue to serve in this role – at the student’s request – for up to one year. Two options are available:

• The chair may continue, with a co-chair, without additional approval by the Graduate and Professional School. The student must select a current member of the Graduate Committee Faculty – from the student’s academic program and located near the Texas A&M University campus site – to serve as co-chair of the advisory committee.
• The chair may continue, without a co-chair, with approval by the Graduate and Professional School. A written request must be submitted to the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School by the Department Head or intercollegiate faculty Chair to allow the faculty member to continue as chair, without a co-chair, of the advisory committee.

For both options, extensions beyond the one-year period (if necessary) may be granted with approval of the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School.

Although individual advisory committee members may be replaced by petition for valid reasons, all members of a student committee cannot resign en masse.

Degree Plan

Students, in consultation with the advisory committee, will develop a proposed degree plan. The degree plan must be created, submitted, and approved through the online Document Processing Submission System (DPSS). The degree plan must be submitted prior to the deadline imposed by the student’s college or school and approved by the Graduate and Professional School no later than 90 days prior to the date of the final oral examination or thesis defense. Students must select the appropriate program option when submitting a proposed degree plan.

Additional coursework may be added to the approved degree plan by petition through DPSS, if deemed necessary by the advisory committee, to correct deficiencies in the student’s academic preparation. No changes can be made to the degree plan once the student’s Final Examination Request or Final Examination Exemption Request is approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

Coursework included on the degree plan is subject to the requirements and restrictions detailed in the Credit Requirements and Limitations on Credits and Coursework sections in each degree program page.

Degree program time limits apply to courses listed on a degree plan. Details are available on the Time Limits section in each degree program page.

Credit Requirements

The thesis option Master of Arts degree requires a minimum of 36 semester credit hours (SCH), including 6 hours of PERF 691.

A minimum of 36 semester credit hours of approved courses is required for the non-thesis option Master of Arts degree.

Ordinarily, students will devote the major portion of their time on work in one or two closely related fields. Other work will be in supporting fields of interest.

Limitations on Credits and Coursework

Credit-hour requirements are subject to the following limitations:

1. To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. These limitations also apply to joint degree programs.
2. Transfer credits may be used toward meeting the credit hour requirements under the following limitations:
   • The maximum number of credit hours which may be considered for transfer credit is the greater of 12 credit hours or one-third (1/3) of the total hours of a degree plan.
   • Graduate and/or upper-level undergraduate courses taken in residence at an accredited United States or international institution (recognized by the Office of Admissions), with a final grade of B or greater, may be considered for transfer credit if – at the time the courses were completed – the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution.
   • An official transcript from the institution at which the transfer coursework was taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions. Coursework credit submitted for transfer from any institution must be shown in semester credit hours or equated to semester credit hours.
   • Up to 1 hour of credit may be obtained for each five-day week of coursework for graduate courses of three weeks’ duration or less taken at other institutions. Each week of coursework must include at least 15 contact hours.
   • Grades for courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPA.
   • Coursework in which no formal grades were given, or in which grades other than A or B were earned (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.), is not accepted for transfer credit.
   • Courses completed at Texas A&M University and appearing on the degree plan with grades of D, F, or U may not be absolved by transfer work.
   • Except for officially approved cooperative doctoral programs, credit for thesis or dissertation research – or the equivalent – is not transferrable.
   • Courses used toward a degree at another institution may not be applied for transferred graduate credit.
     • Courses used toward a certificate, but not applied to an awarded degree, may be considered for transfer.
     • If the course to be transferred was taken for a certificate or prior to the conferral of a degree at the transfer institution, a letter from the registrar at that institution stating that the course was not applied for credit toward the degree must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.
   • A student who has earned 12 credit hours of graduate credit in residence at Texas A&M University may be authorized to transfer courses in excess of the limits upon the advice of the advisory committee and with the approval of the Graduate and Professional School.
3. The maximum number of credit hours taken in post-baccalaureate non-degree (G6) classification at Texas A&M University which may be considered for application to the degree plan is 12.
4. Only grades of A, B, C, and S are acceptable for graduate credit.
5. Graduate courses on a degree plan may not be taken on an S/U basis except for 681 (Seminar), 684 (Professional Internship), 690 (Theory of Research), 691 (Research), 692 (Professional Study), 693 (Professional Study), 695 (Frontiers in Research), 697 (Methods), 791 (Doctoral Capstone), or SOPH 680 (Public Health Capstone).
6. A student pursuing a non-thesis option Master’s degree may not enroll in 691 (Research) courses for any reason. Under special circumstances, however, students in a non-thesis Master of Arts or Master of Science degree program may request use of 691 hours on the degree plan under the following conditions:
   • The Department Head or intercollegiate faculty Chair (if applicable) for the program may approve an exception for a student who changes to a non-thesis option MA or MS degree program from a PhD (after at least one year of studies) or a thesis option MA or MS degree.
   • If approved, a maximum of 8 credit hours in combination of 685 (Directed Studies) and 691 may be used.
   • Colleges/schools, departments, and interdisciplinary degree programs may establish additional requirements.
7. A maximum of 12 credit hours may be used, in any combination, of the following:
   • No more than 8 credit hours in a combination of 684, 691 (if permitted), or SOPH 680.
     • No more than 8 credit hours of 684 for thesis option Master’s degrees.
     • No more than 3 credit hours of 684 for non-thesis option Master’s degrees.
   • No more than 8 credit hours of 685 (Directed Studies).
   • No more than 3 credit hours of 690 (Theory of Research).
   • No more than 3 credit hours of 695 (Frontiers in Research).
8. A maximum of 3 credit hours may be used toward the non-thesis option Master’s degree, in any combination, of the following:
   • No more than 2 credit hours of 681 (Seminar).
   • No more than 3 credit hours of 684 (Professional Internship).
   • No more than 3 credit hours of 685 (Directed Studies).
9. Certain zero-credit courses may be allowed for Master’s degree programs:
   • A zero-credit 684 (Professional Internship) or 685 (Directed Studies) course is only allowed for non-thesis option Master’s programs.
   • A zero-credit 681 (Seminar) course may be used for either thesis or non-thesis option Master’s programs.
   • Other courses, including 691 (Research) hours, are not eligible for zero credit.
10. No more than 25 percent of the total credit-hours required on the student’s degree plan may be in any combination of 684, 685, 690, 691 (if permitted), and 695.
11. A maximum of 9 hours of advanced undergraduate courses (300- or 400-level) may be considered for application to the degree plan.
12. No more than 50 percent of the non-research coursework required for an in-person degree program may be completed through distance education courses.
13. Continuing education or extension courses may not be used for graduate credit.

Some departments may have additional or more restrictive requirements. Exceptions will be permitted only in unusual cases and when petitioned by the student’s advisory committee and approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

Thesis Option

An acceptable thesis is required for the Master of Science degree for a student who selects the thesis option program. The finished work must reflect a comprehensive understanding of the pertinent literature and express in clear English, the problem(s) for study, the method, significance and results of the student’s original research. Thesis formatting must be acceptable to the Graduate and Professional School as outlined in the Guidelines for Theses, Dissertations, and Records of Study.

After successful defense (or exemption) and approval by the student’s advisory committee and the head of the student’s major department (or chair of intercollegiate faculty, if appropriate), the student must submit the thesis in electronic format as a single PDF file to https://etd.tamu.edu/. Additionally, a thesis approval form with original signatures must be received by the Graduate and Professional School through the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS). Both the PDF file and the completed approval form must be received by the deadline.

Deadline dates for submitting the thesis are announced each semester or summer term in the “Graduate and Professional School Calendar” (see Time Limit statement). These dates also can be accessed via the Graduate and Professional School website.

Each student who submits a manuscript for review is assessed a one-time thesis/dissertation processing fee through Student Business Services for the thesis/dissertation services provided. After commencement, theses and dissertations are digitally stored and made available through the Texas A&M Libraries.

A thesis that is deemed unacceptable by the Graduate and Professional School because of excessive corrections will be returned to the student’s department head (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable). The manuscript must be resubmitted as a new document, and the entire review process must begin again. All original submittal deadlines must be met during the resubmittal process to graduate.

Thesis Proposal

For thesis option students, a Research Proposal must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School via the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS) at least 20 working days prior to the submission of the Final Examination Request or by the deadline established in the Graduate and Professional School Dates and Deadlines Calendar, whichever comes first.

Compliance issues must be addressed if a graduate student is performing research involving human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards and recombinant DNA. A student engaged in these types of research should check with the Office of Research Compliance and Biosafety at 979-458-1467 to address questions about all research compliance responsibilities before the proposal is submitted to the Graduate and Professional School. Additional information can also be obtained on the Office of Research Compliance and Biosafety website.

Thesis Defense/Final Examination

Students must pass a final examination by dates announced each semester or Summer term in the Graduate and Professional School Calendar. Eligibility to schedule a final examination requires that

• a student’s GPA must be at least 3.000 for courses on the degree plan and for all courses completed at Texas A&M which are eligible to be applied to a graduate degree;
• a student may have no unabsolved grades of D, F, or U for any course listed on the degree plan (to absolve a deficient grade, the student must repeat the course at Texas A&M University and achieve a grade of C or better);
• all coursework on the degree plan must be completed, with the exception of those hours for which the student is registered; and
• for thesis option students, an approved thesis proposal must be on file in the Graduate and Professional School according to published deadlines prior to the final examination or submission of the request for exemption from the final examination.

A request to schedule the final examination must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School via ARCS a minimum of 10 working days in advance of the scheduled date for the examination. The Graduate and Professional School will be notified via ARCS of any cancellations. A student may be given only one opportunity to repeat the final examination for the master’s degree and that must be within a time period that does not extend beyond the end of the next regular semester (Summer terms are excluded).

For thesis option students, the final examination covers the thesis and all work taken on the degree plan and – at the discretion of the student’s advisory committee – may be written, or oral, or both. The final examination may not be administered before the thesis is available to all members of the student’s advisory committee in substantially final form, and all members have had adequate time to review the document.

The examination is conducted by the student’s advisory committee as finally constituted. A thesis option student must be registered at the University in the semester or Summer term in which the final examination is taken. Persons other than members of the graduate faculty may, with mutual consent of the candidate and the advisory committee chair, attend final examinations for advanced degrees. Upon completion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings.

Final Examination Grading

The student’s advisory committee will conduct this examination. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on the final examination. If the chair is the sole member of the student’s advisory committee, a positive vote – with no dissention – is required to pass a student on the final examination. Departments or interdisciplinary degree programs may have a stricter requirements provided there is consistency within all degree programs within the department or interdisciplinary degree program.

The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Final Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS) within 10 working days of completion of the final examination. If an approved committee member substitution (one only) has been made, their approval must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School via ARCS.

If the program requires the advisory committee to include at least one external member – with an appointment to a department other than the student’s major department – and the substitution is for the sole external member of the advisory committee, then the substitute must also be external to the student’s major department. In extenuating circumstances, with approval of the Graduate and Professional School, an exception to this requirement may be granted.

A thesis option candidate may petition to be exempt from the final examination provided the degree plan GPA is 3.500 or greater and he/she has the approval of the advisory committee, the head of the student’s major department, or intercollegiate chair, if appropriate, and the Graduate and Professional School. It is required that the petition for exemption be submitted the same semester the student intends to submit the thesis.

Non-Thesis Option

For the non-thesis option, a thesis is not required. A final examination/defense is required for all non-thesis Master of Arts students.

Non-thesis students must take one 685 with their advisor in the last semester to focus on their final projects. 

Comprehensive Examination

The written examination has at least seven questions, organized into two main sections.

The first section involves a range of issues in Performance Studies. This includes questions related to the history of the field (when, how, and why it emerged, for instance), prominent Performance Studies scholars, and theoretical and methodological trends.

The second section focuses on issues directly related to the student’s topic(s) of interest. The Committee Chair will request multiple questions from the Committee member(s) but will be responsible for constructing the bulk of the examination. It is up to the student to meet with committee members on an individual basis to discuss how best to prepare for the CE (e.g., creating a bibliography, summarizing concepts, or engaging with specific debates in the field).

Performance and Portfolio 

There are no specific rules regarding the format, length, location, or content of the performance. However, practical considerations such as budget, scheduling, space availability, and university rules must be taken into consideration at an initial stage. It is up to the student to present the scope, feasibility, and research goals of the performance project in the Prospectus defense at the end of the first year. A clearly defined plan for completing the project will be expected. Performances that fail to materialize due to poor planning will not count toward the Master’s degree. For that reason, it is crucial that the student works closely with their advisor and other committee members, communicating with all parties involved and developing a clear and realistic timeline prior to the defense. The student should discuss the performance plan with the Director of Graduate Studies within two weeks after defending the Prospectus to ensure feasibility.

Additionally, while the performance may involve collaboration with other people, the candidate plays the central role in conceiving, designing, and/or presenting the performance and bears all responsibility for its successful completion. 

The student and advisor will define the type of artifact to be created, (e.g., film, intermedia event, sonic environment, curated exhibition, etc.)  the means of presenting it to the committee, and the process of documenting it for the portfolio. For live performances, students should verify all committee members are able to attend the performance.

The portfolio must include a short bio, documentation of the performance, and a critical essay. The student will submit a professional portfolio to the committee within two weeks after presenting the performance. The portfolio must include:

1. A professional bio of 250 words.
2. Documentation of the performance:
   1. Drafts or sketches from the different stages in the development of the performance.
   2. Video and/or photos of the event (if the project is an event such as a play, concert, or exhibit).
   3. Additional documentation (programs, fliers, or reviews) should be submitted as well).
3. An essay containing the following sections:
   1. A critical discussion (minimum 5,000 words) of topics that informed the performance, such as performances, artworks, artists, scholars, social/cultural issues, historical events, theories, and methods.
   2. A reflection on the challenges, achievements, and possibilities brought about by the implementation of performance as a means of social/cultural intervention.
   3. A plan detailing professional goals and institutions or organizations to be targeted for future work.

Final Examination/Defense

The final exam cannot be held prior to the mid-point of the semester if questions on the exam are based on courses in which the student is currently enrolled. If a student has completed all required degree plan coursework, the student is not required to be registered for classes in the semester the final examination is administered (unless he/she holds an assistantship). For specific final examination requirements, a student should check the program requirements for the degree which he/she is pursuing.

For the Comprehensive Examination, the final defense is the oral portion of the examination. After receiving the student’s responses, the Chair will share the document with the rest of the committee and schedule the Oral Examination. The Oral Examination is usually scheduled two weeks after the committee members have received the student’s written responses.

The Performance and Portfolio Defense is an oral discussion between the student and her/his committee -similar to the Defense in the Thesis track and the Oral Examination in the Comprehensive Examination track. The student's collaborators (if any) may also attend the Defense.

The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Final Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS) within 10 working days of completion of the final examination. If an approved committee member substitution (one only) has been made, their approval must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School via ARCS.

If the program requires the advisory committee to include at least one external member – with an appointment to a department other than the student’s major department – and the substitution is for the sole external member of the advisory committee, then the substitute must also be external to the student’s major department. In extenuating circumstances, with approval of the Graduate and Professional School, an exception to this requirement may be granted.

All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Arts degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.

Additional Requirements

• Residence
• Continuous Registration
• Time Limit
• Foreign Languages
• Application for Degree

Residence

In partial fulfillment of the residence requirement for the degree of Master of Arts, the student must complete 9 resident credit hours during one regular semester or one 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University. A minimum of 1 credit hour must be in a non-distance education delivery mode. Semesters during which the student is enrolled in all distance education coursework will not count toward fulfillment of the residence requirement. Upon recommendation of the student’s advisory committee, department head or Chair of the Interdisciplinary Program, if appropriate, and with approval of the Graduate and Professional School, a student may be granted exemption from this requirement. Such a petition, however, must be approved prior to the student’s registration for the final 9 credit hours of required coursework.

Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, the student is required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of his/her employment to the Graduate and Professional School.

See Residence Requirements.

Continuous Registration

A student in the thesis option of the Master of Arts/Science program who has completed all coursework on an approved degree plan other than 691 (Research) is required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed.

See Continuous Registration Requirements.

Time Limit

All degree requirements must be completed within a period of seven consecutive years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until seven years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for coursework which is more than seven calendar years old at the time of the final examination (oral or written) may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.

A student who has chosen the thesis option must have the final corrected copies of the thesis cleared by the Graduate and Professional School within one year of the semester in which the final exam is taken, or a final exam exemption petition was approved. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a final exam taken and passed during the Fall 2022 semester will expire at the end of the Fall 2023 semester. A final exam taken in the time between the Summer and Fall 2022 semesters will expire at the end of the Summer 2023 semester.

Foreign Languages

For the degree of Master of Arts, a reading knowledge (usually represented by two years of college study) of at least one foreign language is normally required.

Application for Degree

For information on applying for your degree, please visit the Graduation section.