2024–2025 Bulletin Addendum MFA in Playwriting

The MFA in Playwriting is offered by the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) and the Department of English in artistic collaboration with the College of Fine Arts (CFA) School of Theatre. We seek to nurture writers of exceptional talent and vision who will make meaningful contributions to the fields of theater, entertainment, and literature.

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with an MFA in Playwriting will possess:

• A strong, personal connection to the dramatic form, its ancient roots, its dynamic history, and its multivalent present.
• A thorough understanding of the unique possibilities and limitations inherent in writing for the stage.
• The ability to identify and express the passions, practices, and values that inspire their writing and guide their craft.
• The confidence, skill, and sensitivity to advocate for their own work, develop their plays in collaboration with others, and foster lasting connections with professionals in the field.
• Drafts of eight (8) or more plays written during the course of their studies.

Course Requirements

A total of 48 units are required for the degree. All courses must be completed with a grade of B– or higher.

40 units (including 10 sequenced courses) are taken by the entire cohort together.

8 elective units (two courses, 500 level or above) are chosen in consultation with program faculty. These are normally taken in the spring of Year 1 and the fall or spring of Year 2. The sequenced program courses are as follows:

Fall, Year 1

• CAS EN 510 Short Plays (4 units)
• CAS EN 700 Structure and the Contemporary Script* (4 units)

Spring, Year 1

• CAS EN 520 Adaptation and the Theatre (4 units)
• CAS EN 720 Dramatic Theory and its Foundations (4 units)

Fall, Year 2

• CAS EN 509 Writing the Social/Political Play (4 units)
• CAS EN 705 Playwriting Workshop 1 (4 units)

Spring, Year 2

• CAS EN 519 Experiments with Character and Form (4 units)
• CAS EN 706 Playwriting Workshop 2 (4 units)

Fall, Year 3

• CAS EN 700 Structure and the Contemporary Script* (4 units)

Spring, Year 3

• CAS EN 794 Professional Seminar (4 units)

*CAS EN 700 is repeatable for unit and taken in the both the first and third years of study. For MFA candidates graduating in 2025 and 2027, CAS EN 517 is an acceptable substitute for CAS EN 700.

Additional Degree Requirements

BPT Practicum

During their first year in the program, MFA candidates must complete a practicum at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre (BPT), working on administrative and production assignments that will engage them in the day-to-day life of the organization. Practicums are chosen in consultation with BPT staff and playwriting faculty.

Readings, Productions, and Workshops

MFA candidates are expected to participate in the presentation, workshopping, and production of their plays during their time in the program. Such workshops and productions include:

Year 1

• Boston Theater Marathon (10-minute play)

Year 2

• Fringe Festival: Next Stage (bare-bones production with College of Fine Arts/School of Theatre)

Year 2 or Year 3

• BPT Workshop (workshop of full-length play at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre)

Year 3

• MFA Capstone Production (production of a full-length play at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre)
• Industry showcase reading in New York City

End-of-Year Review

MFA candidates must attend a review meeting at the end of each academic year. A creative process journal, shared with program faculty, must be submitted prior to the end-of-year review.

The meeting at the end of the third year includes a discussion of the capstone production.