Program Overview

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Master of Arts in Educational Theatre and Social Studies

The Master of Arts in Educational Theatre, All Grades, and Teaching Social Studies, Grades 7–12: Dual Certification is a program that leads to eligibility for New York State initial certification as a teacher of theatre and a teacher of social studies. This degree combines social studies and theatre, helping learners explore history through drama-based frameworks.

Degree Details

Official Degree Title

Master of Arts in Educational Theatre, All Grades, and Teaching Social Studies, Grades 7–12: Dual Certification

Format

• Full-time or Part-time

Credits

• 47

Start Date

• Fall

Application Deadline

• January 15

What You'll Learn

You will work closely with a faculty advisor to create a sequence of courses that reflect your interests, selecting classes in research, pedagogy, theatre art forms, and community-engaged approaches. The curriculum ensures that you learn:

• US and world history
• World drama
• Drama in education
• How to explore social issues through drama
• Interactive dramatic strategies in teaching and learning for exploring key ideas in primary source documents, historical concepts, periods, debates, and texts

Core Courses and Areas of Specialization

The curriculum includes integrated coursework in drama, dramatic literature, and theatre, tied to the four New York State Learning Standards for both theatre and social studies. You'll have the opportunity to focus your studies on a concentration, such as:

• Applied Theatre
• Drama Education
• Theatre for Young Audiences and Play Production Or, you can create your own pathway under advisement.

Fieldwork and Student Teaching Placements

You will complete fieldwork and two supervised student teaching placements in New York City elementary and secondary schools, honing your teaching techniques under the guidance of NYU faculty.

Careers and Outcomes

Graduates of this program are teachers of drama and theatre at preschools and elementary, middle, and secondary schools. They hold positions in education and theatre departments in museums, art galleries, colleges, and universities.

Scholarships

Educational Theatre Scholarships

Graduate and Doctoral students in the Program in Educational Theatre may receive scholarships through one or both of the following methods:

• Completing the Steinhardt Financial Aid process and potentially receiving merit or need-based scholarships.
• Applying for Educational Theatre Scholarships directly through the Program.

Eligibility Criteria

• Educational Theatre Scholarship applicants must be graduate or doctoral students in the Program in Educational Theatre who demonstrate service to the Program, academic merit, or artistic merit.
• Doctoral students can receive scholarships up to two times, but not in consecutive semesters. Master's students can receive a scholarship only once.
• If doctoral students who have already received the award apply again, information included in the statement should only pertain to work completed after the previous award.
• Priority is given to students with financial need.

Awards

• Up to a $5,000 bursary will be awarded to students and applied to their Bursar account in one of four areas: Service-based, Academic Merit, Artistic Merit, or Study Abroad.

Application Procedure

• Students can apply for these scholarships after completing one semester of study.
• An application form will be circulated to current students through the program's list serve approximately two - three weeks prior to the start of registration for the upcoming term.

Application Deadlines

• Fall – April 1
• Spring – November 1
• Summer – January 24

Application Requirements

• A faculty member to support the application
• Selection of one of the four award areas (Service-based, Academic Merit, Artistic Merit, or Study Abroad)
• A statement of no more than 500 words responding to a corresponding prompt

Specific Scholarships

Nancy and Lowell Swortzell Permanent Fund in Educational Theatre Scholarships

This scholarship honors the legacy of Nancy and Lowell Swortzell, distinguished professors who founded the Program in Educational Theatre at NYU Steinhardt in 1966.

Myoung-Cheul Chung Scholarship in Educational Theatre

This scholarship for Educational Theatre students was created by one of the Program's alumni, Mr. Myoung-Cheul Chung, MA '95.