This practice-based doctorate is designed for those who intend to pursue leadership positions in the practicing professions, preparing candidates for senior positions as principals, superintendents, arts administrators, researchers, curriculum developers, policy analysts, educational consultants, theatre practitioners, and drama therapists.
Request Info
Degree Details
Official Degree Title
EdD in Educational Theatre in Colleges and Communities
Format
Full-time or Part-time
Credits
42
Start Date
Fall
Application Deadline
Mission Statement
Through a broadly designed and individualized curriculum, you will develop your artistic praxis and the leadership skills needed to transform today’s learning communities in a variety of educational, cultural, and vocational contexts. The degree emphasizes collaborative and practitioner-based study, providing comprehensive research and artistic training that equips you with the knowledge and skills to have significant impact in the worlds of educational theatre, arts policy, and practice. In particular, you will develop authority in one of four areas of specialization:
- Drama in Education (i.e., studies in drama/theatre curriculum, special education, integrated arts, assessment and evaluation)
- Applied Theatre (i.e., studies in community-based theatre, theatre of the oppressed, the teaching artist, diversity and inclusion)
- Theatre for Young Audiences and Play Production (i.e., studies in acting, directing, dramaturgy, playwriting, dramatic literature, arts-based research methodologies)
- Drama Therapy (Note that this EdD is not a credentialing program leading to licensure. View the MA Program in Drama Therapy if that is your area of interest.)
Program Goals/Learning Outcomes
By the end of their studies, EdD students will be able to:
- Demonstrate competence around the artistic processes outlined in the New York State Learning Standards for Theatre
- Engage in systematic and ongoing analysis as a reflective practitioner
- Create, design, and implement original, context-bound creative works or educational projects driven by problems of practice
- Produce dissemination documents from their creative works or educational projects demonstrating leadership in the field
Working with premier faculty in the field, you’ll conduct research that addresses the most pressing questions in the cultural and educational arenas. The degree offers personal mentoring and advisement from doctoral faculty in Educational Theatre, as well as from the larger Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions; the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development; and other schools at NYU that are interdisciplinarily related to your EdD.
You will have the opportunity to participate in:
- Study abroad programs in Puerto Rico, London, and Dublin
- Main-stage productions in our Blackbox Theatre and the historic Provincetown Playhouse
- Annual conferences related to the program’s areas of specialization; additionally, EdD students have access to grants and funds for conference participation and research
Educational Theatre Scholarships
Graduate and Doctoral students in the Program in Educational Theatre may receive scholarships through one or both of the following methods. The first is through completing the Steinhardt Financial Aid process and potentially receiving merit or need based scholarships. Information on this process is available through the Financial Aid website for graduate students.
The second method is by applying for Educational Theatre Scholarships directly through the Program.
Eligibility Criteria for Educational Theatre Scholarships
- 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.
Note that these scholarships can only be applied towards tuition and/or registration fees for NYU/Educational Theatre courses.
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
The application form requires:
- 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
Statement Prompts:
Service-based:
Statement of Service describing the ways in which you have provided service to the Program that is deserving of acknowledgement.
Academic Merit:
Statement of Academic Merit describing the ways in which your academic work is deserving of acknowledgement.
Artistic Merit:
Statement of Artistic Merit describing the ways in which your artistic work is deserving of acknowledgement.
Study Abroad:
Statement of Service, Academic Merit, or Artistic Merit describing the ways in which your work is deserving of acknowledgement through scholarship for the study abroad program.
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, and continued teaching in the program for 40 years. In the spirit of their work, we are pleased to support the financial needs of students as they work toward completion of their degree. Awards are available to students at the graduate and doctoral levels.
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. The scholarship has supported graduate students in Educational Theatre since its inception in 1999. Mr. Chung was a student of Nancy and Lowell Swortzell, the founders of the Program in Educational Theatre at NYU.
Email Jonathan Jones for more information.
Questions
For more information, please contact Jonathan Jones at jonathan.jones@nyu.edu.
Take the Next Step
Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.
Apply Now