As a graduate student at Emerson College, you will have access to a variety of exclusive benefits and opportunities that will help prepare you to take your career to the next level.
Living, Learning, and Working in Boston
As a student attending Emerson College, you will live and learn in the heart of Boston’s Theatre District. Emerson's campus includes the Tufte Performance and Production Center, the Paramount Center, The Cutler Majestic Theatre, and the Emerson Colonial Theatre and is surrounded by dozens of local theatres, providing you with a wide range of experiences, from best-selling Broadway shows to local artists.
Benefits of All Three Programs
All three of our graduate programs offer students one-on-one mentorship with graduate faculty. During this time, mentors advise students on interests like student teaching, theatre for young audiences, community-based practice, and theatre for social change. Mentors provide academic advising, career guidance, and network connections.
Students also enjoy opportunities to learn from the production, education, and engagement teams at ArtsEmerson, Boston’s leading presenter of world theatre, and HowlRound, a famous community platform for theatre artists to share resources and expertise. Interested students may be able to work with ArtsEmerson through either part-time employment or internships.
Benefits of the Master of Arts in Theatre Education & Applied Theatre
- Students in the MA in Theatre Education & Applied Theatre program can choose their electives based on their professional interests. With a wide range of electives, including social justice, theatre production, and direct community engagement, you’ll be exposed to different aspects of theatre and focus on what you enjoy best.
- Students in this program hone their interests by choosing an area of interest in Theatre Education or Applied Theatre and taking courses specific to these fields.
Benefits of the Master of Arts in Theatre Education: Licensure
- Students in the MA in Theatre Education: Licensure program earn Massachusetts initial licensure as a theatre teacher for PK-12 in public school settings.
- We’re proud to offer student teaching opportunities at local schools in the Boston area.
Benefits of the Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Education & Applied Theatre
- MFA students begin thinking about their thesis from the start of their first class and work with their advisor and faculty to workshop and develop ideas throughout their program. Students are encouraged to think critically about how their coursework can connect to their future thesis, research work, and career goals.
- MFA students participate in a colloquium series during their thesis year, which meets four times a year. The colloquium provides students with the opportunity to attend workshops by guest artists, go behind the scenes with ArtsEmerson, and enhance and broaden their knowledge outside of the traditional classroom.
- There are some opportunities to work as teaching assistants in undergraduate courses during the MFA program, offering valuable experience and resumé credentials.
Career Outlook for Theatre Education & Applied Theatre Graduates
Employees with a master’s degree earn up to $12,000 more per year with a master’s than those with a bachelor’s, and from 2020 to 2021, arts and cultural goods in the U.S. added $1 trillion to the U.S. economy alone. Graduates of our programs can expect careers like:
MA Theatre Education & Applied Theatre
- Pre-K–12 private school teacher
- Teaching artist in after-school or out-of-school programs
- Education or community engagement staff at professional theatres, arts organizations, or nonprofits
MA Theatre Education: Licensure
- Pre-K–12 public and private school teacher
- Teaching artists in after-school programs, school-based workshops
- Educational staff at professional theatres and arts organizations
MFA Theatre Education & Applied Theatre
- Pre-K–12 public and private school teacher
- Educational staff/leadership at professional theatres, community arts organizations, and nonprofits
- Artistic director, managing director, and other leadership positions at professional theatres or other nonprofit organizations
An Alum's Perspective
Get the Emerson Edge with our Graduate Student Benefits
Once you commit to graduate school at Emerson, you’re automatically enrolled in our Emerson Edge program. Emerson Edge is designed to help you network with peers, alumni, faculty, and staff to ensure you’re getting what you need out of your graduate program including career exploration, resume building, financial planning, and access to exclusive events for students and alumni.
Emerson Edge benefits:
- Career exploration and preparedness: Work with Career Development to discuss your interests and skills to investigate different career paths. Our Career Development team reviews industry trends and updates you on emerging career paths and industries. Start with the Graduate Career Action Plan to learn about your skills, the Emerson community, industry, and network. Work with our team to craft your resume, cover letter, and portfolio and receive access to exclusive job listings.
- Attend Graduate Student Events: Meet new friends and network with your colleagues in the graduate community at in-person and online events hosted by the Graduate Student Association.
- Work with your Graduate Program Director: Your Graduate Program Director serves as a mentor to you and your classmates. They’ll help you connect with alumni, identify internship and career opportunities, and build a class schedule that excites you.
- Network with Emerson Alumni: Our alumni network consists of 51,000+ proud lions. Meet alumni from around the globe through Emerson’s exclusive Emerge platform, and in-person and virtual events hosted by our Alumni Relations team. Our alumni are known for helping each other out, from mentoring opportunities to career guidance, and you’ll join one of the best alumni networks in the country.
- Consult with our resource center to create a work-life balance plan and receive feedback on writing projects and coursework for native and non-native English speakers.
- Find graduate housing: Work with our Off-Campus Student Services to find off-campus graduate housing, roommates, neighborhood and budgeting advice, and even learn how to sign a lease.
- Explore our accessible resources: Coordinate with our Student Accessibility Services to receive access and support to our graduate programs and courses, activities, and services to ensure your needs are met while studying at Emerson.