Students wanting to pursue a master’s degree in kinesiology or theater arts will find that they have more options open to them this year. Both the department of kinesiology and the department of theater arts have added new options to their master’s programs.
The theater arts department in the College of the Arts has added an option in dramatic writing to the master’s of fine arts (MFA) in theater arts. The dramatic writing option was approved by the Academic Senate in the spring of 2006. A minor in theater arts was also added this year.
Dramatic writing focuses on creative writing, which can be either fiction or non-fiction, original or adaptive. It is meant for any variety of media.
“The timing is right for this,” said Maria Viera, a cinema and theater studies professor in the theater arts department. “Our students will be able to write for a variety of media, including theater, television, films, podcasting and other forms of media that arise in the future.”
The degree requires 60 units of course work completed over two years and is followed by a thesis.
The interdisciplinary MFA is one of the first of its kind, not only working in conjunction with the department of film and electronics but also, with several departments in the College of Liberal Arts, including the department of comparative world literature and classics and the department of communication studies.
In addition to the dramatic writing option, there is a MFA in theater arts with options in acting, design and management.
The kinesiology department has also added a new option to their master’s of science in kinesiology. The option in exercise physiology and nutrition was proposed during the fall 2005 semester and passed by the Academic Senate last spring.
The option will help prepare students for a variety of jobs in the exercise and sports physiology field.
“Most of the jobs in exercise physiology have a nutrition component,” said James Davis, a professor of exercise physiology. “The person holding the job needs to have a strong background in the principles of exercise physiology and the principles of nutrition. Indeed, the exercise physiology textbooks not only deal with the acute and chronic physiological responses to exercise but also with “sports nutrition” concepts, e.g., glycogen loading.”
Students must have minimum of 39 units if they are on the comprehensive examination track. However, they do not have to complete a project.
The master’s of science in kinesiology also has four other options, including exercise science, sport and exercise psychology, sports medicine and Injuries Studies. The department of kinesiology also offers a master’s of arts in kinesiology in seven options.
