Beyond the Classroom
Professional Development Opportunities
We offer regular professional development opportunities that delve into pedagogy, research, creative opportunities, and careers both in and beyond the academy. In addition, we have developed partnerships with programs on campus and colleagues across other universities and professions to help our students gain certifications, develop skills, and build their own professional networks.
Professional Development Colloquia
Each semester brings new professional development colloquia, designed around the needs of our students. Past sessions have included intensive work on CVs, the job search, first publications, developing funding proposals, presenting research, developing a teaching persona, exploring new technologies, mental health and well-being, and more. Future programs will explore the paths of our network of alumni, many of whom have moved into careers outside of the academy.
LSU Exchange
Designed to enhance our students’ professional development and grow their networks in the field, our exchange program with Louisiana State University’s PhD program in Theatre brings students and faculty from our programs together. Each semester, faculty or students travel between Tallahassee and Baton Rouge to take part in a bounty of events, including sessions on publishing, the dissertation process, CV building, abstract writing, mental health and well-being, the job search, and more. Exchanges incorporate one-on-one discussions with faculty from the other institution, dinners, and social events–all of which help students to build deep relationships with faculty beyond our program, and to network with a cohort of students interested in future collaborations. LSU faculty who have participated include Shannon Walsh, John Fletcher, Alan Sikes, and Femi Euba.
Open House
Theatre and Performance Research (TaPR) regularly welcomes prospective masters and doctoral students to an open house. Designed to give applicants a taste of life in the program, the event features a notable guest scholar who presents their latest research, professional conversations with TaPR faculty members, attending rehearsals or performances, and tours of the School of Theatre and Tallahassee. Perhaps most important, it offers a chance to widen professional connections by socializing with potential student colleagues. Previous guest scholars have included Freddie Rokem, Paige McGinley, and Aaron C. Thomas.
The Program for Instructional Excellence
A unit of the Graduate School, the Program for Instructional Excellence (PIE) strives to enrich the learning experience by supporting graduate student teaching efforts at FSU. PIE offers professional development programs and workshops to all graduate students. For those interested in focusing more deeply on their pedagogy, the PIE Teaching Associate Assistantship offers additional funding for students to serve as teaching mentors to their peers. Those graduate TAs that excel in teaching might also earn FSU’s highly competitive Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award.
Center for Global Engagement
FSU’s internationally renowned Center for Global Engagements offers free Intercultural Communication workshops, as well as the Global Partner Certificate (GPC). The GPC is for FSU faculty, staff, and graduate students who are interested in becoming globally competent by improving their intercultural communication skills.
Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC)
Housed in FSU’s School of Dance, the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC), sponsors research in dance and choreography. Through their residency program, they bring outstanding artists to campus to workshop new projects and show the work in progress to invited audiences. MANCC offers students in Theatre & Performance Research unique opportunities to engage the diverse figures who are shaping dance and movement-based art today.
Center for the Advancement of Human Rights (CAHR)
Established in 2000, the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights offers opportunities for FSU students to engage in advocacy, conduct Human Rights-related research, and take interdisciplinary courses they sponsor in partnership with FSU’s academic colleges and departments. CAHR recognizes the significance of the arts in human rights activism and has supported both performance projects and classes in film, music, and theatre. By engaging with the Center, students can develop expertise in real world problems and demonstrate their commitment to social justice whether planning a career in law, public advocacy, or the arts.
FSU Certificate Programs
FSU offers many different certificate programs to degree-seeking students: Publishing & Editing, Digital Video Production, Online Teaching and Learning, Museum Education and Visitor-Centered Curation, and more. Completion of a program will mean a note on the student’s transcript, and they can help make students stand out on the job market inside academia or beyond.