Graduate Bulletin
For detailed program information including curriculum and requirements, please view the academic bulletin, the university's official document of record concerning graduate-level academic programs and regulations.
The MFA in Scenic Design program provides comprehensive training for careers in visual design and production.
Students engage in theatre, dance, opera, and film projects, developing skills that translate across a wide range of fields, including television, live concert design, themed entertainment, fashion, and museum exhibit design. Through coursework and hands-on projects, they gain proficiency in various drafting and model-making techniques, including both digital and hand-based methods. Sketching, visual research, communication with the shop, graphic design, and art history are also fundamental to the program.
In addition to coursework, students design scenery for at least three mainstage productions during their time on campus. The department stages shows in both a proscenium arch and an arena theater, ensuring that each student gains experience designing for different types of theatre spaces.
Students earn a substantial graduate stipend by working 16 hours each week in our scene shop, performing carpentry, scenic painting and properties design for department productions.
During their third year, students take part in a financially supported professional internship, gaining real-world experience beyond campus. Notable past internships include positions at The New York Public Theater, the design studio of Broadway designer David Gallo, and the media and production company 3LD.