Graduate Studies
The Division of Theatre offers three-year professional training programs in Entertainment Design and Acting leading to the Master of Fine Arts degree.
The M.F.A. in Entertainment Design cultivates artistic, analytical, and practical skills. Students gain the skills necessary to become open, articulate, and professional scenic, costume, and lighting designers who then graduate to work in live theatre, TV, film, media, gaming, and animation. Each year, we admit a cohort of 4 students in all areas of design.
The M.F.A. in Acting stands within the Stanislavsky tradition, with a focus on embodying action through the marriage of self to technique, imagination to text. Voice, movement, and text work are integrated components. Every other year, we admit a cohort of 8 students, i.e. 2021, 2023, 2025.
Financial Aid
- Tuition covered by an Awarded Scholarship: valued at $44,500 per year, tax-free
- Assistantship: $12,000 per year
- Total Financial Three-Year Aid Package: $168,000
We partner with the Dallas Theater Center,(LORT) as well as other local venues including Public Works Dallas, Ignite Arts/Dallas, Kitchen Dog, Second Thought, Shakespeare Dallas, Undermain, Theatre Three, Kitchen Dog, Circle Theatre, Jubilee Theatre and Water Tower Theatre. Faculty facilitate entertainment design or acting employment while in Dallas, during summer internships, and post-MFA fellowships.
Individual mentorship is a hallmark of the MFA. The faculty/student partnership includes weekly classes and twice-a-semester in-depth reviews. This partnership leads to the MFA degree and individually focused professional careers.
