Graduate Programs: The Master of Fine Arts in Acting prepares actors both for the theatre that is and the theatre that might be. Visiting professional directors and playwrights regularly work with graduate students creating production opportunities that reflect the immediate aesthetic of the American theatre. Every January, professional directors and other casting agents audition SMU students for professional summer and full-time opportunities. Graduate students enjoy as well the opportunity to showcase their classes in Los Angeles and New York in their final semester's residency.

The Master of Fine Arts in Design is committed to the philosophy of nurturing artists who will embrace the interpretation of language into visual imagery. The curriculum emphasizes collaboration and the pursuit of artistic skills, including drawing, painting, model-making and drafting.

The training balances classroom and production time. The first year includes the development of artistic skills through extensive classroom projects, culminating in the design of the new play festival, New Visions, New Voices. All students acquire comprehensive skills in scenery, costume and lighting design. The second year serves to focus you as a theatre designer in your specific area of expertise and includes classes in studio art, art history, film and/or photography in the Meadows School of the Arts. While using Meadows' diversity to their advantage, students also design for the Division's season. During the Master year, students prepare for the professional world with classes in portfolio preparation and the business of design. They also refine their collaborative, artistic, and management skills by working at professional venues that include the Dallas Theater Center, Kitchen Dog Theater, the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas and others. Professors in the program include theatre artists currently designing in the industry, and selected students have the opportunity to get into the profession through internships or as assistant designers. At the end of their three years of study, students are introduced into the profession with portfolio presentations in New York and/or Los Angeles.

For a complete list of graduate courses in Theatre, click here.