M.F.A. in Drama

Performer cradles another figure as an ensemble stands behind her in blue stage light.

Students and an instructor collaborate during a directing rehearsal, with participants seated, standing, and working on the floor in front of a red curtain.

Stage management students and faculty pose together backstage, smiling beside sound and communications equipment in a theatre control area.

Lighting and projection design studio with theatrical lighting rigs overhead, computer monitors displaying color and cue controls, and scale figures staged against a blue-lit backdrop.

Music direction students sing together on stage at standing microphones, performing as an ensemble during a live vocal presentation.

Music theatre students perform a staged scene, surrounding a central performer with handheld microphones under theatrical lighting.

Large ensemble of music theatre students perform a choreographed number onstage with a live orchestra visible in the pit below.

Students work beneath stage lighting instruments during a technical rehearsal, adjusting equipment and reviewing notes on a theater stage.

Students relax and study outdoors on campus, sitting on benches and grass with laptops and notebooks near the Claire Trevor School of the Arts building.

A faculty member adjusts stage lighting in a black box theater while students perform on a small stage under colorful lights.

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Overview

The M.F.A. in Drama at UC Irvine is a rigorous, professionally oriented program designed to prepare artists, scholars, and educators for sustained careers in the field. Students receive intensive training within a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment that integrates performance, design, scholarship, and new technologies. Guided by distinguished faculty who are active professionals and researchers, M.F.A. students engage in a demanding curriculum that emphasizes artistic excellence, critical inquiry, and creative leadership. Graduates of the program go on to work in regional and international theatre, film and television, academia, and related creative industries.

Areas of Emphasis

The M.F.A. in Drama offers advanced training across a range of emphases, allowing students to develop focused expertise while working within a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment. Each emphasis combines intensive practice, critical study, and professional preparation, supported by dedicated faculty mentorship and opportunities to work across productions, research, and creative projects. Together, these emphases reflect the department’s commitment to artistic rigor, innovation, and diverse pathways within contemporary performance and scholarship.

Acting

The Acting emphasis is dedicated to the development of versatile, working professional actors prepared for sustained careers in theatre, film, television, and academia. Through intensive training and close faculty mentorship, students cultivate technical skill, artistic insight, and creative leadership. The program emphasizes adaptability, collaboration, and intellectual rigor, preparing actors to engage contemporary performance practices while shaping the future of the field. Alumni of the program perform on stages across the country, on and off Broadway, in regional theatres, and in film and television, with many also serving as faculty in university theatre programs.

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Design

The Design emphasis offers advanced professional training for artists specializing in sound, lighting, costume, or scenic design. Students develop deep expertise in their chosen discipline while gaining working knowledge of complementary design areas to support effective collaboration. The curriculum integrates design practice with theatre history, art history, and dramatic literature, fostering both technical proficiency and conceptual depth. Emphasizing both traditional craft and emerging technologies, the program prepares designers to work fluently across contemporary production environments using industry-standard tools, software, and equipment.

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Directing

The Directing emphasis prepares artists to lead creative processes that are intellectually rigorous, emotionally resonant, and collaborative. This three-year course of study progresses from character-driven and text-based work to language-centered plays, and culminates in original, devised, and self-produced projects. Students direct continuously throughout the program in classroom settings, student-led projects, and fully realized productions. Each director receives significant production opportunities, including a fully produced thesis project, developing both artistic vision and professional leadership skills.

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Music Direction

The Music Direction emphasis prepares students for professional careers as musical directors in theatre and related performance settings. Through focused instruction and mentorship, students develop skills in conducting, vocal coaching, musical preparation, score and script analysis, composing, arranging, and rehearsal leadership. Students gain hands-on experience working on musical productions each quarter, supported by faculty and industry professionals. The program emphasizes both artistic excellence and practical experience, preparing graduates for leadership roles in musical theatre and live performance.

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Stage Management

The Stage Management emphasis provides comprehensive professional training for advanced students preparing for leadership roles in live performance production. Graduate stage managers work across a wide range of genres, including drama, musical theatre, dance, opera, concerts, and special events. Through progressively complex production assignments, students develop expertise in organization, communication, and collaborative problem-solving. The curriculum integrates production practice with studies in dramatic literature, theatre history, and script analysis, preparing stage managers to communicate effectively with creative teams at the highest professional level.

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Admission

Application Deadline: January 9, 2026

How to Apply

Complete the Online Application for Graduate Admissions*.

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