Utility Menu
Main Menu
Column 1 Menu
Column 2 Menu
Column 3 Menu
Do you have a question or need help?

Give us a call or send us an email at:

Department of Drama
249 Drama
(949) 824-6614
drama@uci.edu

M.F.A. Design

Sound Design

Meyer Sound Studio, A professional sound design studio with a large mixing console, multiple monitors and speakers, recording equipment racks, and seating facing the control desk.

Meyer Sound Studio

Professor Vincent Oliveri presents audio concepts using a screen display while students sit with laptops and raise hands in an interactive classroom setting
Arrow left
Arrow right

The M.F.A. Scene Design program recruits new classes every other year.  We will accept applications beginning October 2026 for admittance to the 2027-28 academic year.

A Brief Introduction

Sound is one of the fastest-growing and most forward-looking areas of design in theater and the entertainment industry. UCI is well positioned to educate, guide and prepare students for successful careers after graduation. The program emphasizes a critical balance of theatrical aesthetics and process, audio engineering, music and professional practice, shaped by each student’s individual interests and goals. Combined with comprehensive training in current sound technologies, the UCI sound design graduate is prepared for both traditional theater and emerging digital environments.

Preparation for a Career in Sound Design

At UCI, we believe a strong theatrical foundation can serve as a springboard to careers both within and beyond theatrical sound design. Our alumni reflect that range. Some have built successful careers in theater sound design around the world, while others work in postproduction for film and television, sound design for theme parks, circuses, video games and immersive environments, as well as sound design education, acoustic consulting for construction projects and consulting for major manufacturers such as Meyer Sound and L-Acoustics.

Program Size and Production Opportunities

The program typically enrolls two graduate students per year level, with a maximum of four students in residence at one time. During their time at UCI, sound design graduate students typically design four to six or more fully supported productions and often contribute to additional workshop, experimental and non-Drama productions across the school and campus.

Students interested in musical theater sound follow a sequence of increasing responsibility, moving from production sound engineer to assistant designer and then to sound designer. UCI also offers undergraduate sound design courses within the B.A. program, and graduate students often help mentor undergraduates through coursework and student-produced projects. There may also be opportunities for graduate students to teach a section of an undergraduate sound design course.

Each fully supported sound design project at UCI is reviewed by sound design faculty and students, creating an ongoing critical dialogue and giving designers the opportunity to discuss creative challenges and ideas in a real-world setting.

Who We Are Looking For

There is no single profile for a UCI sound design student. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, and we believe that breadth of theatrical experience can be just as valuable as depth of experience in sound design. Some students come from music, composition, recording technology, musical theater, media production or sound art. Some enter directly from undergraduate study, while others do not. Some specialized in sound design as undergraduates, and others discovered the field through broader theatrical training. That range of experience contributes to a dynamic and collaborative creative environment.

Because applicants come from varied educational and professional backgrounds, and because access to mentorship and resources differs widely, we evaluate applicants with care and context. We look not only at prior accomplishments, but at each applicant’s potential for growth and success within the program.

Admission is competitive, with only two students accepted each year. Even so, we do not require applicants to come from programs specifically focused on sound design. Instead, we look for students with a working knowledge of technical theater and a broad theatrical education, which may include history, acting, directing, design, criticism or education.

Most importantly, we seek students with a strong passion for sound.

Two people pose in a sound design studio beside a computer workstation and audio equipment, with a “Farside Sound Design” sign displayed behind them
“ Matt Glenn, M.F.A. ’14 and Mark Caspary, M.F.A. ’15, co-founders of Ears Up, took a risk by asking the industry to think about sound design in a different way – and that’s paying off. As composers and designers, in theater and in themed entertainment, they always ensure storytelling is the throughline for their work, even as they are using highly technical tools to tell the story. That’s what makes them great. ”
Vincent Olivieri

Professor of Sound Design