University degrees: Postgraduate
Course length: three-year
Course city: New York
Our three-year Master of Fine Arts degree program offers an outstanding faculty of working professionals, close proximity to every type of performing and media art imaginable, and endless opportunities to take full advantage of the cultural resources unique to New York City.
Through a series of carefully orchestrated studio courses, each student is allowed to develop individually as a designer over the course of the three-year Master of Fine Arts program. Students are expected to focus on one or two primary areas of design—set, film, costume, or lighting–and are encouraged to take classes in the other disciplines as well.
Art courses and classes in technical aspects of theatre are important tools for the design student but the program’s emphasis is clearly on the design process. In the classroom students are encouraged to explore, in depth, the text, character, music, history, and psychological elements of their work and are challenged to apply their creativity in new and imaginative ways.
Often the most exciting work is created when set designers work together in class with lighting and costume designers and directors. The designer/director relationship is nurtured by the participation of Columbia University directing students in advanced design classes. Tisch School of the Arts filmmakers and designers work together in the classroom on joint projects under the tutelage of some of today’s top film production designers.
Rigorous and demanding, we have high expectations for you, yet you’ll find us supportive and eager to see you succeed. We firmly believe that you are unique, and our program aims to protect and nurture the individuality of each designer.
Through a series of carefully orchestrated courses, you will develop an individual design process. Taught by a faculty of working professionals at the top of the field, you’ll focus on the development of visual solutions based on in-depth text analysis, character study, the use of research to explore historical and sociological aspects of cultures, and the collaborative nature of the theatre.
The Design Department focuses on developing the designer in five separate areas: design, dramaturgy, production, and 2D/3D skills. The student is taught the importance of developing a project from the initial idea and presentation to putting it into a shop and making it a reality.
Classes with weekly critiques develop over the three years with larger and more complex texts. See all Classes
Classes focus on the developing idea of character and clothing design in connection to a text. See all Classes
Classes involve theoretical and practical training emphasizing text analysis, concept development, collaboration with other designers, and technical knowledge. See all Classes
Classes in design for film are taught concurrently with set design. See all Classes
