Overview

The program at Boston University seeks to:

Enhance artistic expression and communication skills through hands-on, mentored design experience within a wide range of production opportunities and classroom instruction.

Explore creative collaborations with directors, actors, technicians, and playwrights.

Develop a thorough understanding of professional working methods and standards.

Create new forms of theatrical expression for the next generation.

MFA Design students are being prepared for substantive careers as theatre artists. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production design opportunities, and collaboration with professionals through our Professional Theatre Initiative. Students are mentored by working professional faculty and advisors.

Financial aid is available to some students in the form of scholarships, living stipends, or teaching assistantships. Admission is highly selective, with the School of Theatre admitting one to three students each year into each of the Scene Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, and Sound Design MFA programs.

Learning Outcomes

The Scene Design program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Scene Design students will:

Demonstrate a rich understanding of scenic design as an art form and its development since the classical period.

Demonstrate the development of critical and analytical thinking for the collaborative process of making a piece of theatre.

Demonstrate the development of an understanding for purpose and reason for making a piece of theatre.

Demonstrate the ability to explore the emotional and psychological power of a space and how to mine these qualities in the making of a piece of theatre.

Communicate conceptual ideas through a facility with the different mediums and tools available to the scenic designer.

Model a professional and artful attitude toward work process, communication, and collaboration with fellow members of the creative team.

Demonstrate proficiency in the skills necessary to be a working scene designer, including, but not limited to, hand drafting, scenic painting, drawing, and an understanding of the history of period styles and décor, with an acknowledgement of the broad range of creative work to which scenic design can contribute to the artful creation of theatre.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Matinee

Colloquium

Production

Figure Drawing

History of Period Styles
Scene of Design

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-02 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

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Credits

60 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Boston, United States

Disciplines

Design Film Studies View 453 other Masters in Design in United States

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Academic requirements

GRE^®

Required

English requirements

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Other requirements

General requirements

Completed application for Graduate Admission to the College of Fine Arts.

Non-refundable application fee of $95.

Upload transcripts from all colleges and universities attended to your application. Please do not send transcripts to us.

Résumé.

Letter of Intent; the applicant should describe their career path and ambitions and why they wish to study at Boston University at this time. Letter of intent and résumé should be uploaded to application.

Completed Online Portfolio Submission ($10 fee).

Two (2) Letters of Recommendation from theatre professionals. These may be submitted online using the supplied Letter of Recommendation Form.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

33382 USD / year

≈ 33382 USD / year
Out-of-State

33382 USD / year

≈ 33382 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

33382 USD / year

≈ 33382 USD / year

Living costs

Boston

United States

1560 - 3239 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Scene Design.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Learning Outcomes

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Boston

Financing

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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