Overview

The Scenic Design M.F.A. at Indiana University Bloomington is a comprehensive three-year professional training programme requiring a minimum of sixty credit hours. This curriculum is specifically designed to prepare advanced practitioners for successful careers in professional theatre, higher education, and related creative industries.

Why Scenic Design at Indiana University Bloomington?

Students benefit from a balanced approach that integrates rigorous classroom instruction with extensive practical experience in a collaborative environment. The department provides access to professional-grade production spaces where candidates lead teams of undergraduate employees and work under the mentorship of experienced faculty and guest artists.

A distinctive feature of the programme is the assistantship model, which provides hands-on training in scenic studios, property acquisition, and scenic painting. Candidates are typically assigned to design three to four fully realised productions during their tenure, culminating in a final thesis project in their third year.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 27271 per year
National fee: USD 27271 per year
Local fee: USD 27271 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum focuses on both traditional and digital visual communication tools, ensuring graduates are proficient in modern industry standards. Students may also choose elective modules from other design disciplines to broaden their technical expertise.

Modules may include:

Scenic Design
Scenic Painting
Properties
Technology
Dramatic Literature
Script Analysis
Design Thinking
AutoCAD Drafting
3D Previsualisation

Careers with Scenic Design

Graduates are equipped with a professional portfolio of realised designs and a deep understanding of the research and collaborative processes required in the industry. The programme prepares students for leadership roles such as scenic designers, scenic charge artists, or property masters within professional theatre companies and museum exhibit design firms.

The training also provides the necessary credentials for those seeking to enter academic teaching at the university level. Alumni have successfully transitioned into freelance design roles and positions at major national theatre companies, leveraging the production leadership experience gained during their studies.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

History of Decor

Stage Lighting Design

Studies in Stage Lighting

Advanced Stage Properties

Technology

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00 , International

More details

National rolling deadline

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

60 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Bloomington, United States

Disciplines

Design View 447 other Masters in Design in United States

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

You are admitted into the program after proving competency as shown by your portfolio, statement of goals and required onsite interview.
Judgments of portfolio, writing quality and professional potential are made by members of the Design and Technology Faculty Committee.

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

27271 USD / year

≈ 27271 USD / year
Out-of-State

27271 USD / year

≈ 27271 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

27271 USD / year

≈ 27271 USD / year

Living costs

Bloomington

United States

1071 - 1733 USD / month

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

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

MPOWER Financing No cosigner. No collateral. No hidden fees.

Check your Eligibility

Get the funding you need to study in the U.S. or Canada - with a process that's fast, simple, and built for international students.

Flexible loans from US$2,001 to US$100,000
Fixed interest rates -- no inflation surprises
No upfront fees or prepayment penalties
Accepted at 500+ universities across the U.S. & Canada
100% online application -- instant conditional offer
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.

Need help with your student visa?

Get Visa Support

Get personalized guidance from a certified VFS Global advisor and save 20% through Studyportals.

Avoid common visa mistakes and delays
Know exactly what documents you need
Get a clear checklist tailored to your situation

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Scenic 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

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

Bloomington

Financing

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners