MFA in Design for Stage and Film - Production Design in New York United States | New York University

The Stage and Film Design Department at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts brings together a vibrant collective of theater and film creatives. Our three-year MFA program cultivates the next wave of theatrical and cinematic designers who, following in the footsteps of our esteemed faculty and graduates, will significantly influence the arts through their visionary designs.
Through a structured sequence of studio courses, every graduate student evolves as a designer throughout the three-year Master of Fine Arts curriculum. While specializing in one or two core design areas—scenery, film, costumes, or lighting—students are also urged to explore complementary disciplines. Though art classes and theater technology courses provide valuable skills, the curriculum prioritizes the creative design journey. In studio sessions, students delve deeply into textual analysis, character development, musical influences, historical contexts, and psychological dimensions of their projects, pushing them to express their artistry in innovative forms.Some of the most dynamic collaborations emerge when scenic designers join forces with lighting and costume designers alongside directors during coursework. The program fosters director-designer partnerships by integrating Columbia University's directing students into advanced design classes. Tisch filmmakers and designers frequently collaborate on shared projects, guided by leading contemporary film production designers.Film design instruction runs parallel to scenic design coursework.