MFA in Drama in Irvine United States | University of California Irvine

The Department of Drama provides a Master of Fine Arts degree in Drama, with specialization options in Acting, Directing, Design, Music Direction, or Stage Management.

Our Acting program focuses on cultivating professional performers equipped with the technical abilities, artistic perception, intellectual depth, and innovative thinking needed to shape tomorrow's theater landscape. UCI boasts an impressive track record of training successful professionals, with alumni appearing in national theater productions, Broadway shows, regional theaters, as well as film and television. Numerous program graduates now teach theater at university level.

The Directing curriculum is built on the principle that theater should intellectually stimulate, emotionally resonate, and spiritually uplift audiences. This three-year program begins with foundational work in realistic character-driven direction, script interpretation, and collaborative techniques. The second year shifts to text-based plays, production elements, and enhanced collaborative communication. The final year emphasizes original and devised works alongside independent projects. Students direct quarterly in various settings, with second-year participants tackling full-length productions. All directing students receive at least one fully staged main season production, culminating in a thesis show during their final year.

Our Design program creates an intellectually rigorous and artistically vibrant environment for inventive design students. Graduates emerge exceptionally prepared for careers in theater and related performing arts. Students concentrate on one primary design area (sound, lighting, costume, or scenic) while gaining working knowledge of other disciplines to facilitate effective collaboration. The curriculum incorporates theater history, art history, and dramatic literature studies, with personalized instruction to develop each student's unique design voice. Shared studio spaces encourage constructive feedback and mutual support, supplemented by roundtable discussions, tutorials, masterclasses, and performance critiques. The program balances traditional theatrical design skills with cutting-edge technological training, ensuring students master both foundational techniques and modern digital tools for seamless professional integration.