The School of Theater offers undergraduate programs that lead to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree and graduate programs that lead to the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree.

Prospective students are invited to apply to one of the following:

PROGRAMS IN PERFORMANCE

•    Acting Program (BFA, MFA)

•    Directing Program (MFA only)

•    Writing for Performance Program (MFA only)

with a specialization available in:
Puppetry–Center for Puppetry and the Arts (BFA, MFA levels)

PROGRAMS IN DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

•    Scene Design Program (BFA, MFA)

with specializations available in:
Puppetry–Cotsen Center for Puppetry and the Arts (BFA, MFA levels)
Scene Painting (MFA level only)
Video for Performance (MFA level only)

•    Costume Design Program (BFA, MFA)

•    Lighting Design Program (BFA, MFA)

•    Sound Design Program (BFA, MFA)

•    Technical Direction Program (BFA, MFA)

•    Management Program (BFA, MFA)

with specializations available in:
Producing (MFA level only)
Production Management (MFA level only)
Stage Management (BFA, MFA levels)

Coursework for these programs is drawn from more than 130 classes offered by the School of Theater each semester. BFA programs require students to complete a minimum of 120 semester units—including a series of liberal arts/general education classes—while candidates for the MFA degree must complete at least 60 units. All students may also take electives offered by the CalArts Schools of Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video and Music.

To graduate, students must fulfill all program and course requirements and pass faculty reviews of their artistic and academic progress—once in mid-residency and again prior to graduation.

See detailed program requirements and current course listings at calarts.edu/academics/coursecatalogs.

Critical Studies Undergraduate Requirements

Candidates for the BFA degree must complete at least 46 Critical Studies semester units as part of the overall 120 units needed for graduation. This amounts to an average of three Critical Studies classes per semester and represents nearly 40 percent of each BFA student’s course load over four years. Classes in theater history can fulfill a portion of this requirement.

To see more detailed information about the Critical Studies Undergraduate Requirements, go to calarts.edu/undergrad.