Virginia Tech® home

Scenography

M.F.A. in Theatre

banner

Program Overview

Our Master of Fine Arts in Theatre is a three-year program providing professional training through a personalized tutorial-based curriculum. Our program is grounded in the exploration of contemporary approaches to the integrated design of physical staging environments.

faculty

Why choose this program?

  • Our program is grounded in the exploration of contemporary approaches to the integrated design of physical staging environments.
  • Collaborative design evolution across various design disciplines is emphasized in the program, with particular focus on structural and kinetic staging solutions that place performers in fluid and active structural environments.

What You'll Study

To complete the degree, successful completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours is required. The program is designed to be completed in three years. The program is highly individualized. Each student admitted will work with one primary advisor in a one-on-one studio environment over the three-year period.

  • The Scenography program is a professional training program that respects our profession’s traditional skills and heritage while emphasizing the latest trends and innovations in performance design practices.
  • The core of the curriculum lies in the studio format. An individualized Plan of Study, designed to meet each student’s needs, is developed to track progress toward the degree.
  • The educational value of the studio experience is based on regularly planned projects designed as experiential labs. The Primary Advisor mentors the student’s progress through these projects and guides the development of each student’s overarching goals and curricular needs.
  • Our goal is to give the developing theatre artist the tools and skills that are best matched to realizing their theatrical vision.
  • All accepted students receive an assistantship and full tuition waiver. 

Students begin designing and building properties for productions in their first year of the program. The program is highly individualized. Each student admitted will work with one primary advisor in a one-on-one studio environment over the three-year period.

The educational value of the studio experience is based on regularly planned projects designed as experiential labs.

Our curriculum is designed to provide both practical experience and in-depth exploration through the study of a range of topics relevant to the field today. Courses may be conducted in small groups or one-on-one (independent study). Arts Leadership classes are specifically designed to promote discussion, examination, and hands-on exploration.

  • Minimum GPA 3.0 (4 Scale)
  • TOEFL/ IELTS score required  (if applicable)

Learn more 

Each student accepted into the program receives a full tuition scholarship and out-of-state fee waiver. Each student accepted also receives an assistantship of approximately $18,700 for the first academic year, with increasing amounts in the second and third years. To maintain assistantship support, students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester.

Find out what loans are available as a graduate student and other opportunities.

Deadline: Jan 15 for consideration for funding

Contact John Ambrosone, department chair
342 Henderson Hall, 195 Alumni Mall, Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-9012 jambroso@vt.edu

Questions?

Kerry Chipman, Assistant Professor
343 Henderson Hall, 195 Alumni Mall, Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-5335
klchipman@vt.edu