M.F.A. in Theatre Arts, Concentration in Design and Technology
Are you interested in a career as a designer or technician for theatre, opera, dance, tv/film or theme entertainment? Our Program in Design and Technology is ready to help you achieve your dreams!
The Graduate Degree in Design and Technology in the School of Theatre, Television, and Film at San Diego State University accepts students who are serious about achieving the level of artistry and skill necessary to become practicing professionals. Developing skills that support collaboration is one of the cornerstones of our program; students learn how to share their ideas with others in a supportive environment. A balance of theoretical coursework, studio work, and production is achieved through the curriculum as well as close consultation with faculty advisors.
Direct exposure to the diverse and richly active theatre, television/film, and entertainment world in Southern California is a vital part of our program. Students work with theatre and TV/Film professionals both within and outside the academic environment as well as with our faculty who continue to design at the regional, national, and international levels. Fellowship and other opportunities are available with our community partners - The Old Globe, Cygnet Theatre, and MOXIE Theatre. Our program provides the essential education, technical training, and creative experience necessary for professional design and technology- based careers or college-level teaching.
The MFA program at San Diego State University is a three-year degree program with emphases in scenic design, costume design and technology, lighting design, projection/integrated media design, production design and technical direction. MFA students are allowed to design as much as their individual capabilities permit, as well as participate in an intensive internship – often working as an assistant to a professional designer or in a television or film studio. The three years our students spend with us should be among the most rewarding and fulfilling of their lives.
The School of Theatre, Television, and Film is committed to creating a learning environment which advances racial and social justice, anti-racism, and cultural diversity. San Diego State is located on the land of the Kumeyaay.
The sample program outlines below are simply examples of how a student could structure his or her program. While these will give prospective students an idea of when to take certain classes during a course of study, they are not mandates. Students should discuss their educational and professional goals with an advisor to create tailored programs suiting their individual needs.
Sample Roadmaps can be viewed and downloaded here:
- Emphasis in Costume Design
- Emphasis in Lighting Design
- Emphasis in Scene Design
- Emphasis in Technical Direction
For a complete listing of all graduate courses and official course descriptions, please reference the University Catalog.
The Fall 2025 application deadlines are
- Cal State Apply Application - April 1
- Submit Documents to Graduate Admissions - April 15
- Submit Supplemental Documents to Department - April 15
*Completed Cal State Apply applications, resume, portfolio/website, and references must be submitted by February 5th to receive priority consideration for admission. Review of applications will begin shortly after this date and admissions decisions will be made on a rolling basis until all spaces are filled.
Application to the MFA program in Design and Technology at San Diego State University is a multi-step process:
- First, make a formal application to the University through the Cal State Apply Application. For information regarding international students, please refer to the International Student Center for Prospective Students.
- Second, please submit/request the following to the contact below:
- Headshot/Current Photo
- Resume
- Portfolio and/or website
- Three letters of recommendation
- Request Portfolio Review and Interview
Contact:
For more information, visit the Steps to Apply.
*Please note that GRE General Test scores are NOT required for admission.
Most of our students in the M.F.A. program receive some sort of financial assistance. Many of them are awarded Graduate Assistantships in the department. The G.A. stipends range from $1,100 – $4,400 per semester and requires that the student devote 5 – 20 hours per week working in some area of production. Most often, students work in an area related to their design emphasis. Out-of-state tuition waivers are available to those students who qualify. For those students particularly interested in teaching, laboratory and classroom experience is available. When making application to the program, speak to your area advisor for information concerning Graduate Assistantships.
SDSU School of Theatre, Television, and Film: Theater MFA Collaboration 2023
The 60-63 unit MFA program consists of the course work listed below.
Thirty-seven of the sixty to sixty-three units required must be completed in courses numbered 600 or above. The remaining units may be selected from 500-, 600-, or 700-numbered courses in theatre or outside departments.
Core Units (27 Units):
- THEA 530 A - Period Dress and Décor, 3 units
- THEA 530 B - Period Dress and Décor, 3 units
- THEA 600 - Research and Bibliography, 3 units
- TFM 610 - Seminar in Design Aesthetics for Theatre, Television, and Film, 3 units
- THEA 621 - Seminar in Theories of the Theatre , 3 units
- THEA 643 - Collaborative Studies In Design, 9 (3x) units
- THEA 644 - Contemporary Designers, 3 units
- TFM 605 - Seminar: Production for Television and Film, 3 units
Electives A (10-12 Units):
Based on design or technology emphasis
Scene Design (11 Units)
- THEA 539 - Theatre Rendering, 2 units
- THEA 559 - Scene Design II , 3 units
- TFM 550 - Art Direction for Television and Film, 3 units
- TFM 551 - Production Design for Television and Film, 3 units
Costume Design (12 Units)
- THEA 539 - Theatre Rendering, 2 units
- THEA 552 - Costume Design II, 3 units
- THEA 554 A - Costume Design Technology , 2 units
- THEA 554 B - Costume Design Technology II , 2 units
- TFM 558 - Costume Design for Television and Film , 3 units
Lighting Design (10 Units)
- THEA 539 - Theatre Rendering, 2 units
- THEA 547 - Lighting Design II, 3 units
- THEA 556 - Digital Communication for Lighting Design, 2 units
- TFM 522 - Advanced Film and Television Cinematography, 3 units
Technical Direction (10 Units)
- THEA 553 - Technical Direction , 3 units
- THEA 544 - Advanced Stage Technologies, 2 units
- THEA 546 - CADD for Theatre, 2 units
Core Courses (16 Units):
Practicum Projects and Portfolio Review
- THEA 640 - Business Of Design For Theatre, TV, & Film, 2 units
- THEA 642 - Theatre Practicum Skills, 4 (4x) units
- THEA 746 - Theatre Internship , 3 units
- TFM 790 - Portfolio/Examination Preparation, 6 units
- THEA 795 - Practicum in Theatre Arts , 6 units
Electives B:
Minimum of 5-10 units of electives selected by student and adviser from graduate level courses in the following areas: theatre, art, music, English and comparative literature, history, and television, film, and new media. In special circumstances courses acceptable for graduate credit in other departments may be selected with the approval of the student’s advisor.
- THEA 541 - Scene Painting , 2 units
- THEA 542 - Studio Skills for Theatre: Model Making , 2 units
- THEA 544 - Advanced Stage Technologies, 2 units
- THEA 545 - Mechanical Drawing for the Theatre , 2 units
- THEA 546 - CADD for Theatre, 2 units
- THEA 548 - Sound Design for the Theatre, 3 units
- THEA 549 - Lighting and Sound Technology, 2 units
- THEA 550 - Software for Theatre Design, 2 units
- THEA 551 - Advanced Media Design, 2 units
- THEA 554 A - Costume Design Technology , 2 units
- THEA 554 B - Costume Design Technology II , 2 units
- THEA 557 - 3D Fabrication for Entertainment Design, 2 units
- THEA 561 - Projection Design and Integrated Media, 3 units
- THEA 564 - Costume Topics , 1-3 units
- THEA 442 A or B - Practicum in Theatrical Production (Scenery or Costumes), 2 units
- THEA 596 - Selected Topics in Theatre, 2 units
- THEA 643 - Collaborative Studies In Design, 9 (3x) units
- THEA 645 - Seminar in Lighting, 3 units
- THEA 795 - Practicum in Theatre Arts , 6 units
- THEA 798 - Special Study, 1-3 units
- TFM 550 - Art Direction for Television and Film, 3 units
- TFM 559 - Digital Design for Film and Stage, 3 units
For additional curriculum details, please consult the following University Catalog.
Our program provides a well-rounded education that touches upon the many aspects of entertainment design. We encourage our students to work professionally while in school to build experience and professional contacts. Alumni from our program continue on to pursue many different applications of their emphases. These talented individuals represent SDSU in education, freelance design, and corporate entertainment, and at some of the country's most prestigious theatres and performance venues. Some of the companies that have employed our graduates are: Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Theme Parks, LAIKA Digital, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, he Old Globe, Broadway productions and tours like Hamilton, Cats (the revival), and The Who’s Tommy the Musical, Visual Terrain, Knott’s Berry Farm, Nautilus, Lux Machina, La Jolla Playhouse, Cygnet Theatre, San Diego Opera, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Santa Fe Opera, The Diversionary Theatre, MOXIE Theatre, the Hemsley Lighting Programs, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Independent Films and Video. Some of the television productions our designers have gone onto include Mad Men, Glee, The Good Place, This is Us, Silicon Valley, Orange is the New Black, Let’s Make a Deal, The Mandalorian, MTV Video Music Awards, Hollywood Game Night, The Academy Awards, and the Golden Globes Awards, among many others. In the film industry, our alumni have also worked on films such as Avengers Infinity Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Captain America: Civil War.
