Program Details:
- Program Credits: 69
- Estimated Completion Time: 2 years
- Program Format: On-campus
Train for a sustainable, inspired career in the dramatic arts.
Train for a sustainable, inspired career in the dramatic arts.
The Dramatic Arts program at D’Youville is a two-year intensive that trains you for a sustainable, inspired artistic career. In partnership with the Kavinoky Theatre—D’Youville’s professional theater company—the MFA provides a creative community to hone your craft and articulate your vision alongside working professionals. It is the first acting and performance MFA in Western New York.
The inquiry-driven curriculum is shaped by three values: audacity, agility, and agency. It integrates psychological and physical techniques across four progressive semesters: awareness, articulation, transformation, and adaptation. Practical studio training is supported by critical and theoretical study, culminating in a creative thesis project.
YOU WILL:
- Safely use the full expressive range of your voice, body, and mind
- Develop contemporary and classical performance techniques
- Apply historical, critical, and theoretical knowledge to your craft
- Collaborate as part of a creative ensemble
- Perform in MFA productions and develop a creative thesis project
THE FIRST PERFORMANCE MFA IN WESTERN NEW YORK
Train alongside working professionals and academics in a program that prioritizes wellness, individuality, and agency. Students in good standing are eligible to perform in Kavinoky Theatre main-stage shows and approved external professional opportunities.
COURSES AND REQUIREMENTS
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- An undergraduate baccalaureate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher (successful candidates have previous theater training)
- An audition
- A completed university application
Additional Requirements
- Two contrasting pieces of text (maximum two minutes each)
- A typed statement of intent answering: “What do you want the future of theater to look like?”
- An artist resume
- An artist headshot
Optional Materials
- Two professional letters of recommendation
- An artist portfolio of your work
TUITION AND FEES
Financial aid is available for those who apply and qualify.
| COST | ||
|---|---|---|
| Program Tuition | $1,300 | |
| Program Fees | $1,590 | |
| Total Estimated Cost | $91,290 | |
CAREER OUTCOMES
Graduates are versatile, informed performers prepared to build careers across the theater industry and adjacent sectors.
Performance and Production
Pursue work as actors and theater practitioners on stage and in production.
Teaching and Community Practice
Apply your training in teaching, community engagement, and arts leadership.
Entrepreneurial Artistry
Use the skills of agency and adaptation to build a self-directed career across sectors.
Accreditation Statement
D’Youville University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 1007 North Orange Street, 4th Floor, MB #166, Wilmington, DE 19801.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Fill out the form to request more information and start your journey in the Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Arts at D’Youville University.