Theater Design & Technology (BFA)

Students have the opportunity to work as both designers and technicians on a wide range of Brind School productions each semester. You can choose, and change, your design or technical focus to explore your interests and hone your expertise. Hands-on experiences are supported through classroom mentorship and complementary coursework.

Curriculum

The Theater Design and Technology Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at University of the Arts in Philadelphia will train you in a range of theatrical design and technical areas. Building on a strong base of theater history, collaboration and script analysis, you’ll be able to select from each of the core areas: set, costume, lighting, sound, projection design or technical direction, and then choose two or more of those areas as your focus. You’ll gain valuable practical experience, classroom mentorship and coursework that strengthens your skill set.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Design and Technology provides education and broad training in the full range of theatrical design and technical areas, followed by more concentrated study and practice-oriented work in a chosen area of focus.

You will begin with the school-wide foundation of theater history and script analysis and will then be immersed in courses of collaborative, conceptual study with directors and playwrights. The program combines a wide scope of design courses with specific crafts classes taught by professionals in their fields. To advance in your studies, you will choose studio training from a wider selection of the six core areas before committing to one of more areas as your continuing study focus. Initially, you may choose to take courses in set design, costume design, lighting design, sound design, projection design and technical theater.

Studio work is complemented by extensive practical experience on a variety of productions in the Brind School season. Upper-level studies include

• realized design or technical work;
• two significant professional-theater internships; and
• the development of a professional-grade display and interview portfolio.

Students design for all Brind School productions and frequently work alongside faculty and guest professional artists on productions. Graduates who complete this program are prepared to enter the theater industry or pursue further studies at the graduate level. Alumni have gone on to work professionally in Philadelphia and New York, as well as regionally and internationally.

Student Spotlight

UArts Theater Design and Technology students are dedicated, focused and trained for long-term success. They gain professional experience before they graduate through faculty- and student-led theatrical productions. Experience the passion and creativity of UArts theater artists on the threshold of professional success.

Faculty Spotlight

UArts Theater Design and Technology faculty are experienced working artists dedicated to working closely with students, honing their craft and building long-term mentoring relationships with Brind School students. As you complete your Theater Design and Technology degree, UArts faculty will connect you with the broader theater community, building inroads through Philadelphia and beyond.

See More Faculty

Alumni Spotlight

Alumni of the Brind School are successful and established theater professionals who have tapped into UArts’ experienced faculty of working artists, connections to the theater industry and extensive creative opportunities to build their careers. Successful Theater Design and Technology BFA graduates include

Careers

The Brind School is dedicated to setting its alumni up for successful careers in the theater industry, both by helping students develop deep expertise in technical skills and by connecting them with industry professionals and career development opportunities in theater production.

Theater Design and Technology graduates have access to internships, career prospects and networking opportunities through the Brind School’s extensive connections in Philadelphia’s theater industry and through its extraordinary staff of experienced working artists.

Brind School graduates with a BFA in Theater Design and Technology can find themselves working in a variety of roles. Some career options for those with a Theater Design and Technology degree include

• Lighting Designer
• Costume Designer
• Sound Designer
• Set Designer
• Wardrobe Supervisor
• Production Electrician
• Audio Engineer / A1
• Projection or Media Designer
• Technical Director
• Lighting Supervisor
• Props Supervisor

All of the faculty in the program are currently working professionals in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, DC and beyond. As a student, you will make professional connections in the classroom as well as through working with guest artists on productions.

Internship Opportunities

Students in the Theater Design and Technology program will complete semester-long internships for credit. Under the guidance of program faculty, students receive individualized support as they seek out and apply to internships at professional theaters groups. A number of alumni have found mentors and permanent employment through their internship sponsors after graduation.

Theater Design and Technology students have recently interned with:

• The Wilma
• Arden Theatre Company
• Quintessence Theatre Group
• Keystone Sign & Co. Sign Painting
• Janell Wysock Textiles
• Philamoca
• Creative Edge Center for the Arts
• All Ages Productions
• Everybody’s Theater Company
• Klip Collective
• LeVonne Lindsay Costume Design

Events

The Ira Brind School of Theater Arts brings together many talents and skills, and offers many lively, engaging opportunities for students, faculty, staff and the public to engage with theater arts and students’ work.

Portfolio Day

During their studies in the Theater Design & Technology program, students are required to develop a professional-grade display and interview portfolio. Portfolio Day is an opportunity to engage with students’ hard work and celebrate their achievements in the program.

The next Theater Design & Technology Portfolio Day will be announced. 

Capstone Presentations

Theater Design & Technology students will have the opportunity to publicly present their capstone projects semi-annually to share their achievements, ideas and progress at the Capstone presentations that take place in December and May.

The next Theater Design & Technology capstone presentation date will be announced. 

Brind School Season

The Brind School presents an annual season of work, which includes projects led by students, faculty and celebrated guest artists from the national and local theater scenes.

Through its dozens of performances each year–including the annual Polyphone Festival of New and Emerging Musicals – the Brind School is both a school and a producing company.

Auditions are open to all Brind School students.

About the Brind School

The Ira Brind School of Theater Arts is primed to nourish the individual artistic voice of each student, encouraging the development of advanced skills and an expanded point of view. Graduates of the Brind School can count on their practical experience in a thoroughly equipped and well-connected theater ecosystem to pursue careers in theater as fearless, innovative and adaptable creators. The Brind School imbues students with strong identities as innovators and citizen artists.

The Brind School is tailored for those who want to achieve and excel in performance and stagecraft. The Brind School’s faculty includes 60 instructors, the majority of which are current theater professionals. Alumni regularly return to UArts as educators and hold central positions in Philadelphia’s theater culture, creating a powerful home base for extending students’ creative community far beyond campus.

Learn more about The Brind School

Scholarships & Financial Aid

UArts recognizes the extraordinary talent of our students through a range of merit-based scholarships. All applicants are automatically considered for such scholarships—no special application is necessary.

Nearly 98 percent of UArts’ undergraduate students enrolled on a full-time basis are eligible for some type of need-based aid. Additionally, some scholarship opportunities take need-based criteria into account. All students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens and are enrolled in a degree program are encouraged to apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Learn more about financial aid
Learn more about tuition & fees