487 Performing Arts Master's Degree Programs in USA

Turn your passion for film into an international career: learn to direct, produce, and tell visual stories with impact in Hollywood, Europe, and worldwide.

Texas A&M University School of Law’s uniquely designed Master of Jurisprudence in Intellectual Property will prepare you to navigate and succeed in the rapidly changing information-based global IP environment. It targets those who do not plan to practice IP law, but whose careers can benefit from.

The M.F.A. in Motion Pictures guides students to advance their technical proficiency and critical thinking while learning innovative narrative skills. Students are encouraged to concentrate on more than one area of specialization: production, producing, and/or screenwriting.

The Humanities Graduate Program provides post-baccalaureate students the opportunity to study the traditional humanities fields--philosophy, literature, history, music, and art--in the context of contemporary interdisciplinary topics, as well as in courses devoted to the methodology and current concerns of specific disciplines. Courses enable the critical evaluation of the visual and performing arts, as well as the ideas, cultures and individuals which have shaped our society. Program courses are designed around the theme of the city. Skills in advanced writing, research, and presentation are exercised in seminars and in a final research or creative project.

The audio arts graduate program is designed to provide the necessary combination of practical training and theoretical study to prepare you for a career in four exciting fields.

Whether you have your sights set on a future in film or television, advertising, or journalism, be prepared with a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Cinema and Media Arts. You’ll work with state-of-the-art video and design technology to learn what it means to make a story come to life on the screen.

Students who join the M.F.A. program in Documentary take advantage of the combined focus on both cinematic arts and journalistic approaches. You benefit further from the School’s many strengths such as Interactive Media, Strategic Communication, and Communication for Global Social Change.

Emerson College’s on-campus MFA in Film and Media Art equips you with the skills to explore narrative film, documentary, experimental media, installation art, and interactive media. Collaborating with a diverse group of students and faculty on our Boston campus, you will enhance your knowledge of film, audio, video, and interactive media production. The program encourages you to use image and sound to challenge, inform, entertain, and persuade through both traditional and emerging media forms. Housed in the Department of Visual and Media Arts within the School of the Arts, this program offers three distinct entry points based on your experience and ranges from two to three years in length. This flexibility allows students from various backgrounds to inspire each other’s artistic growth. Upon admission, we will work with you to develop a personalized study plan aligned with your professional and educational goals.

The MFA in Acting is rooted in a conservatory approach to acting. The program provides immersive training in multiple mediums, preparing actors for film, television, stage, and musical theater productions. Students will hone a diverse set of professional skills in voice, speech, movement, improvisation, classical theater, and audition techniques. Students will graduate from the program equipped with an industry-ready demo reel showcasing the actor’s ability to work in front of a camera with a professional crew on a sound stage. The MFA portfolio will also include a personalized marketing strategy exhibiting the actor’s preparedness to compete successfully in the entertainment industry.

The MFA Costume Design program provides graduates with key technical skills and opportunities to practice their craft at an advanced level in active production environments. By combining a rigorous sewing program with industry-specific design courses, the students will be equipped for success in any number of positions in either theatre or film. Graduate students will have opportunities to design costumes for short and feature-length films, collaborating with the director, fellow designers, and the actors to create costumes that support the needs of the film. Graduates will have excellent problem-solving skills and advanced success in sewing, pattern drafting, draping, and specialty construction skills like millinery, tutu, and jewelry making. Each graduate student will produce a final thesis project and portfolio that showcases the range of their talents in the design and construction of garments and specialty items.

The MFA in Sound Design is designed to provide the highest level of training in sound design for film, television, games, and other visual media. Students will gain a complete overview of the audio post-production process, recording and editing dialog, sound effects, and ambiance to create a sonic landscape that supports and informs the narrative, from initial recording to final mix. MFA students will complete a thesis project and portfolio in their final year and graduate with a working knowledge of professional workflows to prepare them for success in the soundtrack industry.

The School of Motion Pictures & Television’s MFA program offers in-depth, advanced training in the various areas of film and television production. Depending on the area of specialization, the MFA program culminates in a thesis film or professional reel/portfolio. Areas of study include directing, producing, cinematography, editing, production design, and screenwriting. Students are prepared to compete for work in the industry or to teach, as the MFA is a terminal degree.

Emerson College’s low-residency MFA in Writing for Film and Television teaches you to create scripts across genres, building a professional writing portfolio of original screenplays and pilots. Our faculty consists of filmmakers, producers, screenwriters, and theorists who will mentor and guide you through your online courses. Each semester begins with a six-day residency on our Boston or Los Angeles campus, where you'll participate in workshops, screenings, lectures, and a Master Class with a guest lecturer. Previous lecturers have included Krista Vernoff, Showrunner for Grey’s Anatomy, David Magee, Writer of Life of Pi, Mara Brock Akil, Creator of Being Mary Jane, and more.

The MFA in Music Scoring & Composition is designed to provide the highest level of training in music composition and scoring for film, television, games, and other visual media. Balancing musicianship training with contemporary production skills to reflect a changing music industry, students will learn music theory, composition, harmony, orchestration, and arranging, focusing on creating emotion through music in synchronization with visual media. Students will use the latest computer-based production workflows, digital audio workstations, and virtual instrument libraries. The focus is on composition using virtual instruments, resulting in a thesis project and portfolio in the final year.

The MFA program in Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media will fine-tune your ability to deliver compelling stories, characters, and scripts that grab the reader’s attention. The MFA is an intensive program that concentrates exclusively on writing, pitching, and the business side of being a professional writer. Complete a portfolio of feature and television scripts that can be used to market your skills as a writer.

The master’s degree provides students with the knowledge and techniques required to direct audiovisual works in any format. Students will learn about the director’s job and perform this role and the ones of the other members of the direction department during the preproduction, shooting, and postproduction processes.

The Master’s Degree in Film and Screen Studies at the University of Barcelona is an international master’s that has the aim of promoting research and reflection on contemporary audiovisual culture and the history and evolution of moving images.