Indiana University’s Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance is consistently ranked as one of the top theatre schools in the nation. We believe that theatrical productions and classroom study are of equal importance, and give our students broad experience in both.
Take a look at our Graduate Viewbook to learn more about our programs!Check out our Viewbook!
Stage design, costume design, lighting design, technical theatre, playwriting, dramaturgy, theatre history, theory and criticism, and dramatic literature are all considered to be vital and interrelated aspects of the total theatre and drama program at Indiana University. We work collaboratively among these domains to stage exceptionally fine student productions.
Our department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) and University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA), and offers Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degrees in Acting, Directing, Playwriting, Dramaturgy, and all of the major Design and Technology areas, including Scenic Design, Costume Design, Costume Technology, Lighting Design, and Theatre Technology.
The M.F.A. program is structured for students who intend to pursue professional careers in theatre as either scholars or artists. At any given time, our department has roughly 55 graduate students and approximately 250 undergraduate majors. These students go on to hold key positions in hundreds of universities and professional theatres throughout the nation. They also excel in related professions such as film and television.
When you become a student at Indiana University, you join an academic community internationally known for the excellence and diversity of its programs. With 320 degree programs, the Bloomington campus attracts students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Indiana University was founded at Bloomington in 1820 and is one of the oldest and largest institutions of higher learning in the Midwest, with 100,000 students on eight campuses. The largest campus, in Bloomington, serves 32,000 undergraduate and 10,000 graduate students.
College of Arts and Sciences faculty, who are at the forefront of their disciplines teach at all levels of the curriculum, from freshman through senior and graduate courses. When considering a graduate school, your primary concern is the department and the faculty. But there are other significant factors to be considered – such as the choice of setting for your graduate education, the university itself, and the city where you'll live. IU Bloomington offers graduate students an intriguing variety of advantages.
The College of Arts