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    Dramatic Arts (BFA)

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  • Admission Contact

    College of Performing Arts
    Office of Admission
    55 West 13th Street
    New York, NY 10011
    212.229.5150 or 800.292.3040
    [email protected]

  • The BFA program in Dramatic Arts at the School of Drama prepares actors, directors, writers, and creative technology artists to be 21st-century creators and thinkers. With deep connections to the current industry, the program is designed to train both students pursuing a single discipline and those who seek to become multi-hyphenate artists: actor-writer, director-writer, actor-creative technologist, and all variations.

    Professionalism and community are at the core of the program, which provides a rich, multidisciplinary, project-based investigation of theater and media arts. Special attention is given to the development of artistic expression, critical thinking, and collaborative skills.

    Program Highlights

    • Acting

      Learn a range of techniques and styles for stage and camera. Voice, speech, dance, and movement classes develop your acting craft. Studio presentations, mainstage productions, student-produced projects, and a senior-year industry showcase offer diverse performance opportunities. 

    • Directing

      Engage in project-based opportunities that allow you to bring your directorial vision to various styles and forms, from classics to contemporary and new plays, as well as experimental work. Develop your own theatrical work in a Directed Research senior project.

    • Playwriting

      Discover your authentic voice while constructing dramatic narratives that are compelling, honest, and provocative. Continue your training as a dramatist and collaborative artist through the hands-on experience of developing original scripts in rehearsal and production.

    • Creative Technologies

      Explore fundamental storytelling elements of design and narrative photography, then dive into film and new media, and finally into the convergence of film and performative practice. Projects range from digital still imagery and lighting to the moving image, sound, and digital post-­production.  

    • Degree Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
    • Credits 120
    • Format Full-time
    • Duration 4 years
    • Start Term Fall

  • Interdisciplinary Curriculum

    Over the course of the four-year BFA program, you will hone your craft and artistic vision by taking foundation courses in creative technologies, acting, playwriting, and directing, making you a well-rounded dramatic artist. Then, you chart your own path by choosing electives based upon your interests, gaining knowledge and inspiration from courses in the liberal arts, design, media, entrepreneurship, and more from across The New School's colleges.

    Learn more

  • BFA students receive a rigorous, relevant, and cutting-edge education by working with our outstanding faculty, our world-renowned artistic partners, and guest artists. Students will hone their technique, expand their creative vision, and strengthen their skills as they develop new plays, bring fresh perspectives to old works, make films, create projection designs, and more.

  • Take The Next Step

Submit your application

Undergraduates

To apply to any of our undergraduate programs (except the Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs) complete and submit the Common App online.

Undergraduate Adult Learners

To apply to any of our Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

Graduates

To apply to any of our Master's, Doctoral, Professional Studies Diploma, and Graduate Certificate programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.