Dean López would like to see the webpages for graduate programs more unified. I believe this arises from a desire to describe the mission of the school as more interdisciplinary. I believe that’s the impulse that led to the current descriptions of our programs as “M.F.A. emphasis in …”, rather than the simpler and much more widely-used “MFA in…”.
I would not like to see all of our programs lumped together in a single “M.F.A. in Drama” page, and I don’t think anybody in these programs would like to see that, so I won’t bother detailing the arguments against it.
However, I do think that the Dean’s concern would be addressed by adding a paragraph about our rampant interdisciplinarity, and then using sections on the page as links to subpages for each program. I’d then like to organize each of those pages as single pages with tabs to present the different categories of information such as: faculty/curriculum/current students etc.
I’ll make a sketch of this idea on this page
Graduate Programs in Drama
Artistic collaboration lies at the heart of Drama, forging individual artistic expression into collective articulations of a voice larger than any of its single collaborators. In theatre, no art is solitary—actors, directors, designers, stage managers, music directors, dramaturgs, and technicians work together to realize a unified vision. This ethos is embedded in UCI’s Drama MFA programs: each specialization—Acting, Directing, Design, Music Direction, and Stage Management—is conceived not in isolation but as part of a broader ecosystem of collaborative creation. Within our academic context, we have the luxury of being joined by the faculty and students of our PhD program in Drama and Theatre. These graduate programs and the energy and brilliance of the people within them, are the engine that drives our department.
At UCI, this belief is foundational—precisely what Robert Cohen, founding chair of the Drama Department, explored deeply in Working Together in Theatre: Collaboration and Leadership. In this book, Cohen identifies collaboration as the “horizontal glue” binding ensemble artists, and leadership as the “vertical glue” that gives their collective work direction and purpose. He emphasized that theatre is forged not by solitary genius, but by the intentional interplay of actors, directors, designers, stage managers, dramaturgs, and production teams. His vision for the department was precisely to cultivate students who “combine a critical intelligence with disciplined theatrical experience,” an aspiration realized through rigorous, collaborative training.
PhD in Theatre and Drama
Recruiting in 2026
MFA in Acting
Recruiting in 2026
MFA in Music Direction
Recruiting in 2026
MFA in Stage Management
Recruiting in 2026
MFA in Costume Design
Recruiting in 2027
MFA in Lighting Design
Recruiting in 2027
MFA in Scenic Design
Recruiting in 2027
MFA in Sound Design
Recruiting in 2027
MFA in Directing
Not currently recruiting