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Lighting Design

We will be recruiting for the MFA program in Lighting Design in the spring of 2024 for admittance in fall of 2024. 

The MFA program in Lighting Design is intended to prepare students for fulfilling careers in professional theatre and the entertainment industry.

Emphasis is on the development of a process that will serve students in the practice of their art through a long and varied career. This is accomplished through a balanced training program of classes, work on realized productions, and individualized tutorials.

A limited number of students are selected each year on the basis of resumes and interviews. A visit to Purdue is highly recommended, to allow the potential student to interact with students and the faculty. The program is rigorous, time-demanding, and intense. Based on the principle that a good designer is well educated in many areas, Lighting Design students take courses in art history, rendering, drafting, architectural history, and stagecraft, along with those in lighting design and technology. The emphasis is on the mastery of these subjects in order to provide a strong foundation on which to build.

Skills training is an important component of the Purdue program. Coursework is intended to provide a solid basis for the student’s professional work in the theatre or a related field.

Upon completion of graduate study, the student should have the ability to communicate an understanding of the principles of design; demonstrated ability in lighting design and related technical skills; an understanding of the work of the director and other designers; an ability to conceptualize and compile research, an ability to collaborate with others; and an understanding of the history of theatre and design.

Projects range from class exercises to student-directed projects, dance, and mainstage productions. The culmination of the program is a fully mounted production, which forms the basis for the terminal project.

In order to strengthen the relationship between design and technology, those MFA students awarded an assistantship with the Theatre Department may be employed in the lighting area or by Elliott Hall of Music Productions. Additional opportunities allow for teaching THTR 162, Introduction to Light Design and Technology, to further strengthen the MFA students' knowledge base.

Given the professional focus of the program and the credentials of the faculty, attention in the classroom and in the shop is devoted to the practice of professional theatre. Areas of concern are procedures, techniques, personnel, and opportunities, especially in relation to regional theatres and commercial applications.

MFA in Lighting Design Plan of Study

The MFA requires a 60 credit hour minimum for completion. Students may need to complete a course of study in excess of 60 hours in some cases.

The MFA program at Purdue subscribes to the idea that a strong design best rests on a foundation of technical knowledge, and that the study of technology is enriched by an understanding of design.

Lighting Design classes focus on developing the skills to read a script for its imagery, to develop a visual environment for dramatic action, to plan a production, to explore the dramatic possibilities of lighting, and to communicate ideas visually and verbally. Particular attention is paid to the designer/director relationship in developing a production concept. Technical skills are developed in various classes.

The applicant is required to interview with a Purdue representative and submit the following materials when applying to the MFA Lighting Design program:

  • Theatrical resume
  • Transcripts from all schools attended
  • Statement of goals for undertaking the study of Lighting Design
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • The Graduate School application fee is $60 (U.S. dollars) for domestic applicants and $75 (U.S. dollars) for international applicants. You must pay your application fee online with your credit card. Visa and MasterCard cards are accepted and processed using a secured online payment system. Your application will not be processed until your nonrefundable application fee has been paid.

Interviews are held at the University Resident Theatre Association Interviews (in years we are recruiting) or can be arranged on the Purdue campus. Those wishing to be interviewed at URTA sites are encouraged to contact Purdue by mail to assure an interview with a Purdue representative.

 

 


Faculty & Staff Contacts

For specific questions regarding the Lighting Design MFA program, contact:
Associate Professor, Lighting Design: Michael McNamara

For general information about the Purdue Department of Theatre, please contact:
Theatre Operations Manager and Graduate Secretary: Beth Daugherty

 

Apply Online

Click here for application information or to apply online. (Select "Theatre" as the area of study.)