Design & Technology – Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A)
Create Worlds for the Most Important Stories
In design & technology, students explore scene, lighting, costume and sound design as well as technical production and backstage artistry – and launch careers as stage managers, technicians, designers and more.
Paths of Study
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
- Major
Explore:
What You’ll Study
With state‑of‑the‑art equipment, systems and mentorship from experienced faculty, our designers and technicians gain the practical experience and creative fluency essential to bringing stories to life.
Sample course topics include:
- THEA 433 Lighting Design
- THEA 250 Fashion History
- THEA 290 Scene Painting
- THEA 242 Costume Construction
For a full list of courses in acting, visit the Academic Catalog.
Why Design & Technology Matters at UMW
Ours is a strong community of theatre practitioners — faculty, staff and students — who create plays and musicals that encourage conversations with our audience.
Through classes, rehearsals, work calls, meetings, practical experiences and strong faculty mentoring, our students graduate from UMW as emerging theatre professionals fully prepared to pursue a career in the professional theatre.
The program’s reputation speaks for itself – UMW has frequently been ranked one of the “Best Schools for Theater” in the country by The Princeton Review.
Program Highlights
Hands-on Learning
UMW offers professional training coupled with a strong foundation in the liberal arts. Through UMW Theatre, academic, classroom and studio work come to life in fully staged productions that build technical skills in the area of specialty, as well as in collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, organization and management.
Professional Facilities
Students work in a facility with a proscenium theatre and a studio theatre supported by cutting edge audio, lighting, communications and rigging systems. Production spaces include a scene shop, costume shop, rehearsal studios, dance studios, wig room, dressing rooms, wardrobe, CAD studio, vocal studios, reading room and offices for faculty, staff, production, arts administration and stage management.
Mainstage Production Experience
UMW Theatre has produced many plays and musicals with impressive production values. Recent shows include Julius Caesar, Matilda, Men on Boats, Nunsense, Pride and Prejudice, The Play That Goes Wrong and The Rocky Horror Show.
Career Outcomes
UMW design & technology graduates go on to work as professional technicians, designers and stage managers in major venues like the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Broadway, and on hit shows streaming on Hulu, HBO and more.