10 Best Master’s Degrees for Theater & Drama

Lights, camera, action! Here are Best Value Schools‘ 10 Best Master's Degrees for Theater & Drama! For thespians studying fine arts, earning a Master's degree in Acting, Theatre, Performance, and other related arts fields is a sure way to set oneself up for a variety of post-graduate opportunities and successful careers. It's not ...

Updated on November 30, 2022

Lights, camera, action! Here are Best Value Schools‘ 10 Best Master's Degrees for Theater & Drama in 2020! For thespians studying fine arts, earning a Master's degree in Acting, Theatre, Performance, and other related arts fields is a sure way to set oneself up for a variety of post-graduate opportunities and successful careers. It's not uncommon for graduates to pursue art teaching, work in community organizations, and more aside from the assumed entrance into professional acting.

Many actors enter the field without a college degree or with only an undergraduate, but those who have worked to earn their Master's degree receive greater and more immediate opportunities after completing a rigorous and competitive program. The following 10 Best MA and MFA programs are dedicated to the refinement of acting, directing, or playwrighting skills, as well as the development of extensive knowledge in the selected field. The mix of coursework with practical experience ensures graduates are prepared for professional settings of all kinds.

Many actors enter the field without a college degree or with only an undergraduate, but those who have worked to earn their Master's degree receive greater and more immediate opportunities after completing a rigorous and competitive program. Many universities that offer MA or MFA degrees in acting or related programs are partnered with nearby or even their own theatres or production companies, such as The University of San Diego's affiliation with The Old Globe.

Earning a graduate-level degree opens up more doors for the prospective actor, director, and playwright as they will likely have worked with established theatres and companies throughout their program— leaving them with competitive professional work experience in accompaniment to their degree. Earning an MA or MFA degree in theatre, drama, or acting is an impressive way for those with arts-oriented ambitions to enter all types of industries with long-term and exciting success.

Selection Criteria

Best Value Schools publishes college degree rankings with the belief of how one's higher education should be, both, affordable and an investment of continued value for the students who pursue them. The staff of BVS collects data from reputable sources in order to calculate Net Price and the short and long-term value of every ranked degree. Collected data is simplified into weighted categories before scoring and then scaled through a BVS Score up to 100. The weighted categories are:

  • Degree Investment Return (25%)

  • Student & Alumni Evaluation (25%)

  • Cost Value (25%)

  • Matriculation (10%)

  • Academic Success (15%)

No matter what degree you decide on, we hope our research and support has made the selection process easier. There are numerous resources BVS utilizes to collect information on degrees, and we encourage you to check them out for yourself!

Here are the 10 Best Master's Degrees for Theater & Drama!

Featured Online Programs

Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.

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