Best Graduate Programs in Visual and Performing Arts - Updated 2022

We specialize in training M.A. candidates to thrive as teachers and scholars and to succeed at the most renowned doctoral programs in the country. Common efforts to demonstrate the importance of communication and rhetoric to vital questions of political power, social influence, and personal identity unify instruction in all of the aforementioned topics. The M.A. degree in communication and rhetorical studies is a national leader in graduate education because it combines disciplinary traditions with interdisciplinary innovations to consistently produce student excellence. Graduate students in the communication and rhetorical studies program begin with two core courses designed to introduce them to the department: Proseminar in Communication and Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric.

The university students can explore their craft by choosing concentrations in Acting, Musical Theater, Design and Technology, or Filmmaking, all within a dynamic liberal arts curriculum that provides them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Gordon Theater, a state-of-the-art 650 seat proscenium house, is renowned for its near-perfect acoustical properties and gives the university students the experience of performing in a large-scale theater or concert hall. The Black Box Studio provides students with a intimate side of the performing spectrum with multiple configurations.

The Master of Arts in Screenwriting prepares writers with literary talent and strong motivation to tell substantive stories that point audiences toward truth and beauty, while exploring the dialogue between faith and cinematic arts.

The School of Theatre offers one graduate degree: the MFA in drama (with concentrations in acting, design, directing, and theatre for youth). The MFA is a terminal master’s degree designed to develop individual artistry and provide advanced, specialized training in acting, design, directing, and theatre for youth. The MFA is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Our graduate programs offer rich and varied experiences that combine theory and practice and demands the development of skills and talents.

The PhD in Visual and Performing Arts degree program is designed primarily for individuals who wish to conduct advanced research and to teach at the college level, and can lead to a wide variety of non-academic careers as well. Visual and Performing Arts is an interdisciplinary program of study, so students take the majority of their coursework in Visual and Performing Arts courses, but must also take two seminars each in both History of Ideas and Literature. Students pursuing the PhD in Visual and Performing Arts may submit a creative project as part of their dissertation.

The MFA in Visual and Performing Arts is a terminal degree which prepares students as professional artists and scholars who can work within their specialty and teach at the university level. The MFA in Visual and Performing Arts, concentration in Dance, is a highly selective 60-credit program of study grounded in the modern dance genre that emphasizes mastery in performance, choreography, and teaching in higher education.

Your talent is your greatest asset! Here’s your opportunity to showcase your talents in the performing arts as well as the visual arts. Let the Division of Visual and Performing Arts advance your development in the areas of art, music, and theater. Here’s your chance to shine.

Whether applicant’re looking to advance their career, become an industry leader, or help others cultivate their passion for creativity through teaching, Liberty has the flexible and affordable online training in the arts that applicant are seeking! As the need for interactive visual communication grows, so does the need for graphic designers with the knowledge and expertise of the latest software and equipment.

The MFA in Artisanry Fibers is a 60 credit, 2 to 3-year program of study. The Fibers program offers you the opportunity for concentrated studio work involving both technical and conceptual challenges. Graduate students pursue individual areas of interest, which may take the form of two or three dimensional structures, garments and costume, functional or non-functional work. The required studio and academic course work to earn a Master degree in Fibers includes seminars in professional and aesthetic issues, art history, philosophy of art, and support studios.

The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Visual Arts is a terminal degree and is the preferred degree for the practicing artist with a professional career in the visual arts. It is the recommended degree for college-level teachers of art and secondary school level as well.