The Theatre School > Conservatory > Undergraduate Conservatory > Lighting Design > How to Apply

How to Apply

​​​BFA Lighting Design

Applying to the BFA Lighting Design program involves submitting all required application materials​ and completing an interview. All of your application materials must be received no later than February 1 or two weeks prior to your interview date, whichever date is earlier.

Before you can register for your Lighting Design interview, you will need to pay the interview fee and upload the following major-specific materials to your Blue Demon Domain:​​​

Your resume can include both theatre experience and non-theatre experience (extracurricular activities, employment, etc.)

Your portfolio will steer the interview conversation and should demonstrate your talent and potential as a student for the BFA Lighting Design program.

The best way to put together a portfolio is to select 10 to 20 pieces from your work which demonstrate the strength, depth, and range of your theatrical/artistic abilities and exposure. The selection of pieces in you portfolio tells us a great deal about you, so thoughtfully and carefully choose those pieces you think best show your talent and potential for further development in lighting design.

Lighting Design applicants should present a portfolio which includes materials that demonstrate artistic creativity. This may include drawings, photographs, sketches, sculptures, paintings, or other examples of your artistic work. Light plots, design concepts, and lighting paperwork are appropriate if you have that experience, however they are not required as we are interested in your potential. We want to see your visual art abilities, your artistic creativity, and your artist’s eye.

The Interview

An interview is required of all applicants to the BFA Lighting Design program. ​You will interview one-on-one with a faculty member. We believe that during the interview, the questions you have for us are as important as the questions we have for you. There is no fixed format or schedule of questions for the interview, so you will be evaluated as an individual by an individual. The faculty member who conducts the interview will be interested in your theatre experiences, academic record, personal achievements, extracurricular activities and plans for your artistic future. The best preparation for the interview is to be curious; come with plenty of questions about courses, instructors, student life and anything else you would like to discuss.