The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Theatre & Dance is a terminal degree designed for artists seeking advanced professional training and creative research opportunities. Through intensive mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of original artistic work, students deepen their practice while preparing for careers in performance, choreography, directing, design, education, and creative leadership.

Situated at the crossroads of Hawaiʻi, Asia, and the Pacific, the MFA program encourages students to engage with diverse cultural traditions, contemporary artistic practices, and community-based approaches to performance and storytelling.

Why Pursue an MFA at UH Mānoa?

Develop Your Artistic Voice

Create original work that reflects your creative interests, research, and professional goals.

Work Alongside Expert Faculty

Receive individualized mentorship from faculty artists, scholars, and cultural practitioners.

Engage Hawaiʻi, Asia & the Pacific

Explore artistic traditions and contemporary practices that are rarely integrated within a single graduate program.

Create Meaningful New Work

Develop performances, productions, choreographic projects, designs, scripts, and creative research that contribute to the field.

Choose Your Area of Concentration

MFA in Dance

Performance. Choreography. Embodied Research.

The MFA Dance concentration supports artists interested in advanced creative practice, performance, choreography, screendance, and cultural research. Students investigate movement as an artistic, cultural, and scholarly practice while developing original work informed by contemporary and traditional forms.

Focus Areas

• Dance Performance
• Choreography
• Screendance
• Creative Research
• Hawaiʻi, Asia & Pacific Dance Practices
• Community-Based Practice

Ideal for artists pursuing careers as performers, choreographers, educators, scholars, and creative leaders.

Learn More About MFA Dance →

MFA in Theatre

Storytelling. Collaboration. Artistic Leadership.

The MFA Theatre concentration provides advanced training for theatre artists seeking to deepen their creative practice through performance, design, directing, playwriting, Hawaiian theatre, and theatre for young audiences.

Students develop original artistic projects while working collaboratively with faculty, guest artists, and fellow graduate students.

Focus Areas

• Acting
• Asian Theatre (Specialization)
• Directing
• Design
• Playwriting
• Hawaiian Theatre
• Theatre for Young Audiences

Ideal for theatre artists pursuing careers in professional practice, higher education, and creative leadership.

Learn More About MFA Theatre →

Creative Research at the Center

The MFA recognizes artistic practice as a form of research. Students engage in creative inquiry through performances, productions, choreography, design projects, original scripts, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Graduate study culminates in a substantial creative project that reflects each student's artistic development and research interests.

Professional Opportunities

✓ Graduate Assistantships

✓ Teaching Experience

✓ Directed Creative Projects

✓ Faculty Mentorship

✓ Community Engagement

✓ Festival & Conference Participation

✓ Interdisciplinary Collaboration

✓ Portfolio Development

✓ Professional Networking

Career Pathways

MFA graduates pursue careers as:

• Performers
• Choreographers
• Directors
• Designers
• Playwrights
• Educators
• Artistic Directors
• Community Arts Leaders
• Creative Producers
• University Faculty
• Independent Artists

Why UH Mānoa?

Few MFA programs offer the opportunity to engage deeply with the performance traditions of Hawaiʻi, Asia, and the Pacific while developing contemporary artistic practice. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa provides a distinctive environment where creative research, cultural knowledge, and artistic innovation come together.

Admissions & Next Steps

Graduate Admissions →

Meet Our Faculty →

Apply to the MFA Program →