List of the Best Drama Schools and Colleges in the U.S.

Many drama schools offer programs leading to a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in acting, playwriting, directing or production design. Two good U.S. universities with drama programs are Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh and The New School in New York City.

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Top U.S. Drama Schools

1. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA

CMU was founded as a technological school and has evolved into a research university with over 11,000 students and 4,000 faculty and staff. U.S. News & World Report ranked the university 23rd among the nation's top colleges of 2011.

Established in 1914, CMU's School of Drama offers both bachelor's and master's programs to approximately 200 undergraduate and 40 graduate students each year. Programs leading to a BFA include acting and musical theater, design and production technology, directing and dramaturgy.

Students may also obtain an MFA in directing, production technology and management, dramatic writing or design. The drama school is housed in the Purnell Center for Arts, a facility with a 430-seat theater and a three-camera television studio. Forty-one Emmy Award recipients and 12 Tony Award winners have been affiliated with CMU.

Contact Information

  • Address: 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213
  • Phone Number: (412) 268-2000

2. The New School in New York, NY

Founded in 1919, The New School is a private university comprised of eight schools on its Greenwich Village campus. The school offers 91 degree and diploma programs in design, music, liberal arts, social research, management, urban policy and drama.

The New School for Drama offers a three-year program leading to an MFA in playwriting, directing or acting. During their first two years, students learn the structure of their field and are trained in dramatic techniques. The last year of the MFA program is dedicated to productions and preparation for the students' professional careers as actors, directors and writers.

Contact Information

  • Address: 66 West 12th St., New York, NY 10011
  • Phone Number: (212) 229-5859

List of U.S. Colleges and Universities with Drama Programs by Student Enrollment

School Name Total Student Enrollment Address Phone Number
The University of Texas at Austin 50,995 Austin, TX 78712 (512) 471-3434
University of Washington - Seattle 45,943 1400 NE Campus Pkwy., Seattle, WA 98195 (206) 543-2100
New York University 43,404 70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012 (212) 998-1212
University of California - Los Angeles 38,550 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095 (310) 825-4321
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - New Bruswick 37,366 57 US Highway 1, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (732) 445-4636
University of Southern California 34,824 University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089 (213) 740-2311
Texas State University - San Marcos 30,803 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245-2111
University of Iowa 29,152 101 Jessup Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242 (319) 335-3500
University of California - Irvine 27,142 Irvine, CA 92697 (949) 824-5011
University of Oklahoma 25,881 660 Parrington Oval, Norman, OK 73019 (405) 325-0311
Illinois State University 21,184 Normal, Illinois 61790 (309) 438-2111
Northwestern University 19,853 633 Clark St., Evanston, IL 60208 (847) 491-3741
Wright State University 17,558 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy., Dayton, OH 45435 (937) 775-3333
Duke University 14,350 Durham, NC 27708 (919) 684-2813
Pace University - New York 12,706 One Pace Plaza, New York, NY 10038 (212) 346-1200
Yale University 11,593New Haven, CT 06520 (203) 432-1333
Carnegie Mellon University 11,197 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (412) 268-2000
The New School 10,260 66 West 12th St., New York, NY 10011 (212) 229-5600
California Institute of the Arts 1,399 24700 West McBean Pkwy., Valencia, CA 91355 (661) 255-1050
The Juilliard School 980 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023 (212) 799-5000
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