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Production and Design for Stage and Screen, BFA

Design the future of entertainment at Pace University with our immersive, hands-on program integrating cutting-edge technology and artistry in scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, and props. Explore the intersection of design and storytelling, mastering tools that shape live performance, immersive experiences, and beyond. Collaborate with industry professionals and working artists at the forefront of entertainment design. 

Sands College of Performing Arts students working in the production room.
Location

New York City

Number of Credits

128

Start Date

Fall

F1 Visa Eligible

Yes

STEM Designated Program

No

Set the Stage for a Successful Career in Production Design

Launch your career in entertainment with a BFA in Production and Design for Stage and Screen at Sands College of Performing Arts—one of the top . This intensive, pre-professional program equips designers and craftspeople with a deep understanding of the art form, its history, and the essential design fundamentals that drive the creative process.

Located in the heart of New York City, you’ll live, study, and train in one of the world’s most vibrant artistic hubs. Through guest lectures, workshops, and hands-on projects, you’ll collaborate with leading industry professionals—gaining real-world experience from the start.

Pace graduates thrive in network television, major motion pictures, streaming platforms, and Broadway productions. With extensive industry connections, many students land professional opportunities while still enrolled. Tailored programs, industry showcases, and on- and off-campus networking events provide you with connections and experience needed to succeed in today’s dynamic entertainment industry.

Top 10

Did You Know?

Pace is one of the most represented colleges on Broadway, ranked #4 for the 2023–2024 season (Source: Playbill.com)

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Top 27

one of the Top 27 acting colleges in America of 2024 (Source: Backstage.com)

Among the Best

named one of the best college dance programs for 2024 in America (Source: DanceUS.org)

Top 13

one of the 13 best musical theater colleges in America of 2025 (Source: Backstage.com)

Curriculum

The Production and Design for Stage and Screen BFA is crafted to prepare you for work in the professional industry and a lifetime of creative exploration.

Study begins with a core group of classes that emphasize the fundamentals of all design disciplines. From there, you’ll move into an area of emphasis in scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, or properties. Advanced level studio and technique classes allow you to focus your course-work with classes in scene painting, costume construction, emerging technologies and many more.

These courses are paired with an innovative study of the historical and contemporary trends in drama and design. You’ll even take an acting class to understand how performers relate to design.

Take Courses Like…

Careers

With the BFA in Production and Design for Stage and Screen, you’ll develop your skills as a technologically sophisticated professional in the fields of scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, and media.

As a Pace student, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with our robust career services team to develop a career plan that best fits your goals.

Our graduates are prepared for jobs like:

  • Art Direction
  • Event Design
  • Cinematographer
  • Camera Departments
  • Gaffers and Best Boy
  • Designing and assisting for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Regional Theaters

Quote

Our Design and Production students master essential skills which are the foundations needed to work in a multi-faceted performance industry. They learn how to discover the essence of design, along with developing their storytelling techniques and collaborative skills. Through numerous creative collaboration opportunities, combined with the practice of hands-on applications across a variety of performance mediums, our students leave with real-world experiences.

—April Bartlett, Head of BFA in Production and Design for Stage and Screen

Where You've Seen Pace Graduates Shine:

View the full list

  • Broadway
  • Off-Broadway
  • Regional Theaters
  • David Korins Studio
  • Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios
  • Saturday Night Live
  • Blizzard Entertainment
  • Six Flags
  • NBC Universal
  • Marvel Studios
  • Disney Theatrical

Featured Faculty

April Bartlett is an Emmy Award-winning visual artist specializing in storytelling, inspired by the limitless potential of an undefined space, and working as a production designer, scenic designer, educator, coordinator, and maker.

Jay Duckworth is a renowned props designer who has created for film, television, music videos, and more than 65 Broadway shows, working with legends like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, and John Lithgow, and after 36 years in the industry, he transitioned to full-time teaching, driven by his belief in the "golden thread" of education—an invisible lineage connecting students to their professional ancestors—and his commitment to giving back to the community that shaped him.

Admission and Financial Aid

Ready to take charge of your future? Pace is with you every step of the way, providing a world class education and the skills your industry will be looking for far into the future.

  • To learn more about requirements to apply to the Sands College of Performing Arts and what each program requests to include in your application, visit the Sands admission webpage.

  • All prospective students to the Sands College of Performing Arts must submit an application for admission to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions before beginning the audition or interview process.

    1. Application Deadlines

    • November 1: Early Decision—provided that the audition or interview is completed before December 1.
    • December 1: Application Final Deadline—no application will be accepted after this date.
    • January 3: Pre-screen Deadline—all pre-screens must be in by this date for callback consideration.
    • May 1: Deposit Deadline—commitment date for all admitted students, no new decisions will go out after this date.

    2. Submit Your Audition Or Portfolio Media On Acceptd

    Once prospective students have applied for admission to Pace, they should and upload the pre-screen requirements to all programs in which they wish to audition/interview.

    NOTE: Applicants will need to know their Application ID number (sent via email once the application is processed).

    3. AVÌìÌà Your Callback

    Our faculty will review each digital submission and issue decisions on all submissions. For those issued callbacks, the faculty will need to see the applicant for a live audition or interview. Students will be notified via Acceptd of the faculty’s decision within two weeks from time of submission and, if given a callback, will be invited to schedule their audition or interview via Acceptd. Students who are not called back will also be notified in the same time frame.

    If a student does not hear back from the College of Performing Arts within three weeks, they may email performingarts@pace.edu.

    4. Attend The Callback Audition Or Interview

    If granted multiple callbacks, the student will need to attend all auditions/interviews. (All programs audition/interview separately).

    5. AVÌìÌà The Academic And Artistic Decision

    Students will receive one decision letter with their academic and artistic acceptance together. Early Decision applicants will receive their decision by December. All other applicants will be reviewed for academic admission and notified of both the academic and artistic decision beginning in mid-March. In all instances a student must be academically admissible to qualify for admission to the Sands College.

  • Understanding the value of a degree is essential, especially in terms of return on investment (ROI). According to The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Pace University is in the top 6% of U.S. colleges that provide the best return on tuition investment.

    For the 2024–2025 academic year, full-time undergraduate tuition is $56,382. However, many students pay significantly less due to our generous merit scholarships, which offer up to $33,000 annually, as well as need-based scholarships, grants, on-campus employment opportunities, and loans. Pace is more affordable than you think. Financial assistance can come from many places, including scholarships, grants, on-campus employment, and loans.

    Merit Scholarship Estimator

    based on your academic achievements to see how much merit aid you may receive.

    Net Price Calculator

    Use our Net Price Calculator to estimate your annual education costs and financial aid package.

  • For any inquiries, please email Wayne Petro, Director of Enrollment and Incoming Advisor. He’s here to help answer your questions and guide you through the enrollment process.

Top 6%

Did You Know?

Pace is ranked in the top 6% nationally for return on investment (Source: The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce)

Contact Us

Admission Contact

Office of Undergraduate Admission
Phone: (212) 346-1323
Email: undergradadmission@pace.edu

Departmental Contact

April Bartlett
Phone: (212) 618-6110
Email: abartlett@pace.edu