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Earn Your BFA in Scene Design from the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts

Webster University’s Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Scene Design; one of only a few programs whose productions are designed entirely by undergraduate students; faculty input on production work is strictly advisory. Design students acquire production experience necessary for their degree and simultaneously build exciting, varied portfolios. The combination conceptual work in the design classroom coupled with practical shop and stage work creates a unique opportunity for artistic and professional growth. Importantly, our curricular sequence aims to improve each student’s artistic skills.

Students majoring in Scene Design pair design classes with fine arts courses throughout their time at Webster. Many students opt also to study abroad or do an internship during their third or fourth year at Webster.

A large ensemble of actors singing, dancing, and playing instruments surround a woman in a long white dress in the center. The stage has a large door with red velvet curtains on the side and four pillars in the background and a glass chandelier and small floating lights hang from the ceiling.

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, 2024

An actor lays on a dirt floor. In the back, another actor carries someone over their shoulder. They stand in front of a blue-lit screen with a wooden framework structure on both sides.

Mud, 2023

The stage is set with multiple, multi-level staircases and archways. Actors surround the center of the stage which has a bed. Two people lay dead on the bed and another on the floor beside them.

Romeo and Juliet, 2023

Actors dance around a tree placed center stage, made from strips of cloth wound around the trunk and hanging from the branches. The lighting is dark purple and blue.

Blood at the Root, 2023

Stage is set like a rustic restaurant with a bar in front of a window view of a pine forest set against an evening blue sky. Six actors stand and sit in the restaurant.

The Spitfire Grill, 2023

A large ensemble cast sings with their arms and legs out. The stage lighting is moody red and yellow. There are large, rectangle panels hanging from the ceiling in the background and different faces are projected onto each panel.

American Idiot, 2022

Choose Webster for Your BFA in Scene Design

Train with the Pros

Sargent Conservatory’s training program benefits from several professional partnerships, including collaborations with the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and The Muny. We share our build and paint shops with The Rep and with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. We are able to offer students unparalleled opportunities to work alongside professional theatre artists, stage managers, directors and designers in the city’s thriving theatre scene.

Mentorship from Experienced Faculty

Sargent Conservatory’s faculty members are working professionals and dedicated educators committed to nurturing their students’ artistic growth. Learn more about the individual accomplishments of our faculty. Their work includes Broadway, off-Broadway, regional and international credits, as well as projects in a variety of other fields (film, television, voice-over, corporate events). Several faculty members are currently employed by our professional partners. As a result, students in our technical production programs consistently have the opportunity to work in professional endeavors.

Purple lighting on wide stage view with bridge, actors clustered in groups of two
Warm yellow lighting over actors and fruit cart
Natural lighting on actors in a cafe setting

Featured Alum

Our alums include Maggie Nelson (BFA in Scene Design, ’22), whose post-graduation work includes serving as a charge artist at Sets to Go Entertainment Construction and a set decorator for the television series “Tiny Beautiful Things.” Photos highlight WebCo’s “Amélie (2022)," for which Nelson served as scenic designer.

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Webster's Sargent Conservatory Curriculum

Our design programs begin with a fundamental first-year experience aimed to develop a common theatre vocabulary and practice. Key courses include:

  • Fundamentals of design
  • Scenography
  • Drafting
  • Technical production
  • Introduction to drawing
  • Principles of drawing
  • 3-D design

In the second year of training, students delve into the specific processes of their disciplines. Production assignments complement coursework, ensuring students are putting learning to hands-on practice. Key courses include:

  • Scene design seminar
  • Rendering
  • Vectorworks
  • Visual history
  • Figure drawing
  • Crew management
  • Theatre history

In their third year, design students focus their studies in their particular discipline and take on more creative responsibility in the Conservatory production process. Increasingly, students will take advantage of opportunities for professional experiences with our professional partners. Many students opt to take a semester abroad or on internship during the third year. Key courses now include electives in other areas:

  • Scene design 1
  • Scene design seminar
  • Design electives
  • Figure drawing

The fourth year aims to provide a smooth transition into professional practice. Production assignments will serve to round out a student’s resume, and preparation for the Senior Portfolio Open House will entail creating a website and fine-tuning interviewing skills. Classes typically involve:

  • Scene design 2
  • Scene design seminar
  • Design electives
  • Professional practice
  • Figure drawing
Explore the Program

BFA in Scene Design

Find out more about the overall curriculum, electives, learning outcomes and more.

View Course Sequence and Degree plan

Discover the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts

Program Details

Explore our catalog for more details about courses, modalities and admission requirements for the BFA in Scene Design.

Locations

This program is offered at the campus in Webster Groves, Missouri.

Theatre Scholarships

Almost every full-time undergraduate student at Webster University receives some sort of financial aid. Webster’s Office of Financial Aid is committed to making a college education affordable.

Additionally, the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts awards annual scholarships designated specifically for theatre majors. In 2023-2024, the department awarded over $225,000 in scholarships to its students. Most of these awards are reserved for our third- and fourth-year students. Every year we also allot some scholarships to first-year students. These awards are made in consultation with the recruiting faculty and with the Office of Financial Aid. There is no separate application process. Please contact Andrew Laue, Associate Director of Fine Arts Admissions at lauear@webster.edu, for additional information.

Fallon Podrazik
Miles R. Vesich Memorial Endowment Scholarship in Scenic Design Recipient

“I want to do stage designs that tell the stories and world of the characters. I want the audience to be inspired by the world around the characters, but I also want the set to highlight the struggles and triumphs throughout the play.”

Fallon Podrazik
Fallon Podrazik

BFA in Scene Design and Graphic Design, ’22

An actor with horns wearing black leather stands in front of three others who sit on stairs behind him. The set has archways and stairs leading to a balcony with decorative, metalwork railing and climbing flowered vines.

Apply Today for the BFA in Scene Design

An actor with horns wearing black leather stands in front of three others who sit on stairs behind him. The set has archways and stairs leading to a balcony with decorative, metalwork railing and climbing flowered vines.

Webster's Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts is committed to your artistic growth and academic success. The first step is to fill out an application.

Contact Dennis Bensie, Head of Recruitment for Production Programs

Step 1: Complete Your ApplicationStep 2: Schedule Your Interview

Get Started on Your Fine Arts Degree in Scene Design

Take the next step toward earning your BFA in Scene Design — we are here to help you get started.

Explore

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Engage

Connect with our admissions counselors and academic advisors.

Apply

Apply to Webster and take the next steps for financial aid and scholarships.

Contact the Admissions Office to Find Out More

If you have more questions about the program, your application or other enrollment-related inquiries, contact our Admissions Office.

Call 314-246-7800 or 800-753-6765 or send an email to admit@webster.edu.