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Earn Your BFA in Technical Direction from the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts

Webster University’s Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Technical Direction with programs focusing on innovative solutions to technical problems. Students train with highly skilled professional mentors, have direct access to up-to-date equipment and hone their practice working in three different performance spaces. Our technical programs demand the highest standards of operations and craft helping students to bring theatrical designs to life in a safe and efficient manner.

The BFA in Technical Direction relies on a holistic approach to the technical process. The first two years of the program parallel those of our design programs to ensure a balance of studio course work and practical application. The third and fourth years focus on specialization in the student’s major. Many students opt 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 Technical Direction

Benefit From Our 100% Employment Rate

Our graduates don't just land technical director jobs, they build successful careers. With a 100% employment rate within six months of graduation, our alumni work for prestigious companies like Berkeley Rep, Tate Towers and Hudson Scenic, bringing their talents in theatre scenery and technology to life on stages worldwide.

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 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 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.

A Scene featuring eight actors in period costumes on a traditionally decorated stage, complete with wooden floors, bookshelves, elegant furniture, and ornate chandeliers. The diverse cast embodies characters from historical times, surrounded by a classic, opulent setting that enhances the dramatic atmosphere.
Actors wearing period dresses sit at a desk and on a chaise in a Victorian-style room with elegant furniture including a harp.
Actor in period clothes lays on a chaise with hands clasped under chin, second actor in period suit stands over first.

Featured Alum

Our alums include Grant Vocks (BFA in Technical Direction, ’22), who currently works as the Assistant Technical Director of Engineering at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Here are some photos of WebCo’s “Learned Ladies” (2022), for which Vocks served as technical director.

Alumni Spotlight
Meet the Faculty
Professional Partners
Facilities

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:

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

In their third year, technical direction 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:

  • Technical direction seminar
  • Scene design seminar
  • Design electives

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:

  • Technical direction seminar
  • Scene design seminar
  • Design electives
  • Professional practice
Explore the Program

Bachelor of Arts in Technical Direction

Find out more about our Technical Direction courses, 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 bachelor’s in Technical Direction.

Locations

The Technical Direction major is offered at our Webster Groves, Missouri, campus.

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.

Jim Robert
Testimonial

“I love what I do, and I want to spread that passion to other people. There are very few fields that give back so much of what you put in, and I am going to spend my life giving back to the field that has given me so much.”

Jim Robert
Jim Robert

BFA in Technical Direction, ’22

An actor dressed in a black coat and red plaid gesticulates expressively. Behind her there is a single chair and table. Bright green and red paper is floating in the background.

Apply Today for the BFA in Technical Direction

An actor dressed in a black coat and red plaid gesticulates expressively. Behind her there is a single chair and table. Bright green and red paper is floating in the background.

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 John Wylie, Professor of Technical Direction

Step 1: Complete Your ApplicationStep 2: Schedule Your Interview

Get Started on Your Fine Arts Degree in Technical Direction

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

Explore

Learn more about our academic programs and our main campus and locations.

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.