USC School of Dramatic Arts


The USC School of Dramatic Arts is the dramatic arts school at the University of Southern California. It is ranked one of the top 10 dramatic arts schools in the world, according to The Hollywood Reporter's Top 25 Drama Schools. The USC School of Dramatic Arts offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in theatre and visual & performing arts; Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in acting, design, sound design, stage management and technical direction; and Master of Fine Arts degrees in acting and dramatic writing.

History

Founded in 1945 as Department of Drama at USC, it became an independent school in 1991 and was named USC School of Theatre.
It was renamed USC School of Dramatic Arts on July 1, 2012.
Madeline Puzo served as Dean from 2002-2015. From 2015-16, David Bridel was Interim Dean, and he served as Dean from 2015-2020, when he resigned after admitting to an affair with an undergraduate.

Notable faculty

The School of Dramatic Arts presents more than 20 theatrical shows annually that showcase the works of the students in acting, stage management, lighting design, set design, costume design, technical direction and more.