Welcome to the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Our extraordinary community of students, faculty and staff work tirelessly as artists, technicians and administrators to expand and enrich the field of the dramatic arts. We draw upon the traditions of the past, create in the present, and build towards the vivid future of our disciplines with passion and rigor. Our faith in the value of stories – which inform and define our lives, our cultures and our societies – is unshakeable. The School’s mission is to educate and train the artists and creators who will imagine and manifest these stories, in every media, for the enrichment of all.

We begin with the stage. Theatre is the basis for the study of the dramatic arts, and our actors and performers, writers, scholars, designers, stage managers and field-workers start their education with a total immersion in the study, practice and examination of theatre-making. Standing on this foundation, our students skillfully negotiate the many platforms of dramatic expression, including film and television, the web, voice-over, games and acts of community engagement. Our students are challenged by a faculty of artists and scholars of the highest caliber to be constantly flexible, thoroughly collaborative, and always responsible for their choices. They depart the School with the experience and the inspiration to make an extraordinary contribution to the art and business of drama.

And thanks to our location in the heart of Los Angeles, with all the connections and possibilities this great city of storytellers affords, our School provides – via professional master classes, mentoring, seminars and internships – a clear and credible entryway into an ever-evolving creative industry. The professional accomplishments of so many of our graduates in the dramatic arts attest to the worth and viability of our School’s offerings.

The USC School of Dramatic Arts encourages students to explore their creative possibilities fully. The School also strives to instill confidence, integrity and a standard of excellence into each of our students – traits that are essential in any field.

We greatly appreciate your interest in our School and its programs. Whether you are a prospective student, parent, alum or patron, welcome to this site.