Start your creative journey here.
Welcome to our creative community!
Talented artists from around the world come to ASU with a thirst for highperforming standards and a drive for excellence. We are committed to creating an environment that inspires and empowers you to become an imaginative leader who transforms society through your creativity.
At the ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre, you will receive a worldclass education and explore your voice as a creative artist, scholar and leader. You’ll have access to vibrant cultural diversity within Phoenix’s flourishing arts community. Our internationally-recognized faculty artists are dedicated to being compassionate and motivating mentors on your journey.
We provide abundant opportunities to collaborate and study other creative disciplines. For example, as a music theatre major, you can also take theatre directing, acting and dance classes. You can study dance while getting a minor in criminal justice, or major in music therapy and get a minor in psychology. Study acting while completing courses for pre-med education. ASU provides both options and independence.
As you pursue this next phase of your education, we invite you to envision yourself here. You can truly achieve anything you want at the ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Come be a part of a major research university that also nurtures and inspires creativity, innovation and excellence.
Heather Landes Director, ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre
8:1 Student to faculty ratio
Annually awards more than
Two times better than the national average $2.2 million
33% 153 61 12 minors and certificates Unique degrees First-generation undergraduate students in scholarships and financial aid
Countries represented by students
Forge the path to your future
With more than 800 degree programs and minors at ASU, you can build a program of study that fits all of your interests. We encourage collaboration and designing a path that fits your creative vision.
The School of Music, Dance and Theatre produces more new works than any other university department or school in the United States. Our students present more than 550 annual concerts, recitals, productions and events in our state-of-theart facilities and at venues around the Phoenix area.
Develop your artistry, gain hands-on skills and prepare for your future career.
Collaboration and community
• Gain experience in and out of the classroom
• Engage with diverse faculty, guest artists, residencies and workshops
• Receive one-on-one support from faculty who are leaders in their industries
• Network for your professional career
Career preparation
• Performance opportunities
• State-of-the-art technology and facilities
• Research and grant opportunities
• Internships and teaching opportunities
• Professional development
• Networking and collaboration
Flexibility
• More than 60 degree and minor options
• Take courses in design, art and more through the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
• Online and in-person courses are offered to meet your needs
• Combine your degree with a minor or major outside the Herberger Institute
Meet our faculty!
Music
Gain the skills you need to succeed in the music industry today and in the future.
Study music in an energizing, supportive environment. Engage with students from all over the world. Stretch your mind to new levels of musical understanding.
Innovation and collaboration are the trademarks of our music programs. Solo and ensemble performance opportunities abound, with annual concerts in state-ofthe-art performance and practice facilities featuring a breadth of repertoire, including cutting edge new works.
Our internationally-recognized faculty are passionate musicians, performers, educators, researchers and mentors who love their craft and want to share that with you. Experience a world-class education and build your career as a musician, scholar and leader.
Make your mark on the music industry
500+ annual performances
9 indoor and outdoor performance venues
39 undergraduate and graduate degrees
#2 educational clinic in the nation for music therapy
Dance
Join an innovative learning community of artists, teachers and scholars!
Experience a range of dance styles under expert faculty, including:
Hip-Hop
Afro-Latin
Contemporary ballet
Contemporary modern
ASU dance students receive individualized faculty mentorship, take master classes with world-renowned guest artists and attend VIP performances at ASU Gammage. Networking opportunities will lead you to internships, summer intensives, collaborations, film productions, performances and choreography opportunities. Our expert faculty will help you embody diverse dance forms, including Hip-Hop, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latin, somatic practices, contemporary modern, contemporary ballet and authentic jazz. Each student also gains hands-on production experience in costuming, lighting, sound and stage management.
With the support and mentorship of faculty, you will develop a portfolio of creative work that represents your perspective. Whether you want to refine your technique, delve deeper into choreography and production, share your passion for movement as an educator, or add breadth to your dance career, you can design a dance degree that speaks to your personal goals.
Theatre Dream. Question. Engage. Transform. Create.
15+ innovative, cutting-edge specializations more than 20 annual performances #1 in undergraduate training for design and technology
30 expert faculty and staff
8 performance, studio and wellness spaces
We are here to help you every step of the way!
Our theatre program focuses on building realworld, hands-on experience under expert faculty mentorship while prioritizing students’ well-being. From day one, students build a professional portfolio and network with professionals in the industry. When they graduate, our theatre students leave ASU with real-world, marketable skills to succeed in and lead the industry.
Experience abundant creative opportunities
Our season features large-scale productions, classical theatre, experimental and contemporary plays, and student-generated work. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved, whether you want to expand on existing skills or to learn new things.
Our theatre program is leading the industry in new areas of study, including intimacy direction, digital pattern drafting and costume design, 3D rendering and modeling, voiceover and motion capture, screen acting, immersive multi-sensory design for live entertainment, media design, production management, theatre education, digital fabrication and wellness practices for the performing arts.
Envision yourself here
ASU isn’t just sunny skies and warm weather – although we do enjoy nearly 300 days of sunshine each year. As a student, you’ll have access to world-class facilities on and off campus. Whether you’re looking for an intimate performance space, a full-capacity production stage, or a stateof-the-art recording studio, we have just the facility you need to bring your artistic vision to life. Here are just a few of our on-campus venues:
Katzin Concert Hall
This 350-seat theatre provides a warm, acoustical atmosphere for solo and chamber music recitals. It is one of the most used performance halls on campus.
Galvin Playhouse Theatre
This 485-seat theatre has renowned acoustics and a 20 lineset fly system. It is fully trapped, affords ample opportunities for scenic automation and features a state of the art scene shop with digital fabrication and welding capacities.
Margaret Gisolo
Dance Studio Theatre
The theatre hosts more than 20 dance performances and community workshops every year. It also serves as a classroom space for the dance program.
Popular Music Recording Studios
The popular music program offers studios, rehearsal and production spaces plus live event production and support. The studio suite has two fully equipped recording studios with stateof-the-art equipment and purpose-built recording spaces.
Beyond the classroom
At ASU, students elevate their classroom education with real-world, practical experiences through hands-on internships. Our students can be found teaching, designing, creating, performing and more at venues throughout the Valley. The ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre has built relationships with more than 40 Phoenix-area organizations including:
• Tempe Center for the Arts
• The Musical Instrument Museum
• Childsplay
• The Phoenix Theatre
• Arizona Opera
• Phoenix Symphony
Set up for success
We are here to help you prepare for the career of your dreams through:
Faculty mentorship
Internships and networking
Guest artist master classes
Career training workshops
Design your future
Wherever you’re headed next, you’ll always be a Sun Devil.
Our alumni have gone on to a range of careers, including:
• Writing and producing music, plays and dance works for stage and screen
• Touring on stage and creating behind the scenes in Broadway shows
• Creating and performing in feature films and television
• Performing in top ensembles and on stages around the world
• Teaching at the elementary, high school and collegiate level
• Publishing scholarly research and books
• Playing and conducting with orchestras and U.S. military bands
• Winning international music, dance and theatre competitions
• Serving and advocating in their communities
• Owning small businesses, running companies and shaping their industries
“The mentorship I received as a student at ASU was essential to my growth.”
-
Commander Robert
“Seph”
Coats, Commander of the U.S. Navy Band MM in Conducting, 2015
ASU students learn to perform, excel and collaborate – like the LOTUS Quartet, who won the Gold Medal in the Senior Wind Division of the 2024 Fischoff Competition as well as the 2023 MTNA Chamber Music Winds Competition.
Begin your creative journey today. Ready to start? Here’s what’s next:
Visit
Plan a visit to campus, where you can attend a performance, observe a rehearsal or class, and talk to our faculty, students and staff. Schedule a visit by contacting us: MDTadmissions@asu.edu or 480-965-5069.
Apply
Applicants are required to apply both to Arizona State University and the School of Music, Dance and Theatre. Admission is available for fall, spring and summer, based on the program. Learn about interview and audition requirements on our website.
Scholarships
The ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre is proud to award over $2.2 million annually to music, dance and theatre majors. Learn more on our admissions website. For full details, visit: musicdancetheatre.asu.edu/admission. Visit our admissions page! Follow us on social media!