Master of Fine Arts (Directing)

The Master of Fine Arts (Directing) at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is a 1.5-year postgraduate degree for people who want to direct for the stage and screen. It sits at master's level on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which means it builds on prior study or professional experience rather than starting from scratch. At NIDA, the work is practical: you direct actors, work with designers, and take projects from first read to performance. The course is delivered over three trimesters across 18 months, with each trimester made up of units of study that carry credit points. You accumulate credit points as you pass each unit, and you need the required total to graduate.

What you actually study

Directing is a craft you learn by doing, so the course centres on rehearsal room practice and production. You study text analysis, staging, working with actors, and the visual language of theatre and screen. You learn how a director collaborates with a creative team, set, costume, lighting, sound, and how to manage a rehearsal schedule. There is usually a capstone project in the final phase: a full production or a major screen work that you direct, supported by supervisors and technical staff. Assessment is mostly practical, with written reflection and research where it supports the work.

Work-integrated learning

NIDA is a working arts organisation, so placements and production attachments are part of the training. You may assist a professional director, work as an assistant on a NIDA production, or take a placement with a theatre company or screen production. These attachments put you in the room with industry professionals and count towards your course. The connections you make often lead to your first professional jobs.

Who it suits

This degree suits directors who already have some experience, a bachelor degree in performance, theatre, film or a related field, or several years working in the industry. It also suits actors, writers and designers who want to move into directing. You need to be ready to direct others, take feedback, and work long hours in rehearsal. International applicants need to meet English requirements: IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common coursework-postgraduate standard, though some fields ask for 7.0–7.5. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and NIDA’s own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 113112H. Check the official page for current fees, intake dates and application details.

• Theatre director, mainstage, independent and community theatre companies across Australia.
• Screen director, film, television and streaming productions, including drama and documentary.
• Assistant director, theatre, film and television, working alongside established directors.
• Creative producer, arts organisations, festivals and production companies.
• Dramaturg or script editor, theatre companies, screen production offices and development labs.
• Arts educator or teaching artist, drama schools, universities and community arts programmes.
• Freelance director, building a portfolio across stage and screen, often with a mix of contracts and self-initiated work.

Australian industries that hire directing graduates include the performing arts, film and television, festivals and events, and arts education. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream lets eligible international graduates stay and work in Australia after finishing. While you study, your Student visa allows up to 48 hours of work per fortnight during term.