The MFA program in Lighting Design is intended to prepare students for fulfilling careers in professional theatre and the entertainment industry. Emphasis is on the development of a process which will serve students in the practice of their art through a long and varied career. This is accomplished through a balanced training program of classes, work on realized productions, and individualized tutorials. A limited number of students are selected each year on the basis of resumes and interviews. A visit to Purdue is highly recommended, to allow the potential student to interact with students and the faculty. The program is rigorous, time-demanding, and intense. Based on the principle that a good designer is well educated in many areas, Lighting Design students take courses in art history, rendering, drafting, architectural history, and stagecraft, along with those in lighting design and technology. The emphasis is on the mastery of these subjects in order to provide a strong foundation on which to build. Skills training is an important component of the Purdue program. Coursework is intended to provide a solid basis for the student's professional work in the theatre or a related field.