Master of Performing Arts, Admission, Syllabus, Colleges, Salary and Career options 2023

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Sounak Banerjee

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What is a Master of Performing Arts?

What is a Master of Performing Arts?

Master of Performing Arts is a postgraduate degree in any of the creative fields like Dance,Drama,Music and Cinema.The degree is mostly conferred in India after completion of a two year programme is MPA.

This program is mainly designed to research the impact of performing arts through history.This can be the dream course for the creative,artistic souls who love to perform and also want to have a complete knowledge of the skill.

Check: Full Form of Arts Courses

The eligibility criteria for MPA is 50% minimum aggregate in any Bachelor's courses  from a recognized college or University.

Mostly the admission process for the colleges for MPA are Personal Interview and a Skill Assessment Test or CET is an entrance examination which is accepted nationally by the reputed universities.

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MPA focuses both in practical and theoretical knowledge distinctive to Drama,Music and Dance.Diverse roles are offered to these students are Theatre artist, Scriptwriter,Director, etc

The students who enrol for Masters in Performing Arts ,majority of them pursue PhD later on.Even if the student does not opt for higher studies they easily manage to earn an annual salary of INR 2 – INR 5 Lacs

Check: Top PhD Colleges in India

Master of Performing Arts Course Highlights

Master of Performing Arts Course Highlights

The following table consists of important course highlights of Master of Performing Arts –

Course Level PG
Full-Form Master of Performing Arts
Duration Two years
Examination type Semester
Eligibility Valid score in CET/PET
Admission Process Minimum 50% in Graduation BPA/Diploma
Course Fee INR 2,500 – INR 60,000
Average Salary INR 2 – INR 5 Lacs
Employment Areas International Film Organization,Art Institute,Museum,Cultural Organization,Film Industry,Government Organization,Centre of Eminence (National & International level)
Job Profile Actor ,Dancer,Musical Theatre Performer,Stage Manager, Director,Choreographer,Music Teacher ,Dance Teacher.
Top Master of Performing Arts Colleges

Top Master of Performing Arts Colleges

The details of top colleges providing Master of Performing Arts in India are listed below –

Name of the College Location Admission Process Average Annual Fees (INR) Average Placement (INR)
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Aurangabad Merit-Based 1,227 5.43 LPA
Pondicherry University Pondicherry  Entrance-Based 23,781 6LPA
Chandigarh University Chandigarh  Entrance-Based 50,000 5 LPA
NIMS University Jaipur  Entrance-Based 30,000 -
CMJ University Ribhoi  Entrance-Based 1,45,000 -

What is the Admission Process of a Master of Performing Arts ?

The admission procedure for MPA in India can vary little according to rules and guidelines set by the institutes.A two year full time postgraduate programme.The candidates who are interested in the Masters program can apply to the respective colleges or Universities through online portal or offline mode (very few institutes like Pondicherry University have the option) with required information.

Most universities have the direct admission system while some of them have provision for entrance exams.

The merit basis admission on the marks of the graduation i.e. Bachelor in Performing Arts /Bachelor of Arts.

Entrance based admission are done through the following steps :

  • In case of CUCET, candidates have to register and then wait for the notification of availability of online application which is mostly in the month of March.
  • After filling up the application with the correct details where one month is given for completing and finally submitting the application.
  • Uploading the required documents and paying the application fee is a crucial step otherwise the application will not be accepted.
  • Candidates are allowed to apply to not more than 3 participating universities for the MPA programme.
  • The Entrance exam gives the option to choose from many exam centres according to the convenience of the candidate.
  • An address of Correspondence and details of the last qualifying exam have to be given after getting the application ID.
  • Candidates need to sit for the exam on the given date as mentioned in the website and admit card .
  • After the declaration of results universities will release their cut off .Only those candidates who have managed to clear the cut off will be called for taking admission in the given course.

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What is the Eligibility Criteria for Master of Performing Arts ?

The eligibility criteria for Master of Performing Arts is very basic though it can vary from universities to universities.The compulsory criteria is mentioned below

  • A graduate with a Bachelor/Diploma degree from a recognized university
  • Minimum 50% is required in graduation.
  • In some cases 5 Years of practical experience in Theatre or a reputed dance institution.

What are the popular Entrance Examinations for Master of Performing Arts ?

Most Universities conduct direct admission on experience or Bachelor/Diploma degree marks, entrance examination is conducted only by few universities which is followed by merit screening.

Some of popular entrance examination for Master of Performing Arts are:

Exam Name Application Period Exam Date
CUCET  March - April 2023   1st to June 10, 2023
TISS NET December 14, 2022 – February 1, 2023  February 25, 2023
DUET  To be Announced To be Announced
LPUNEST 1st week of November 2022 – January  20, 2023  1st February to  February 10, 2023
DSAT December 18, 2022 – 4th week of July 2023    3rd week of August 2023

How to Prepare for the Master of Performing Arts Entrance Examination?

Preparation for the entrance in due time following the updates and notification on the college websites in order to clear the cut off of the institutions of Master of Performing Arts in India.Given below are some of the tips to keep ahead of the race

  • The entrance exams are conducted in Offline mode with 100 multiple choice questions divided into Part A and Part B .The mode may vary due to the pandemic . Entrance exams can be in CBT mode from now on.
  • Part A includes 25 MCQs and Part B with 75 MCQs.Candidate can cucetexam.in register just after the notification on the official download their admit card which arrives a few days before exam which generally takes place in the month of May.
  • PET ,CET or private entrance examination has a similar pattern –
  • General knowledge
  • English Comprehension
  • Aptitude
  • History of Performing Arts.
  • The second phase after qualifying the entrance ,which is solely done on the merit basis ,is the personal interview conducted by the respective universities.
  • The candidates need to carefully study the exam pattern and the syllabus.
  • Clearing up basic concepts of Performing Arts will be beneficial even for the Interview Round.

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How to Get Admission in a Good Master of Performing Arts College?

In order to secure a place and get admission to study in the best colleges of Master of Performing Arts, follow the points given below:

  • Do a research of the top colleges and the curriculum of MPA.
  • The syllabus,faculty,career options should be the guiding step to filter out colleges according to the candidate’s ease of access.
  • Constant checking of the updates and notifications is important.
  • Having a talk with the Seniors about the prospect can help in choosing the best college .
  • Preparing for the entrance as per the syllabus given.
  • Practice,brushing up on knowledge and then clearing the cut off will only fetch the candidate their ideal institute.

What is Master of Performing Arts All About?

Master of Performing Arts as the name of the degree suggests aim on making the student a professional performer.It is one of the most popular courses for the creative candidate.The programme is of two years duration.

  • Blending art of both the world, this course is uniquely curated to gather information of old world art and the modern world across the ocean.
  • Students learn the art of the interaction and implication in real life.After the two year duration students will be ready to cater to different roles are Theatre artist,Musical artist,Researcher,Academician.
  • Currently the institutions which offer the Masters abroad in Performing Arts are in the following programmes such as Production and Artistic Research, Music Studies, Music Theatre, Culture Studies.

Why Study Master of Performing Arts ?

Performing Arts provides a platform to build the confidence on stage by developing the skill through academics.It is  a must course for students already having Diploma or an experience of over five years in learning and being on stage

  • It is a practical work based subject so it needs the improvement in their performance during the course by analysing the subject.
  • Immediate first hand application is the highlight of this course.Students get to learn and perform that is how the curriculum is set up.
  • Most MPA degrees flow around several disciplines before choosing the specialisation.
  • The continuous adaptive learning by expanding the skill set in response to the new developments and changing environment.
  • In this 2 year programme the students are prepared to be job ready with the immediate completion of the course.
  • Students can pursue research at Centres of Eminence at National and International Level.
  • Postgraduates are offered jobs in the Entertainment Industry for the role of actors,choreographers.
  • The average annual salary of these professionals can be from 2.5 to 6 LPA.

Master of Performing Arts Vs Master of Arts

The table shows the difference between the two of the common degrees that are Masters Program for Arts are Master of Performing arts and Master of Arts  on the basis of few parameters.

Parameters Master of Performing Arts  Master of Arts 
Overview MPA is also a 2 year long programme with specialisation offered such as Dance,Drama,Theatrics M.A is a 2 year program with all the subjects that is offered in humanities stream.There are plenty of options to choose from such as History,Sociology
Eligibility Student with BPA/BA/Diploma with 50% criteria  Any student who has completed Bachelor of Arts with a minimum 50%
Admission procedure Entrance/Merit Entrance/Merit
Course Fee INR 2,500 to 60,000 INR 6000 to 40000
Job Profile Theatre artist,Actor,Director, Choreographer,Musical Artist Teacher,Administrative Officer,Journalist,Social worker,Researcher,Counsellor.
Average Annual salary INR 2 – INR 5 Lacs INR 2 – INR 4 Lakhs
MPA vs MA

Source: Official websites and Payscale

Top Masters in Performing Arts Colleges

Top Masters in Performing Arts Colleges

The details of top Masters in Performing Arts colleges are listed below  with the geographical location,fees ,and annual expected salary mentioned as follows

Name of the College Location Admission Process Average Annual Fees (INR)
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Aurangabad Merit-Based 1,227
Pondicherry University Pondicherry  Entrance-Based 23,781
Chandigarh University Chandigarh  Entrance-Based 50,000
NIMS University Jaipur  Entrance-Based 30,000
CMJ University Ribhoi  Entrance-Based 1,45,000
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University (RMLAU) Faizabad  Entrance-Based 23,450
All Indian Society for Electronics and Computer Technology Hazaribagh  Entrance-Based 16,000
Shri Krishna University(SKU) Chhatarpur Entrance-Based 36,000
Swami Vivekanand University Sagar Entrance-Based 19,500
Goa University Goa  Entrance-Based 26,790
Master of Performing Art: College Comparison

Master of Performing Art: College Comparison

Comparison between the top three institutes for Masters in Performing Arts on the basis of few parameters are given

Parameters Pondicherry University Chandigarh University NIMS University
Overview The Department of Performing Arts came into existence in 1989 offering MPA, MPhil,PhD in Drama and Theatre Arts. Chandigarh University (CU) is a Private University accredited with A+ Grade by NAAC. The university has a total student strength of 13,221 with more than 5,500 female students across all departments. There are 16 departments in total offering many specializations in undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. courses This university is established as per UGC ACT ,1956 with AICTE approval.It is a 2 year course that focuses training of Dance Practitioners with intensive research sessions.
Location Puducherry Chandigarh  Jaipur
Eligibility BPA/BA/Diploma with 55% . Minimum 55% in Bachelor's degree. Graduate in any degree from a recognized university under UGC or a minimum of 5 years of learning experience from a Guru.
Admission process Common Entrance Test Personal Interview and Skill Assessment Test Entrance exam followed by personal interview
Average Fee INR 23,781 INR 50,000 INR 30,000
Average Salary INR 6 LPA NR 5 LPA -
Top Recruiting Companies GE Healthcare, Bank of America, Cognizant, Honeywell IBM,Accenture, HCL,HP Deloitte, Endurance,Next Novity,Aptinova

College Comparison

Source: Official websites

Master of Performing Arts Syllabus

Master of Performing Arts Syllabus 

Master of performing arts is a vast stream with various region of specialization.The table below includes all the semester wise Master of Performing Arts syllabus

SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2
Fundamentals of Theatre and Drama History of Classical Indian drama
Fundamentals of Acting History and Development of Classical,Neo Classical and Elizabethan Theatre
Fundamentals of Theatre Design Technical theatre
History and Development of Modern Indian Drama Acting Theory & Practical
History and Development of Modern Western drama Play Production(Contemporary & Western)
Dance History Art history and Choreography
Traditional folk dance and Theatre of India Traditional Theatre of India and Western Ballet
History and Development of World Dance Critical Study of Practical & Theoretical aspects of Dance
SEMESTER 3 SEMESTER 4
Folk and Traditional Theatre Aesthetics :Indian and Western
Fundamentals of Direction Advance Script Writing
Stage and Event Management Theatre Research
Children Theatre Design Tech. (Makeup & Costume )
Design Technology (Scenic Design ) TV and Film Production
Analytical study of Ragas Analytical study of Talas
Acting for camera Theatrical Martial Arts
Voice & Speech Specialization : Direction,Acting, Design .
Compositional forms of Indian Vocal Music Critical Study of the component of Ragas and Talas
Improvisation ,Mime and Choreography Play Production (Major )
Stage Performance Music and Management
Ethnomusicology Raga Classification System
Comparative Aesthetics Folk music

Masters of Performing Arts Books

These are some of the essential books to follow Masters of Performing Arts

Books Author
Understanding Dance Graham Mcfee
Theatre,Theory,Theatre Daniel C. Gerould
Universal Dance & Drama P. Medini Hombal
A Confluence of Indian Drama N Text Utpal K. Banerjee
The Classical Music of North India Ali Akbar Khan
A Southern Music – The Carnatic Story T.M Krishna
Indian Folk & Tribal Paintings Charu Smita Gupta
What After Masters of Performing Arts?

What After Masters of Performing Arts? 

This particular course does not provide jobs in the top recruiting companies as the subject is completely different but definitely one can manage to get a job in an Art Institute.

  • The course is suitable for those who want to work in Theatre,Criticism ,Government Institution,International Film Organization.
  • The students may join Institutes as a faculty or a researcher or they may choose to work independently.

Following table highlights the top Masters of Performing Arts jobs, along with the description and the average salary.

Job Role Job Description Average Annual Fee (INR)
Actor Acts in film,serials,commercials mainly works in front of camera 10 Lakhs to 1 Cr
Music Teacher Teaches the ragas and talas of music,vocal skills, implantation of the techniques. 1.5 Lakhs to 4Lakhs
Theatre Artist Works in a live stage environment,with live audiences ,basically performing in open theatre or plays. 2Lakhs to 4 Lakhs
Stage Manager Responsible for the production and management of the stage 3.5 to 4 Lakhs
Dramatherapist Use drama or theatrical process in order in to achieve therapeutic goals 5 to 6.5 Lakhs
Director Responsible for creating a motion picture be it film,play,commercial,serials. 6.5 to 10Lakhs
Choreographer Expresses the emotions through dance 5 to 4Lakhs
MPA Salary Trend

Source: Payscale

What is the Future Scope of Masters of Performing Arts?

From being an Entrepreneur to Dramatherapist to Composer ,there are a bundle of exciting roles .Beginning of the career can be challenging for some but gradually they get fame and praise after doing field work for a few years.

  • Strong Ethics ,Communication Skill and the Art of management can be the reason why people are getting inclined in this field unlike.This degree works as a growing step for PhD and M.Phil candidates.
  • The employment sector is also growing right from Government Institution or Criticism to the Film Industry.The areas where the academic knowledge can be utilized are Arts administrator, Film Director, Broadcast administrator, Special effects technician, Sound and Light technician, Theatre Stage Manager.
  • Self Employment is also on the rise for many artists who open their own studio or conduct workshops with a particular form which they are interested in to explore.
  • The experience can be gathered by involving in the creative process of filmmaking ,stage performance,music composition as much as possible.Sometime unpaid ,charitable ,self funding work can help the candidate to grow as a performing artist by sharing and discussing ideas with co-worker .

This being a challenging field ,candidates are required to work on their presentation skill,analyzing,detailing ability .

If a masters graduate is ready to explore their skill with an open mind and experiment with new ideas there will always be many avenues open for them.

The pay package and the placement opportunity has increased. Now a performing artist easily earns upto 5 Lakhs considering the competition in the creative field and the pay gap issue.More than 75% are employed and 10% opting for higher studies as per the current trend.

Especially for the students who want to go for higher studies or PhD ,abroad can get a fully funded research programme .It can vary from four to five year depending upon the area of research.

Read More: PhD Courses

Masters of Performing Arts: FAQs

Masters of Performing Arts: FAQs

Ques.:What is the fee structure in public and private colleges for Masters in Performing Arts ?

Ans. The fee in Public College can be between 3000 INR to 1 Lakh while in Private Colleges the fee may vary from 20000 INR to 1.7 Lac approximately.

Ques. What is the average annual salary of Performing Artist ?

Ans.The salary can be from 3,00,000 to 5,00,000 Lakhs according to the project or assignment provided.

Ques: Is MPA a worthy course to take up ?

Ans.If the candidate is eager to gather knowledge to polish their choice of skill and specialise in it one must opt for MPA.

Ques:What is the duration of the course ?

Ans. It is a four semester ,two years duration course.

Ques.What makes a Master of Performing arts a desired course ?

Ans.IIt imparts deep knowledge related to Dance,Drama ,Music and the jobs offered in these fields are creatively satisfying.

Ques.Name some entrance examinations which are accepted by reputed institutes.

Ans.BHU PET,CUCET are the entrance examinations which are accepted nationally for a Master of Performing Arts degree.

Ques.What is the most sought after job profile of MPA graduates abroad ?

Ans. Drama Therapist and Artrepreneur are some of the jobs that are popular abroad.

Ques.What is the Career Option for MPA graduates who are more inclined towards academics ?

Ans.Master of Performing Arts graduates can pursue PhD and then join any institution as an Academician.

Ques.What are the desirable qualities of an MPA graduate ?

Ans. Visualisation,Communication and Expression with strong background research are the desirable qualities .

Ques.What  is the Master of Performing Arts syllabus?

Ans. Fundamentals of Acting,Drama,Theatre Research,Production Management ,Origin of Eastern and Western Dance Forms,Analysis of Ragas are some of the subjects taught over a period of two years.

Ques.Is there any option for earning the candidate who does not want to join anywhere after the course ?

Ans. Self employment is spiking in this field with people opening studios and companies where they teach ,mentor,guide students who are eager to pursue their career in Performing Arts.

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Master of Performing Arts [MPA] Colleges IN INDIA

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50 K first year fees
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20.74 K first year fees
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NIMS University
Jaipur, Rajasthan
90 K first year fees
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CMJ University
Ri-Bhoi, Meghalaya
30 K first year fees
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1.24 K first year fees
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AISECT University
Hazaribagh, Jharkhand
11 K first year fees
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IPS Academy
Indore, Madhya Pradesh
40 K first year fees
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10 K first year fees
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