Cornell Performing & Media Arts - PMA

Cornell University’s Department of Performing and Media Arts (PMA) is housed within the iconic Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts.

The PMA program provides opportunities for students to explore theatre, film, and dance as distinct art forms, or to combine these disciplines in exciting ways. Whether students choose to major, minor, or enroll in select classes, they can integrate work in acting and film, theatre and television, dance and light, new media and sound.

The PMA major is both flexible and rigorous, giving students multiple options in designing their own program of study. In consultation with a faculty advisor, they also develop a focus in their area of interest. The departmental curriculum offers a robust selection of courses, from introductory to advanced levels, and from both creative and critical perspectives.

Students can also study abroad thru PMA in Europe or work in the industry as part of PMA's Cornell in Hollywood summer internship program in Los Angeles.

The Schwartz Center’s marble walls encompass all the elements needed for teaching and performance in theatre, film and dance: four performance spaces; dance and theatre rehearsal studios; scenery, costume and prop shops; sound and lighting design studios; and state of the art film editing and production suites.

The Schwartz Center serves as a catalyst for the creative and intellectual endeavors of the many talented students, faculty and staff at Cornell. Students with varied interests—in criticism, film production, theatre, acting, directing, theatre and media history, screenwriting, dancing, film, media, sound design, lighting, costumes, multimedia work or international media and theatre work—can all find courses, productions, events, clubs and organizations, competitions and special opportunities at the Schwartz Center.

All of the department’s activities build on a commitment to diversity and collaboration across all areas of the department, as well as across Cornell and the broader community. Also part of our department is Cornell Cinema, which has been cited as one of the best campus film exhibition programs in the country, screening close to 150 different films/videos each year, five nights a week in the beautiful Willard Straight Theatre. Each calendar includes an array of classic Hollywood and foreign films, independent titles, documentaries, experimental work, recent International cinema, silent films with live musical accompaniment, cult classics and recent Hollywood and arthouse hits, in addition to guest appearances by visiting filmmakers and faculty.