What an MFA Degree Is and What You Need to Know

Maria Cominis – a theater professor, professional director and working actress who has published books about acting and who most recently played Mona Clarke on the TV show “Desperate Housewives” – says that she has “never regretted” getting an MFA.

Cominis, who teaches at California State University—Fullerton says people who pursue an MFA are typically seeking an artistic career, because they believe such a career would be fulfilling. Cominis adds that most prospective MFAs understand that it is unlikely they will become rich and famous, but that’s besides the point.

“I don’t think that anybody goes into the arts to become rich,” she says. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody – whether it’s a playwright, an actor, a designer – that enters the arts to become a gazillionaire.”