Fees and Application

Applications are due by November 29, 2023. 

Applications will be reviewed and decisions made on a rolling basis until the Spring Virtual Session is full (cap of 16) or the final deadline of December 1, (whichever comes first). We encourage you to apply early. We will close applications and update the website when the course is full.

The total fee for completing the opera direction non-credit bearing professional certificate is $9,150. The certificate is only awarded if both the Spring Virtual Session and Summer Residential Workshop are completed. If you are in need of room and board for the Summer Residential Workshop, you can opt-in for an additional fee.

Spring VIRTUAL Session

The cost for the Spring Virtual Session is $3,500. This cost includes:

• Access to the Ithaca College Canvas learning management system;
• All instructional materials;
• Personalized feedback and guidance from professional opera stage director, Chuck Hudson;
• Two hours of coursework for 14 weeks, on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 - 8:00 pm EST (Participants will gain the most benefit from participating during this designated time; however, an asynchronous version can be available for participants unable to accommodate this meeting time). Additional work will be required in between these sessions.

Summer Residential Workshop

The cost for the Summer Residential Workshop is $5,650. This includes:

• All instructional materials;
• Full-time individualized feedback from professional opera stage director, Chuck Hudson;
• Embodied application of your stage direction skills with accomplished singers, pianists, and conductors; 
• High-quality recording of your fully-staged work; and
• A certificate in Opera Direction upon completion of both the Level One: Spring Virtual Session and Level Two: Summer Residential Workshop.

Optional Room and Board

If you require room and board during the summer residential workshop, we offer an optional campus housing and meal plan at an additional cost. The fees for this optional plan will be posted as soon as they are available. Participants stay in campus housing in a single room in a residence hall. While the room is private, the residence hall has a shared bathroom and kitchen. Dining options are available on campus, however are more limited during the summer. 

Ithaca College is unable to offer financial aid for our certificate programs at this time. Tuition remission for Ithaca College employees and dependents does not apply to this program.