In 1957 (1336 AH) by order of the General Directorate of Fine Arts, Dr. Mehdi Forough, a dramatic literature graduate from the United States who had returned to Iran in 1955 (1334 AH), was commissioned to use talented, competent, and organizational artists to introduce those interested in the principles and foundations of dramatic arts and cinema in Iran, thus, the first official institution of the performing arts in the new era called the “Dramatic Arts office” in 1957.

The activities of this office were as follows;

• Create a dedicated library for researchers, students and Theater, cinema and literature enthusiasts
• Publishing a bi-weekly magazine containing articles and events in the field of theater, this publication was sent free of charge to interested parties and applicants for seven years
• Print and publish show magazine
• Forming various groups in order to bring to the works of Iranian and foreign playwrights
• Performing weekly TV shows that, despite of the limited TV coverage in Tehran, played an effective role in the audience’s habit of going to the theater
• Performing theater programs in theaters
• Sending theatrical groups to provinces and cities and border points to perform plays for army
• Performing puppet shows in schools and cultural associations in Tehran and other cities.
• Holding annual playwriting and translation competitions for plays to encourage authors and translators
• Sending a number of talented artists abroad for additional studies in the field of theater
• Holding lectures and discussions about theater

With the efforts of Dr. Forough's in 1958 (1337AH) in order to introduce those interested in the principles and foundations of dramatic arts and cinema, the Free Conservatory of Dramatic Arts was established.

The study period in this conservatory was one year and there was no entrance exam, and those interested in theater, having a full high school diploma, could enroll in these classes by paying tuition. They received a certificate after completing this course, but the conservatory made it possible for those who did not have a high school diploma to attend classes freely, but they were not given a certificate. At the Free Art Academy were taught acting, playwriting, articulation, decoration, make-up and photography.
 

Education at the School of Dramatic Arts
After years of efforts by theater artists in groups, classes and theaters, the need to establish a university institution to teach the performing arts became a necessity. Therefore, in 1963 (1342AH), the Minister of Culture and Arts gave a mission to Dr. Mehdi Forough to provide the preconditions for establishing an higher school for teaching art theater, cinema, television and radio. Following that, in the same year, the "School of Dramatic Arts" headed by Dr. Forough came to life and began its educational activities in the presence of experienced instructors in the fields of theater and cinema. In the academic year of 1970 (1349AH), with the approval of the Higher Education Development Council, the Art School of Dramatic Arts was renamed the "Faculty of Dramatic Arts".

Dr. Forough, who had studied theater in the West, the curriculum of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts was developed in accordance with the curricula of the world's advanced universities and with regard to the rich culture and art of Iran. This college started its work with four fields of study: "Playwriting and Dramatic Literature", "Acting and Directing", "Decoration and Stage Design" and "Cinema, Television and Radio" and then in 1971 (1350AH), a two-year puppetry course was added to it, which It was upgraded to a four-year period in 1972 (1351AH). The curriculum in the first two years was general, with various subjects including: philosophy, mythology, history of mythology, methodology, sociology, psychology, literature, theater criticism, rhetoric, cinema, music, traditional theater and Tazieh, and in the following two years specific courses were taught.

Apart from "Decoration and Stage Design" and "Puppet Show", the other fields of study of this college included three majors:

Dramatic playwriting and dramatic literature:

• Playwriting 
• Dramatic literature

Acting and directing:

• Acting 
• Directing 

Cinema and television and radio:

• Filming
• Directing

The courses of the School of Dramatic Arts were based on a unit system, and the students received their bachelor's degree by passing 140 units. Research and practical dissertation was required to receive the academic certificate and the minimum time to complete all units was four academic years.
 

The Faculty of Dramatic Arts established the night course of the faculty in March 1974(1353AH) with two majors: "Acting and Directing" and "Cinema and Television". The number of units, exams, dissertations, rules and regulations, as well as the value of the degree was the same as the daily course. The difference is that the study period in night classes was at least 6 years and the daily study hours started at 5 pm. In 1975 (1354AH), the faculty organized summer courses so that night students could study for a shorter period of time.

During the above-mentioned period, the library of the School of Dramatic Arts did not have much space, but it was very rich. According to a report from the library in 1976 (1355AH), the collection of books available at the School of Dramatic Arts was 6523 volumes, including plays, taziyehs, handwritten collections, history books, philosophy, literature, cinema, theater, dance and music in Persian, English, and French. German, Italian, Russian included. In addition, there were prestigious cultural and artistic magazines in the library that assisted in the research of professors and students of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts.

At the end of 1977 (1356AH), an institution called "Higher Education Institutions affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Arts" was established in a building on Takhtejamshid Street (Taleghani) near Roosevelt Street (Shahid Mofteh). And covered all independent colleges and centers of higher education affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Arts, i.e. the Faculty of Dramatic Arts
Decorative Arts covered the Higher Conservatory of Music and the National Academy of Music. 
This institute was terminated shortly after the Islamic Revolution, its structure was maintained and its duties were entrusted to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Science, Research and Technology).

After the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979 (1358AH), according to the Cultural Revolution Headquarters, five pre-revolutionary educational institutions, namely the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, the Faculty of Decorative Arts, the Higher Conservatory of Music, the National Academy of Music, and Farabi University, were merged to form the University of Art and officially it reopened and started its activities in 1983 (1362AH). 

With the quantitative and qualitative growth and expansion of the university, which increased the number of undergraduate and graduate courses and the number of students and the existence of a relatively active research center, "University of Art Complex" was renamed "University of Art" in 1991(1370AH) and the following collections named:
 

The Faculty of Applied Arts, Visual Arts, Cinema and Campus of Isfahan continued its activities, while Farabi University was merged with the University of Arts during this period, and its students were transferred to one of the above faculties according to their field of study.

The Faculty of Music, which had not been educational for many years, It started working again in 1994 (1373AH).
 

Education in the Faculty of Cinema & Theater