Founded in 1982, the graduate program offers Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Performance Studies as one of the first of its kind, and is ranked #1 for doctoral programs in Theater and Performance Studies by the National Research Council. The B.A., our newest program in Performance Studies, brings this exciting and rapidly-expanding field of study to undergraduates, training them to think and write critically about performance in a wide range of professional contexts.

Our programs are designed to prepare graduates for careers in academia, arts-related fields, and beyond.  Classes are small, rigorous, and taught by leading thinkers in the field, and students are guided to develop their skills in research, analysis, and professionalization. 

Performance Studies Students

"I'm not sure I'd be able to pursue work like mine like this anywhere else, because performance studies is always looking to accept and to grow, to expand itself beyond itself in order to take seriously the objects, processes, and performances that make the world around us."
— Nick Bazzano, Ph.D. candidate