PhD in Theater and Performance Studies in Los Angeles United States | University of California, Los Angeles

The Doctor of Philosophy in Theater and Performance Studies is a cutting-edge, multidisciplinary program providing a global perspective on theater, performance, and performative arts. This selective program cultivates exceptional scholars whose work deepens our comprehension of performance traditions within their historical and cultural contexts. With a focus on individualized mentorship, students develop both academic expertise and professional skills while often benefiting from teaching assistantships and fellowships. Our faculty's diverse research specialties support an extensive variety of dissertation topics, employing innovative analytical approaches from critical theory to examine performance practices. Recent doctoral research has explored areas such as digital performance art, traditional Brazilian costume design, nationalist theater in China and Taiwan, African American musical performance, modern Japanese theater, Korean film and performance, Chicana cultural expressions, and historical analyses of feminist and queer performance tactics.