PhD in Theatre - Performance Studies in Honolulu United States | University of Hawaii at Manoa

The Performance Studies program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, while housed in the Department of Theatre and Dance, operates as an interdisciplinary initiative that connects with multiple UHM departments through shared courses, research projects, and creative partnerships. The curriculum integrates diverse disciplines from Theatre and Dance (including Asian Theatre, Hawaiian Theatre, Dance, Digital Media, Performance Theory, and World Dance/Theatre) alongside collaborations with programs like the Academy of Creative Media, Anthropology, Art, Communicology, Ethnomusicology, and Philosophy.

Growing academic interest in performance-related terminology across arts, humanities, and social sciences reflects broader recognition of boundary-crossing approaches, dynamic processes, improvisational methods, situational adaptability, multifaceted identities, and embodied research practices. Bridging theory and practice, media and physical expression, tradition and experimentation, as well as local and global perspectives, UHM's Performance Studies program is deeply rooted in its unique Pacific Island setting.
Graduate students can pursue an MA in Dance (Performance Studies), MA in Theatre (Performance Studies), or a PhD in Theatre (Performance Studies)