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30 Performing Arts and Dance PhD Degree Programs
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University of the Arts Helsinki
PhD of Artistic Research in Performing Arts
- Helsinki, Finland
PhD
Full time
4 years
On-Campus
English, Finnish, Swedish
Artist-researchers produce practice-based knowledge, expertise, and understanding that can be used and applied both in the arts and in other fields of society. Tutke’s doctoral students conduct multidisciplinary artistic research. Artistic and pedagogical practice is seen as a way of thinking and understanding, not as something that needs to be explained. Doctoral students learn to articulate, conceptualize, and theorize their practice-based artistic knowledge and questions that arise from it.
Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (AMU)
PhD in Art of Dance and Nonverbal Theatre
PhD
Full time
3 years
On-Campus
English
The PhD in Art of Dance and Nonverbal Theatre is for those holding a Master’s degree who seek to pursue advanced artistic and scholarly work in contemporary dance, nonverbal performance and related fields. This supports artistic creation alongside critical, theoretical and research-based inquiry.
Goldsmiths, University of London
MPhil/PhD Drama
- London, United Kingdom
PhD
Full time, Part time
On-Campus
English
The Department of Theatre and Performance's research embraces a range of global theory and practice in theatre and performance including play-texts, physical practices and critical/cultural theory on which students can draw in their research.
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University of Plymouth
PhD Performing Arts
- Plymouth, United Kingdom
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The PhD in Performing Arts is designed for individuals who want to explore and develop their practice in dance, theatre, or performance. Students can work on a variety of projects, including practical...
Cornell University
Performing and Media Arts, Ph.D.
- Ithaca, USA
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The Ph.D. program in Performing and Media Arts focuses on developing advanced knowledge and skills within the fields of performance studies, media, and related interdisciplinary areas. Students are en...
University of East London
Performing Arts Prof Doc
- London, United Kingdom
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The Professional Doctorate (Prof Doc) in Performing Arts is designed for experienced practitioners who want to deepen their knowledge and skills while contributing to their field. It's a structured pa...
University of California, Santa Barbara
Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies, PhD
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The PhD program in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies is designed for students who want to deepen their understanding of performance across various disciplines. It emphasizes both theoretical and...
Brown University
PhD in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies
- College Hill, USA
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The PhD program in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies offers a flexible, student-centered approach to exploring theatre and performance. It emphasizes both practical skills and theoretical knowledge...
York University - School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design
PhD in Dance Studies
- Toronto, Canada
PhD
On-Campus
English
The focus of the Dance Studies program is to pursue dance research in preparation for careers in academia or the cultural sector. Employment possibilities for graduates range from teaching in post-secondary education to work in archives and museums, arts administration, publishing, journalism and the media.
City University Of New York
PhD in Theatre and Performance
- New York, USA
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The PhD program in Theatre and Performance is designed to support students who want to deepen their understanding of theatre arts through rigorous research. It emphasizes a combination of practical ex...
University of Minnesota
Theatre Arts Ph.D.
- Minneapolis, USA
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The Theatre Arts Ph.D. program offers advanced training in the study and practice of theatre, focusing on developing students' expertise in areas such as acting, directing, design, history, theory, an...
University of Colorado Boulder
Theatre, PhD
- Boulder, USA
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The PhD program in Theatre at this institution is designed for students who want to develop deep expertise in the field through rigorous research and creative practice. It emphasizes independent schol...
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
PhD in Theater and Performance Studies
- Los Angeles, USA
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The PhD program in Theater and Performance Studies at UCLA is designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the historical, theoretical, and cultural aspects of theater and performa...
University of York
PhD in Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media by Creative Practice
- York, United Kingdom
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The program offers a comprehensive approach to advanced study in theatre, film, television, and interactive media through creative practice. It is designed for individuals who want to develop their pr...
Texas Tech University
Fine Arts, Ph.D., with a Track in Theatre
- Lubbock, USA
PhD
Full time
On-Campus
English
The Ph.D. program in Fine Arts with a focus in Theatre is designed for students who want to deepen their understanding of theatrical arts and contribute new ideas to the field. It emphasizes advanced ...
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Learn more about Performing Arts and Dance PhD degree programs
You'll spend your doctoral years doing something rare: pushing the boundaries of what performance scholarship can say and do. A PhD in Performing Arts and Dance sits at the intersection of rigorous academic inquiry and embodied artistic practice.
The doctoral environment fosters intellectual independence and a commitment to original contribution within the field. You'll develop a sustained research project, whether that means theorizing movement as cultural knowledge, investigating choreographic archives, or examining the politics of the performing body. Coursework typically covers performance theory, ethnography of dance, historiography, and research methodology specific to practice-based disciplines.
At this level, you're expected to produce work that genuinely advances the field. That might mean authoring a dissertation, mounting a practice-as-research performance, or publishing in peer-reviewed journals alongside your creative output. Many doctoral graduates move into university faculty positions, curatorship, arts administration, or independent artistic research roles. Some lead practice-as-research initiatives within conservatoires or arts organizations. A PhD signals that you can generate new knowledge in this discipline, not just interpret existing work.