Department Website
Program Description
The first of its kind (and still one of a very few) as a stand-alone doctoral program in performance studies, NYU Performance Studies was ranked #1 by the National Research Council in its survey of doctoral programs in theater and performance studies. Many of our graduates have gone on to academic positions in leading research institutions worldwide, publish award-winning books and articles, and shape the future of the field.
We accept 4 students per year, all of whom receive intensive and highly individualized mentoring and training, as well as a five-year comprehensive fellowship program that includes full tuition and fee remission, comprehensive health insurance coverage and a stipend. During the first year of entry to the PhD program, students will receive a one-time supplementary fellowship to assist with academic startup (books, computers, or supplies) and housing costs. Further questions regarding the details of the PhD financial packages can be addressed by contacting the Department. The PhD Program in Performance Studies is administered by the Tisch School of the Arts and the degree is conferred by the Graduate School of Arts and Science at NYU.
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Admissions
Please see the Tisch Graduate Admissions page to learn more about the application process, and the Performance Studies; Graduate Admissions page for full application instructions.
Program Requirements
The program requires the completion of 70 credits with a grade of B or better. Students must also satisfy the foreign language requirement, pass the area examination, and write and orally defend a dissertation. Students admitted with an MA degree should note that previous graduate work is not automatically applied to the PhD degree. The department chair will determine allowable transfer credit examines each student’s record.
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| PERF-GT 2201 | Advanced Reading in Performance Studies 1 | 4 |
| PERF-GT 2616 | Methods in Performance Studies 1 | 4 |
| PERF-GT 2301 | Dissertation Proposal 2 | 0 |
| 28 |
| 34 |
| Total Credits | 70 |
Elective course offerings change depending on the semester. Please review the Graduate Course Bulletins for semester offerings linked on the Graduate Courses page on the Performance Studies website.
Additional Program Requirements
Foreign Language Proficiency
A candidate for the doctorate must demonstrate proficiency in at least one foreign language. Students are urged to fulfill the language requirement before they have completed course work. For further information, see the Degree Requirements section of this bulletin.
Area Examination
The area examination is offered every spring semester. At a meeting during the registration period each fall semester, the policies and procedures of the area examination are outlined in detail. Students must take the area examination the first time it is offered after they have fulfilled the foreign language requirement and completed 70 points of course work. The area examination consists of three sets of take-home questions to be answered within a period of 12 days. Students are examined in one general area and two areas of their design. The areas are developed in consultation with the students’ adviser and must be approved by a faculty committee two semesters prior to the examination semester. The two topic areas may be
- a theory area,
- a history area,
- a genre of performance, or
- a geographical or cultural area’s performance.
Students prepare preliminary and final reading lists for their advising committee’s review. The advising committees draft each student’s examination questions according to the approved reading lists and topic area statements. Students must answer one question in each area. If a student fails a question, the student must take the question again the following year. The student may be required to complete additional course work before taking the examination again. A student who fails one or more questions twice cannot continue in the Ph.D. program. Students should consult the department office regarding deadlines and procedures.
Admission to Candidacy
Formal candidacy is granted only after a student has been in residence for a year, demonstrated foreign language proficiency, passed the area examination, and received approval of the dissertation proposal.
Doctoral Dissertation
PERF-GT 2301 Dissertation Proposal, is required the semester after the student has passed the area examination. When the dissertation proposal is completed, it must be reviewed and approved by a three-member faculty committee. Consult the department for the procedures for defending the dissertation. Any reader who is not a member of the New York University GSAS faculty must be approved in advance by GSAS. All five members of the dissertation committee must be present when the student publicly defends the dissertation.
Three of the five readers must be faculty of the Department of Performance Studies or approved faculty from another NYU department.
Departmental Approval
All Graduate School of Arts & Science doctoral candidates must be approved for graduation by their department for the degree to be awarded.
Sample Plan of Study
Plan of Study Grid
| 1st Semester/Term |
|---|
| PERF-GT 2201 |
Advanced Reading in Performance Studies |
4 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
34 |
| | Credits | 46 |
| 2nd Semester/Term |
|---|
| PERF-GT 2616 |
Methods in Performance Studies |
4 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
| | Credits | 12 |
| 3rd Semester/Term |
|---|
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
| | Credits | 12 |
| 4th Semester/Term |
|---|
| MAINT-GA 4747 |
Maintain Matriculation () |
0 |
| | Credits | 0 |
| 5th Semester/Term |
|---|
| PERF-GT 2301 |
Dissertation Proposal |
0 |
| MAINT-GA 4747 |
Maintain Matriculation () |
0 |
| | Credits | 0 |
| 6th Semester/Term |
|---|
| MAINT-GA 4747 |
Maintain Matriculation () |
0 |
| | Credits | 0 |
| | Total Credits | 70 |
Following completion of the required coursework for the PhD, students are expected to maintain active status at New York University by enrolling in a research/writing course or a Maintain Matriculation (MAINT-GA 4747) course. All non-course requirements must be fulfilled prior to degree conferral, although the specific timing of completion may vary from student-to-student.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:
- Understand performance as socially significant object of study.
- Understand performance as knowledge production.
- Have the ability to perform critical research, analysis, interpretation, theorization, and to communicate effectively in both oral and written forms.
- Deploy and apply all the theoretical and methodological tools they have acquired throughout their coursework in primary, original, research.
- Develop at least three different course syllabi in their areas of expertise at the undergraduate and at the graduate level.
- Acquire the pedagogical tools to teach both small, topical seminars as well as to teach in the context of large introductory lectures.
Policies
Program Policies
Students must complete 70 points of course work with a grade of B or better, satisfy the foreign language requirement, pass the area examination, and write and orally defend a dissertation. For students who received an MA from the Department of Performance Studies, 34 credits will be applied towards their PhD coursework requirement. PhD students who received a Master's degree from another university may transfer a maximum of 34 credits toward their PhD coursework requirement. Students admitted with an MA degree should note that previous graduate work is not automatically applied to the PhD degree. The department chair will determine allowable transfer credit examines each student’s record.
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
Graduate School of Arts and Science Policies
Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page.