“We understand performance as both an object of inquiry and
as a lens through which to view the world.”
The PhD in Performance Studies is an interdisciplinary degree
combining academic work that is theoretically and critically
engaged with performance practice as research. The graduate group
is highly supportive of PhD students, who are encouraged to build
personal research areas with active mentoring and within a strong
graduate culture. Students coming into the program work with
outstanding faculty whose areas of expertise cover a wide range
of historical periods, media and approaches to performance
studies.
The PhD offers a mainstream focus on criticism, history and
theory, as well as the option to focus on practice as
research. ‘Practice as research’ (PAR) is the term used to
describe challenging graduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral
research and critical reflection into various areas of
performance practice and media. Candidates who would like to
emphasize the practice as research strand must have at least ten
to fifteen years of experience in professional performance fields
or with professional media experience.
The strand of the PhD that focuses on criticism, history and
theory has long roots in the faculty and university campus at
Davis. It continues to be a popular option and can
be complemented in exciting and novel ways by a PAR project.
The PFS graduate group is highly supportive of PhD students, who
are encouraged to build personal research areas with active
mentoring and within a strong graduate culture. Students
coming into the program work with outstanding faculty whose areas
of expertise cover a wide range of historical periods, media and
approaches to performance studies.
