Ranked number 4 in Performance Studies in the United States, students can pursue a Ph.D. or get a Designated Emphasis in Studies in Performance and Practice to complement the Ph.D. they are currently pursuing in affiliated departments.
The Ph.D. in Performance Studies is a four-to-five-year program. In the first two years of study, students develop an understanding of performance by drawing from a range of regular course offerings in the field to identify, explore, and define a field or fields of research. Students are required to complete four core courses out of nine. Each individual program is then built from seminar and/or practice as research courses, as well as independent or group studies.
For the Office of Graduate Studies Forms and Informational Materials page follow this link.
First-Year Exam
First-Year Exam Rubric
You have 24 hours from receipt of the examination questions to answer TWO questions and send the answers as an electronic document, preferably in Word, to Marian Bilheimer ([email protected]) and …. [[email protected],….]
Make sure to spend approximately the same amount of time on each question, aiming to complete approximately 2,500 words (edited) for each. The answers you give should reflect your historical, theoretical, critical and methodological research in preparation for the examination, and you may draw on any other research you have done. Each question you answer should make direct reference to at least one and preferably two areas of performance in any medium. Demonstration of detailed knowledge and ability to analyze actual examples is as important as demonstration of general knowledge, theoretical perspective, and critical skill.
Evaluation of First-Year Written Exam
The first year exam is designed to allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the methodological and theoretical issues addressed in the required courses offered during the year. Successful performance on the exam is an indication of the confidence of the examiners that you have made satisfactory progress in your graduate work and have engaged the material in a manner that indicates potential for success in completing the Ph.D. Students receiving an UNSATISFACTORY in 3 or more categories will be considered to have failed the exam.
Qualifying Exam
Dissertation
Conduct of Final Ph.D. Oral Examination
The standard format for the oral examination of the Dissertation is as follows:
- everyone meets and then the candidate is asked to leave for a few minutes while the examiners discuss how to organize the questioning and we get a general sense of how the examiners feel about the dissertation going into the oral.
- candidate comes in the room and is invited to present for 5–10 minutes on issues arising from the dissertation.
- Chair asks committee members to raise questions or points of discussion. Often this is organized by passing from member to member, giving each 10–15 minutes, with other members contributing where relevant. Discussion focuses on the written examinations and, where relevant, the portfolio for the practice as research elements.
- After the discussion of the dissertation the candidate is asked to leave and there is usually a discussion of usually 10–15 minutes, during which the committee consults and determines whether it is satisfied by the examination questioning.
- The committee decides on whether the dissertation PASSES, PASSES with minor corrections (completed in one week), PASSES with major corrections (completed within 3 months), or does NOT PASS.
- the candidate is asked back in and informed of the decision.
- if necessary, arrangements are made for a re-submission but no further oral examination will take place.