The following information is divided into two sections: a list of core courses, and courses by quarter (elective and core).
Core Courses
PFS 200: Methods, Materials and Performance Research
Essential research tools in performance and related fields; bibliographies, primary sources; methods of evaluating and presenting evidence; delineating research areas in the field; current debates; researching, shaping and presenting oral and written paper.
PFS 265A: Modes of Production
Introduces students to the literature of performance production in a variety of media: theatre, dance, film, video, computer-based, looking at cultural, aesthetic, rhetorical and political theory. May be repeated.
PFS 265B: Signification and the Body
Introduces students to analysis of the body in performance, drawing on theoretical models from several fields. Material will vary depending on instructor but examples might include body mechanics, the body and social behavior, body movement and theories of rhetoric, historical theories of body and soul. May be repeated.
PFS 265C: Performance and Society
Introduces students to the role of performance (broadly defined), in everyday life, sociopolitical negotiation, identity, social movements, the media, the environment, the state, transnational and global sites. Material will differ depending on instructor, but topics might include presidential elections, performative aspects of medicine and law, religious ritual, ecological activism, among others. May be repeated.
PFS 265D: Theories of Performance Studies
Performance Studies is a new discipline, growing out of several others including history and analysis of text within the fields of theatre and dance, anthropology and ethnology, linguistics, sociology, cultural and technological studies. There is a very substantial field of theory, history and criticism that has developed, which is integral to the understanding and development of performance research generally. Depending on the instructor the topics may vary, but could include history from Stanislavski to Grotowski, the impact of poststructural theory on performance, and/or ethical responsibility in performance. May be repeated.
PFS 290: Colloquia in Performance Studies
The 290 course is the place in the curriculum reserved for pre-qualifying exam students to engage visiting artists, speakers and events in person and in written form. You will attend a series of 290-eligible events through the year, write a 1–2 page summary response (summarizing the event/performance/talk and responding with your thoughts to contextualize, discuss, and problematize). At some point in the year (often in the Spring Quarter), you will enroll in 290 with your Major Professor or 1st year advisor, and hand these in to them at the end of the year. The events and the writing will hopefully do several things:
- Give you credit for support / attending events
- Expand / explode notions of a defined canon and focus on the evolving nature of the field
- Give you an opportunity to talk with your professor about performances
- Create a reservoir of case studies to draw on at a later point (exams, research, articles, dissertation, etc.)
Recognizing that many events now enable remote participation, here are the guidelines for eligible 290 events:
- The number of 290 write-ups required is 6–8 unique events / speakers.
- 290 eligible events will include program events and other performance / PAR related events and research that take place both outside of the program and off-campus. Just identify and attend something you think might qualify, and then use your write-up to justify why / how it fits.
To do this, check in with your professor and then ask Marian for the CRN for the 290 associated with your professor. Arrange to submit the 6–8 writeups to them by the end of the quarter. They will submit a satisfactory grade after review.
PFS 299: Individual Study
As a Performance Studies core course, PFS 299: Individual Studies offers students the opportunity to set up an independent study on a subject that may not be offered within the catalog with a professor of their choosing. It is important to note that independent studies must be approved by both the PFS Program Coordinator and the Professor(s), in order to obtain the correct CRN for registration. Additionally scheduling must be organized between the student and the Professor(s). May register anywhere from 4 to 12 units.
Courses by Quarter
Spring 2026
PFS 265B, Signification and the Body, Margaret Kemp, Thursdays, 10 – 12:50 in 222 Wright Hall. Syllabus on request.
Winter 2026
PFS 265C, Performance and Society: Oppositional Performance and Social Movements, L. M. Bogad, Tuesdays, 1:10 – 4, 112 Art Annex
This seminar examines the often-fraught relationship between politically motivated performances (broadly defined), social movements, the media, and the state. Students will analyze and discuss the texts, and will be responsible for independent research in preparation for class presentations. Final project will be a major research paper, or a practical project complemented by a shorter paper which theorizes and justifies the project.
ENL 290F, Graduate Workshop in Fiction, MFA Creative Writing Program. Contact Lucy Corin with a writing sample in advance for permission to register.
STS 205 / PFS 265B, Current Issues in STS – Embodiment, Joe Dumit, Theories and Practices of Embodiment Research, W 2:10 – 5, Shrem Museum, CRN 38912
Fall 2025
PFS 200, Methods and Materials in Theatre Research, Jon Rossini, W 2:10 – 5, 222 Wright, CRN 42157
PFS 200 is an introduction to key questions and approaches within Performance Studies. Along with readings in key texts in performance theory and highly regarded contemporary examples of scholarship, we will host several faculty from the Graduate Group who will provide their own perspectives on the materials and methods of Performance Studies.
PFS 265C, Performance and Society, Fiamma Montezemolo, M 1:10 – 4, 1107 Cruess, CRN 49786
This graduate seminar offers a collaborative space for students to present and discuss their artistic and research practices. Using a structured critique model, the course fosters peer feedback, interdisciplinary exchange, and critical reflection. Open to artists, writers, and researchers across fields, it encourages experimental approaches that bridge theory and practice in a supportive, dialogic environment through weekly presentations.
CST 295, Cultural Studies, Ryan Lee Cartwright, W 12:10 – 3, Disability Studies Grad Seminar. For CRN to add course, please contact [email protected].