27 PhD programmes in Drama in North America

The Tufts University PhD Program in Theatre and Performance Studies trains scholar-artists to develop thoughtful and exciting research projects in performance studies, theatre and dance history, critical theory, and textual analysis.

The Department of Drama at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and the Department of Theatre and Dance at UCSD offer a Joint Doctoral Program in Drama and Theatre, the only one of its kind in the UC system and indeed in the entire US.

The PhD in Theatre Studies at University of Victoria offers training and mentorship from leading theatre scholars and professionals to support the development of a research project that marks an original contribution to the field of theatre studies.

The Performance Studies program at Northwestern University is committed to the interdisciplinary study of performance. 

The School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies at the University of Maryland offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Theatre and Performance Studies.

The PhD Program in Theatre and Performance Research at Florida State University trains artist-scholars who create theoretically engaged work at the intersections of theatre and performance research and practice. 

The Department of Drama at University of Alberta offers graduate programs leading to the degree of PhD in Performance Studies, Master of Fine Arts degrees in Theatre Design, Directing, Theatre Voice Pedagogy, and Theatre Practice, and Master of Arts in Drama degree.

The Department of Theatre is a vibrant, active department committed to teaching and training the artist-scholars of the future. In addition to our highly regarded seasons, we regularly invite theatre artists and scholars to join us in making and thinking about performance. The Theatre program is offered by The Ohio State University.

The graduate programs in Theatre and Performance at the University at Buffalo, feature a unique integration of scholarship and practice. We believe that if you know something theoretically but don't know it practically, then you don't truly understand its whole theory. 

Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies (ITS) at University of Wisconsin Madison is a cross-campus coalition of faculty who research and teach in drama, theatre, and performance studies. 

The Ph.D. Theatre program at University of British Columbia offers students the opportunity to pursue theatre studies through coursework, comprehensive examination preparations and a doctoral dissertation project.  

The Theatre and Performance program from Columbia University encourages students to explore the reciprocal relationships between performance and scholarship, criticism and creation, theory, and practice in one of the world's great centers of theatrical performance, New York City. 

If you have an interest in social justice through an examination of and contribution to cultural expression in this hemisphere, then consider joining our program in Theatre (Theatre and Performance of the Americas) at Arizona State University.

The PhD program in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Pittsburgh prioritizes the integration of scholarship with teaching and artistic practice in order to prepare students to be competitive candidates for academic positions at a variety of institutions, post-doctoral research opportunities, and employment sectors beyond academia.

University of California, San Diego offers a groundbreaking PhD in Theatre and Dance in conjunction with the Department of Drama at UC Irvine. 

Research the dynamic global impact theatre can have on a wide variety of areas. Study the history of applied theatre or examine the interactions between theatre and refugees. We offer a Applied Theatre degree at the University of Victoria. 

The mission of the graduate program in Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS) at Stanford University is to educate students who work on the leading edge of both scholarly and performance practice.

The Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Ph.D. program at Brown University takes a broad–spectrum approach to the study of histories, theories and methods of theater and performance.

Embark on a journey that delves into cross-cultural, interdisciplinary explorations of performance, broadly defined. We offer a Theater and Performance Studies degree at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Theatre from Louisiana State University is committed to provide students with the necessary tools to compete in a rapidly diversifying job market.