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The University of New South Wales

Theatre and Performance Studies

In Theatre and Performance Studies we offer the opportunity to study a wide range of theatrical and cultural performances from Australia, Asia, Europe and America. Our curriculum contains both historical and contemporary, theory-based and practical courses, and is underpinned by research and teaching expertise in the following areas:

  1. contemporary performance theory and practice
  2. Australian drama and theatre
  3. 20th-century European drama, theatre and dance theatre
  4. live art and physical theatres
  5. contemporary dance
  6. multimedia performance
  7. live entertainment and popular culture, especially comedic performance

While we do not train students as professional practitioners, we do encourage experiential learning as well as awareness of fundamental performance skills. These skills are introduced through practical courses, led by professional artists, which explore text and non-text based work, as well as solo and group-devised performance.

Our unique combination of theory and practice is supported by the Creative Practice and Research Unit, which includes a Performance Designer and Production Manager. It is carried out in a number of well-equipped teaching and workshop spaces in the Robert Webster Building, and in the main performance complex, including the Io Myers Studio, Studio 1 and fully equipped dance studios.

Theatre and Performance Studies has many significant relationships with artists and arts organisations related to theatre and performance practice including: Belvoir Street Theatre, Critical Path, Force Majeure, Griffin Theatre, The Sue Healey Company, NIDA, Performance Space at CarriageWorks, Performing Lines, Playwriting Australia, The Studio - Sydney Opera House, The Sydney Theatre Company, Theatre of Image, Urban Theatre Projects and PACT Youth Theatre.

Undergraduate Programs

Students can pursue theatre and performance as a major sequence within a variety of undergraduate programs, including:

Bachelor of Arts

Postgraduate Programs

Doctor of Philosophy in Theatre and Performance Studies
Master of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies (Research)
Graduate Diploma in Arts by Research with a specialisation in Theatre and Performance Studies