Performance Studies - Minor

The minor in Performance Studies offers students the opportunity to apply the methods of performance studies and the practice of performance to their other academic and artistic interests. In Performance Studies, performance is used to understand and change the world. Performance is part of everyday life; it is a way to express one's self, identity, experience, and values. Performance Studies is the study of music, theatre, and dance as modes of artistic expression; but also the performative aspects of film and TV, podcasts, tourist attractions, religious services, public ceremonies, sports and games, rituals and festivals, dress and costuming, political debates, social media, and more.

Because performance studies combines theory and practice, our courses combine scholarly research and creative performance. Students select seminars and electives that engage with their own particular academic and artistic interests. In addition to being introduced to the theory of the discipline, students analyze and create live performance in their classes. Minors in Performance Studies cultivate an analytical perspective about the role and meaning of performance in global culture that contributes to their academic development, creative practices, and professional success.