Researching the Performing Arts

The Theatre Studies programme engages with theatre and performance in terms of their rich histories and legacies, as well as their entanglements with contemporary social, political and cultural debates. It teaches methods of research to equip you with the capacity to critically and persuasively reflect on the performing arts.

What characterizes the master’s in Theatre Studies?

• Pursue your individual research specialisations from early on in the programme in the form of electives and tutorials.
• Choose to study part-time or full-time.
• Benefit from intensive group mentoring and an individual dissertation supervision trajectory.
• Join faculty and students in regular visits to performances.
• Participate in research seminars and talks to broaden your disciplinary horizon.

Why study Theatre Studies at the University of Amsterdam?

• The UvA has the only dedicated Theatre Studies department in the Netherlands with undergraduate and graduate programmes, and strong ties with cultural venues and practitioners in the city as well as internationally.
• The opportunity to study in Amsterdam, a vibrant and creative cultural hub and the hotspot for theatre and performing arts in the Netherlands.
• You benefit from faculty expertise in four main areas: theatre history and historiography, theatre in education and sociology, applied and community arts research, and performance theory.
• Preparation for a wide range of careers in theatre and performance: from scholarly research, arts administration or theatre in education to archival work, cultural programming and more.
• A programme committed to heightening sensitivities in the discipline with questions about colonialism, race, gender and sexuality, as well as inequalities on a planetary scale.
• Rigorous mentorship and sustained guidance in all stages of your dissertation research.

Career prospects

The programme prepares you for a wide range of careers in theatre and performance: from scholarly research, arts administration and theatre in education to archival work and cultural programming. 

Degree certificate

Theatre Studies is an accredited degree programme of Arts and Culture. After successful completion of this programme, you will receive a legally accredited Master’s degree in Arts and Culture and the title Master of Arts (MA).