Degrees & Programs
Study theatre and dance in Hawaiʻi - where tradition inspires innovation and performance connects us all.
ACADEMIC PATHWAYS
Why Study Theatre & Dance at UH Mānoa?
Distinctive Cultural Focus
Study performance traditions and contemporary practices rooted in Hawaiʻi, Asia, and the Pacific alongside global practices.
Learn Through Production
Gain hands-on experience through performances, productions, and creative projects at John F. Kennedy Theatre and the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre.
Diverse Artistic Training
Explore acting, dance, choreography, directing, design, playwriting, production, performance studies, dance studies, and emerging media installation and performance.
Faculty Mentorship
Work closely with experienced faculty, guest artists, and industry professionals who support your artistic and academic growth.
Global Perspectives
Engage with performance traditions and artistic practices rarely found together in a single department.
The Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs that combine artistic practice, cultural knowledge, creative research, and professional preparation.
Students can pursue studies in Theatre, Dance, Performance Studies, Hawaiian and Indigenous Performance, Asian Performance, and emerging interdisciplinary fields while engaging with the unique cultural landscape of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Our programs encourage students to explore performance as a creative, scholarly, and community-centered practice through coursework, research, production, and collaboration.
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
A flexible liberal arts degree that emphasizes breadth, interdisciplinary study, and creative exploration.
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Pre-professional training with intensive studio and production experience. Specialized study preparing you for a career in performance, design, choreography, and theatre-making.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Master of Arts (MA)
Focus your studies in performance studies, education, scholarship, research, and cultural practice.
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
A terminal professional degree emphasizing creative practice, original work, and advanced performance or design.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Advanced research and scholarship in Asian Performance, Hawaiian & Indigenous Performance, and Performance Studies.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS
Minor in Theatre & Dance
Add Creativity to Any Major. Develop creative, collaborative, and communication skills through the study of performance, movement, and storytelling.
Creative Computational Media Certificate
Build Worlds. Tell Stories. Create What's Next.
Explore the intersection of art and technology through immersive media, game design, digital storytelling, and interactive experiences.