Theatre & Dance | Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD)
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Theatre & Dance prepares students to become scholars, educators, researchers, and leaders in the fields of performance, theatre, dance, and cultural studies. Through rigorous interdisciplinary inquiry, students engage in original research that contributes new knowledge to the study of performance and its role in society.
Located at the crossroads of Hawaiʻi, Asia, and the Pacific, the program offers unique opportunities to examine performance traditions, cultural practices, Indigenous knowledge systems, and contemporary social issues through scholarly research and critical analysis.
Students work closely with faculty mentors while developing specialized expertise and producing original research that advances the field.
Why Pursue a PhD at UH Mānoa?
A Distinctive Research Environment
Study performance within one of the world's most culturally and geographically unique learning environments.
Hawaiʻi, Asia & the Pacific
Engage with research areas and performance traditions that are rarely integrated within a single doctoral program.
Interdisciplinary Scholarship
Draw upon perspectives from theatre, dance, anthropology, cultural studies, Indigenous studies, history, education, and performance studies.
Faculty Mentorship
Work closely with faculty scholars and cultural practitioners committed to innovative research and meaningful community engagement.
Areas of Concentration
Asian Performance
Examine the histories, theories, practices, and contemporary developments of performance traditions across Asia.
Students may explore theatre, dance, ritual, cultural performance, and intercultural exchange through historical and contemporary perspectives.
Potential Areas of Inquiry
- Asian Theatre Traditions
- Asian Dance Practices
- Performance & Cultural Identity
- Intercultural Performance
- Contemporary Asian Performance
- Ritual & Cultural Practice
Hawaiian & Indigenous Performance
Investigate performance through Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural practices, community engagement, and decolonial methodologies.
Students engage critically with Hawaiian and Indigenous performance traditions while contributing to emerging scholarship in the field.
Potential Areas of Inquiry
- Hana Keaka (Hawaiian Theatre)
- Indigenous Performance
- Decolonial Methodologies
- Cultural Revitalization
- Community-Based Research
- Native Hawaiian Performance Practices
Performance Studies
Explore performance as a social, cultural, political, and artistic phenomenon.
Students examine how performance shapes identity, community, memory, power, and everyday life across diverse contexts.
Potential Areas of Inquiry
- Performance & Society
- Identity & Representation
- Cultural Performance
- Ritual & Ceremony
- Community Engagement
- Critical Theory
- Embodiment & Performance
Research & Scholarly Development
Doctoral students engage in advanced research through:
✓ Original Scholarship
✓ Conference Presentations
✓ Academic Publishing
✓ Teaching Experience
✓ Community-Based Research
✓ Archival Research
✓ Interdisciplinary Collaboration
✓ International Scholarship
✓ Dissertation Research
Career Pathways
Graduates of the PhD program pursue careers as:
University FacultyResearchers
Scholars
Cultural Historians
Arts Administrators
Museum & Cultural Institution Leaders
Community-Based Researchers
Policy & Cultural Consultants
Authors & Editors
A Commitment to Meaningful Scholarship
The PhD program encourages research that is intellectually rigorous, culturally grounded, and socially engaged. Students are challenged to examine performance through local and global perspectives while contributing scholarship that has relevance both within and beyond academia.
