Department of Performing Arts

The main goal of the faculty is to support students in developing and deepening artistic skills; combining craftsmanship, critical thinking, and scholarship with the best of contemporary performing arts Students graduate after completing their studies ready to shape the performing arts of the future Graduates of the Faculty of Performing Arts play a leading role within national and international performing arts, as well as in many other fields; from performers to academics, theatre directors, producers, and authors. 

Exhibitions and events are an important part of the study in the Faculty of Performing Arts These include open presentations of course output and collaboration between different study programs, as well as individual projects and final projects of all the department's programs Exhibitions can take the form of traditional theatre, plays, dance works, performances in non-traditional play spaces, performances, radio plays, participatory works, etc. In addition, seminars and seminars on professional issues of the performing arts are regularly held. 

International cooperation is a large part of the department's work and students have the opportunity to go on exchange programs and/or internships abroad. Exchange students and teachers from foreign educational institutions are frequent visitors to the school work, and the department is involved in various international collaborative projects. 

The Performing Arts Department collaborates with the main performing arts institutions and festivals in the country such as the National Theater, the City Theater, the Akureyri Theater Association, the Icelandic Dance Group and the Reykjavík Dance Festival and also in good relations with the independent performing arts scene. 

The Faculty of Performing Arts offers four programs: an acting program, an international contemporary dance program, a stage writer's program, and a master's program in the performing arts. The program for a bachelor's degree is a three-year program, 180 ECTS credits, while the master's level program is for two years, 120 ECTS credits. The entrance exam is included in all the department's programs. Every third year, new students are not admitted to the performing arts department at the BA level.  

Application deadlines:

MA in Performing Arts

Open for applications:
January 2028
Study begins:
August 2028

Bachelor's field authorship program

Open for applications:
January 6, 2027
Closes for applications:
6 April 2027
Study begins:
August 2027

Acting BA

Open for applications:
October 5, 2026
Closes for applications:
November 25, 2026
Study begins:
August 2027

International Contemporary Dance Program BA

Open for applications:
October 5, 2026
Closes for applications:
25 January 2027
Study begins:
August 2027