Department of Performing Arts

The department's main goal is to support students in developing and deepening their artistic skills; combining craft, critical thinking and scholarship with the best of contemporary performing arts. Our students graduate prepared to shape the performing arts of the future. Graduates of the Department of Performing Arts play a leading role within the national and international performing arts scene, as well as in many other fields; from performers to academics, artistic directors, producers and authors.

Performances and events are an important part of studies in the Department of Performing Arts. These include open presentations at the end of courses and cooperation between different study programs, as well as individual projects and the final projects of all the department's programmes. Performances can take the form of traditional theatre, playreadings, performance art, dance performances, site-specific performances, radio dramas, participatory theatre, etc. In addition, seminars and symposiums are regularly held on the performing arts profession.

International cooperation is a large part of the department's work, and students have the opportunity to go on exchange and/or internships abroad. Exchange students and teachers from international education institutions are frequent guests at the university and the department is involved in various international projects.

The Department of Performing Arts regularly collaborates with all the main performing arts institutions and festivals in Iceland such as the National Theatre of Iceland, the Reykjavik City Theatre, the Akureyri Theatre Company, Iceland Dance Company, Reykjavík Dance Festival and has good relations with the independent performing arts scene.

The Department of Performing Arts offers four study programs: Acting programme, International Contemporary Dance Practices programme, Theatre and Performance making programme, and MA programme in Theatre and Performance. The Bachelor’s degree programme is a three-year course of study comprising 180 ECTS credits, while the Master’s programme lasts two years and comprises 120 ECTS credits. Admission to all of the department’s study programs is subject to an entrance exam. Every third year new students are not admitted to the BA programme.