The curriculum in the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies is innovative and unique, viewing theatre and performance as artistic mediums that intervene in the daily life of the community to serve as tools for social change, empowerment, and artivism (activism through the arts). Studies integrate theory and practice, combining academic research with artistic creation. Core areas of focus include performance studies, acting, performer-space-audience dynamics, theatre for social change, site-specific performance, and social activism.
The Department offers three undergraduate study tracks:
Theatre, Community, and Performance (Single-Major or Double-Major): Covers acting, physical theatre, community theatre directing, as well as the history, theory, and research of theatre and performance. Students participate in mainstage productions and develop personal performance projects.
Psycho-Theatrical Track (Accelerated 2-Year B.A. for Honors Students): Offered in collaboration with the Department of Multidisciplinary Studies, this track enables graduates to apply directly to Master’s degree programs (M.A.) in Drama Therapy or Psychodrama – or an M.A. in Theatre and Performance – without requiring prerequisite coursework. It blends practical performance and acting skills with specialized coursework exploring the intersection of theatrical creation, empowerment, and therapy.
Multidisciplinary Requirements: Students in the Psycho-Theatrical track complete a required cluster of Psychology courses (necessary for admission to M.A. programs in Expressive Arts Therapies) along with two additional study clusters in Anthropology, Gender Studies, or Cultural Studies. The curriculum includes theoretical seminars alongside diverse lab courses, such as post-dramatic theatre, director-actor collaboration, theatre and gender, community art and social activism, and stage creation workshops.
The Department presents three to four stage productions each academic year, open to student participation across roles ranging from acting to production management. These productions serve as living laboratories for theatrical research, and the Department actively encourages independent student creations.
Students in the community-therapeutic track lead field projects across Haifa and northern Israel. These include staging performances in therapeutic youth centers, facilitating community theatre groups, and directing local community theatrical events.
The M.A. program is an interdisciplinary track with both artistic and research orientations. It focuses on two primary categories of performance:
Artistic Performances: Storytelling theatre, site-specific performance, and related forms.
Cultural Performances: Sports, life-cycle rituals, public demonstrations, and related practices.
The program emphasizes the theoretical study of performance within broad cultural contexts, utilizing performance both as an analytical lens and a subject of academic inquiry. It actively fosters the convergence of theoretical research and creative practice. Classes are held one day per week (Tuesdays), and scholarships are available for outstanding students.
The Department organizes a wide range of complementary activities, including guest lectures with artists and scholars, visiting productions, field trips, “Active Breaks” (student-led pop-up performances), and academic conferences -delivering an enriching educational experience focused on discovery, self-expression, and artistic development.
