Our University leaders have called us all to action. President Young calls for action to “address the systemic racism and violence that is plaguing our nation,” actions that “will improve the lives and experiences of citizens of color.” Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity Robin Means Coleman calls for “tangible policy changes and action.” The Consortium of Chairs and Directors of Black Studies in the SEC asks us all to “imagine how best to turn our grief into productive action.” In Coach Fisher’s words, “we can’t sit this one out.” The Department of Performance Studies—its faculty, staff, and graduate students—pledges to take action toward creating a true campus community of “inclusion, anti-racism, and belonging” through its courses, scholarship and creative activities, outreach, community engagement, and events.
The Department of Performance Studies at Texas A&M University stands with our Black students, colleagues, alumni, and communities. We acknowledge the systemic racism pervasive throughout our society. As citizens of the University, we commit to meaningful action in this pivotal moment and to the ongoing work that anti-racism requires. We grieve for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and all Black lives lost. We see you. We hear you. We mourn with you. We stand with you because Black Lives Matter.
Our Bachelor's in Performance Studies provides a foundation in critical reflection, analysis, and creative practice from which students can launch a variety of careers. In their core Performance Studies courses, BA Students are immersed in performance theory, learn the craft of creating live theatrical and musical performance, and cultivate essential research and writing skills to be successful citizens, scholars, and artists in the 21st century.
The Master’s in Performance Studies at Texas A&M University is built around a multifaceted understanding of performance. Using a wide range of qualitative methods and theoretical frameworks (from dramaturgical analysis to ethnography and phenomenology), our graduate faculty has expertise in the study of religion & spirituality, theater, media & technology, popular music, state affairs, law, diplomacy, martial arts, urbanism, dance, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. They have conducted research in the US, Ghana, Brazil, Japan, Trinidad, and Spain. The unique perspective each of our faculty brings is what makes our MA distinctive when compared to similar programs in the country.
