Undergraduate Programs

The Department offers two sets of majors and minors: one in Theater and one in Dance. Both programs provide students with a foundation in Performance Studies and the opportunity to define a focus area in their upper-division elective courses before pursuing advanced study opportunities.

Jeremy Brooks in "Spilt Milk" (2018) | Photo by Natalia Perez

Dance & Performance Studies

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Minor

Students in Dance & Performance Studies will engage with dance on physical, intellectual, and aesthetic levels, growing not only as performers  but also as artists, thinkers, makers, viewers, and participants in the artistic event. The practical focus of the major is on the performance and choreography of contemporary dance and dance theater. Equally important is the study of theater and dance theory, history, culture, and literature.

2019 production of "The House of the Spirits"

Theater & Performance Studies

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Minor

The practical focus of the Theater & Performance Studies program is to create theater of all kinds using all its art forms. Whether new to theater or seasoned with years of training and skill, all students receive an education that engages them fully. Your focus may be on acting, technical theater and design, performance studies, or some combination of these.

Summer 2017 | Fundamentals of Acting

Performance & Culture in the U.S.

Summer Certificate

This three-course summer certificate program invites you to develop or deepen your U.S. cultural literacy and intercultural communication skills as you study acting, theater, or public speaking, participate in field studies or a theater appreciation class, and learn how performance intersects with media and society.


Laxmi Kumaran, Undergraduate Academic Advisor

Undergraduate Academic Advisor

Laxmi Kumaran

Office Hours: Schedule An Appointment

Email: laxmik@berkeley.edu

Current or prospective students may contact Laxmi about course requirements, declaring a major or minor, capstone courses, or any questions related to TDPS undergraduate programs.