Working closely with faculty in a small cohort, graduate students develop their individual research by combining history, criticism, and theory with lab-based projects that explore research questions in performance. The intentionally small size allows for close mentorship in research, writing, and production within a program of study designed to best serve each individual student.

Unique to this program is the Graduate Studio, the artistic and experimental through-line of the program. In the Studio students explore their research and creative interests in a laboratory setting. With financial support, the Studio enables students to test their ideas in focused projects. In this structure, students graduate with a depth of knowledge in history, theory, and criticism, as well as a body of original creative work that they can use as a foundation for their production specialty.