About this programme
Master's programme in Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research is a Master's Degree programme at Oslo National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, taught in English. It runs for 2 years and carries 120 ECTS credits. The register gives Oslo as the campus town. It lists the degree as Master. Oslo National Academy of the Arts is an arts, music and architecture academy in Oslo.
What you will study
This is a double-degree master's programme run by Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO) with four partner institutions. You study at two of them and graduate with a diploma from both. The programme is taught in English and takes two years full time, 120 ECTS.
What you study
The curriculum is built around four course strands, and all of them start from your own specialisation.
- Dramaturgy 1 to 3 covers dramaturgical theory, method and history. You analyse text, space, music, visuality and movement, and you look at dramaturgy as a way to understand the organisational, cultural, political and economic contexts of an artistic work.
- Competence Development 1 to 3 builds on the skills you already have. You help define your own goals, your progression and the skills you want to improve.
- Project Realisation 1 and 2 covers individual and collective presentations, work demonstrations, études and productions. It includes conceptual development, investigation, project development and execution, reception and effect analysis, documentation and presentation, with encounters with different audiences.
- Master's project is one or several independent artistic works tied to your specialisation, plus a reflective text that sets out the context, process and method. It is taken in semester 4, but you develop the questions and methods throughout the other courses.
The programme is closely linked to KHiO's Master of Theatre, with a stronger focus on dramaturgical theory and practice.
How the programme is organised
You spend either semesters 1 and 4 or semesters 2 and 3 at KHiO. The other two semesters are spent at one of the partner institutions: Uniarts Helsinki, Goethe University Frankfurt, Paris Nanterre University or Université Libre de Bruxelles. You return to your own institution for the final semester to finish the thesis.
Teaching mixes educator-led teaching, supervision and independent work. Methods include practical exercises, lectures, work demonstrations, independent study, written assignments and use of technology. Some courses are mostly teacher-led, others lean on your own work. You are expected to take responsibility for your learning, reflect on it and cooperate. Project work and productions are central and are adapted to each student group, external partners and the learning outcomes.
Assessment runs continuously through supervision, teacher assessments and your academic development against the course outcomes. A course may end with a written exam, assessment of artistic results or a practical demonstration. The master's project is assessed by an internal and an external examiner. Grades run A to F, with F as fail. All coursework requirements must be approved, and there is mandatory attendance in scheduled classes.
Who it suits
The programme is for dramaturges and theatre artists who want to work in international and multidisciplinary productions. You come in with an existing performance practice and a preliminary master's research plan, which gives direction from the start and is revised along the way. It suits process-oriented students who want to compare different performance cultures and act as an intermediator between artistic practices, cultural systems, languages and research fields. The programme also prepares you for artistic research and other relevant PhD programmes.
Admission, language and next steps
You need a three-year bachelor's degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent, with at least 80 ECTS in theatre, theatrical art or equivalent disciplines. In exceptional cases the Academy may approve other documented qualifications as partly or fully equivalent. Admission is based on a written application and admission tests. You submit a letter of motivation and a written assignment. The process emphasises your theatrical practice, especially dramaturgical practice, artistic potential and level of reflection.
English proficiency must be documented, for example TOEFL with a minimum score of 500 or IELTS with a minimum score of 5.0, or other documentation at an equivalent level. Applicants with an educational background from Nordic countries or English-speaking countries do not need extra documentation.
Applications are accepted from anywhere in the world. The application deadline stated on the programme page is 01 February 2027. Each of the five institutions in the network plans its own curriculum and selects its own students, so check the programme page for how to apply and what the partner institutions require.
Job opportunities after graduating
- Dramaturge in theatre and performance
- Work in international and multidisciplinary productions
- Collaborative productions and co-productions
- Festivals and supranational collaborations
- Research-oriented artistic projects
- Institutions that combine artistic activity and research
- Further study at artistic research or PhD level
Before you apply
Master’s applications go straight to Oslo National Academy of the Arts, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme. Deadlines are set by each institution for each programme, so confirm yours. Entry requirements and language tests are also set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, study permits and housing.
Facts on this page come from the Study in Norway register, the official English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. "Not listed" means the register has no figure, not that the programme is free. Always confirm requirements, fees and deadlines with the institution.
Quick answers
Is Master's programme in Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research taught in English?
Yes. The Study in Norway register, run by HK-dir, lists it as an English-taught programme at Oslo National Academy of the Arts. Only English-taught degree programmes are included here.
How long does it take?
The register records 2 years of study and 120 ECTS credits. Sixty ECTS credits are one academic year of full-time study.
Where is it taught?
The register lists Oslo as the campus town for this programme at Oslo National Academy of the Arts.
How do I apply?
Master’s applications go straight to the institution, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme, and some programmes require a minimum grade average. Oslo National Academy of the Arts publishes its requirements on the programme page.
When is the application deadline?
Each institution sets and publishes its own deadline for each programme, and the dates can differ between applicants from outside the EU/EEA, EU/EEA applicants and Nordic applicants. Confirm the date for your own situation on the programme page at Oslo National Academy of the Arts.
What does it cost?
No annual fee is listed for this programme. Degree students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition at Norwegian institutions, and the fees vary by institution and programme, so ask Oslo National Academy of the Arts what applies to you. For students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland the record shows no tuition fee. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. Every student also pays a semester fee of about NOK 1,000 to the student welfare organisation linked to the institution.
Do I need a permit to study there?
Students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a study permit from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). UDI asks for proof of admission, housing and funds of NOK 15,488 a month or NOK 170,368 a year (2026/27), on top of any tuition fee. A study permit allows work of up to 20 hours a week during term and full time in the holidays. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland register with the police within three months of arrival instead.
Is this programme officially listed?
It comes from the Study in Norway register at studyinnorway.no, the English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. The programme page at Oslo National Academy of the Arts is linked from this page so you can compare.
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