Master in Performing Arts

What you study

This is a two-year master's at the University of Stavanger, 120 ECTS, taught in English. The programme is built around your own master's project. That project is the axis: practical artistic work sits at the centre, and the programme stresses creativity and innovation.

You learn through lessons, supervision and independent study. The faculty has three subject areas, and the programme lets you work across artistic expressions in dance and music. You get a discipline-based concentration in your own field, with supervision from the academic community, plus meetings with Norwegian and foreign guest teachers through projects, master classes, courses, seminars and lectures.

Two shared arenas run alongside your own work. In the Master's Forum you present to fellow students and hear outside impulses from guest lecturers. In Multi-Artistic Lab you take part in joint artistic processes. There are also chances to do joint performance and community outreach work with external partners, or as a student-driven activity.

The programme also asks you to reflect on and put into words how your art practice relates to society, how art talks to cross-cultural issues, and what role art can play in meeting general societal challenges.

Admission, language and next steps

You need a completed bachelor's degree in music performance or dance, at least 180 ECTS, with at least 90 ECTS of that in music or dance performance subjects. English requirements must be met under UiS's own regulations for this master's.

There is a two-stage entrance exam. Round one is a video submission. Round two is a physical audition. You also submit a preliminary project description based on the master's project template, and it counts in the overall evaluation. Interviews are held during the entrance exam: they cover the possible make-up of your supervisory team, your goals and motivation, your plans for the master's project, and your artistic specialisation.

The application deadline is 15 December, the same for all applicants regardless of citizenship and place of residence. Check the programme page for how to apply and for the English language requirements. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland are normally exempt from tuition fees at state institutions; other degree students normally pay a fee the institution sets.

Master’s applications go straight to University of Stavanger, 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. The institution lists its deadline as: December 15 The application deadline is the same regardless of citizenship and place of residence. The register shows 15 December 2026 as a deadline date for this 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.