The Department of Performing Arts offers three study programmes: Acting, a three-year programme leading to a BA degree, with main emphasis on training the actor; Theatre and Performance Making, a three-year programme leading to a BA degree, consisting of both theoretical and practical work, in which the focus is on theatre in the widest sense; and a three-year Contemporary Dance programme leading to a BA degree.

In Theatre and Performance Making, students obtain a good foundation for diverse professions within the broad spectrum of theatre and performance with emphasis on contemporary theatre practice. This programme also provides excellent preparation for further specialisation on a higher education level in subjects such as performance making, directing, dramaturgy or playwriting. The programme consists of a combination of theoretical studies and analysis on the one hand, and practical training and stage production on the other.

Students can only apply for a single semester’s exchange to this programme. Incoming students in the autumn semester will join the 3rd year BA class. Incoming students in spring semester will join the 2nd year BA class.

We will be accepting student to this programme in autumn semester 2018, but not in spring semester 2019.

The application should consist of:
  • Electronic application
  • photocopy of passport
  • examples of student’s work: eg. performance (digital video file or dvd) and texts/other material
  • short letter of motivation
  • C.V.

Applicants upload the required documents with the electronic application.

Language of Instruction

The official language of instruction at the IUA is Icelandic. Incoming students must be prepared to meet this challenge. Most of the teachers, students and staff have a good command of English. The IUA receives a number of guest teachers from abroad every semester, in which case the language of instruction will be English. Exams and final projects can be delivered in English. Exchange students are therefore expected to have a good command of English.