Opportunities
For Teaching
Graduate students awarded teaching assistantships may have the opportunity to serve as TAs or main instructors of the department’s undergraduate course, PERF_ST 203, Performance, Culture, and Communication. Other graduate students may have the opportunity to assist in the teaching of 216 Performance and Culture PERF_ST 103, Analysis and Performance of Text or other undergraduate courses.
Teaching assistants are mentored by department faculty. Additionally, training for teaching assistants is available through Northwestern University’s Searle Center for Teaching Excellence, which offers consultation, workshops, and conferences specifically geared toward graduate student teaching assistants.
Teaching is an essential element of the education and training experience of PhD students at Northwestern. The Graduate School requires that all PhD students serve in some instructional capacity for at least one academic quarter during their graduate education at Northwestern. This teaching requirement is an integral aspect of professional development. The Graduate School’s expectation is that students’ teaching work be comparable to that of other students within their program, and that teaching demands are as similar as possible across academic programs.
For Performing + Directing
Students wishing directing experience may petition to direct a departmental performance hour. Students wishing performance opportunities of an extracurricular nature are able to audition for any productions taking place on campus, including those produced by the Performance Studies or Theatre Departments or those produced independently.