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Glite Dictionary
theatre studies

theatre studies

4.5
Study of plays and live performance at university, including their history and meaning
  • noun
  • /ˈθiːətər ˈstʌdiz/
  • UK
translation icon : estudios de teatro
  • The student's research in theatre studies focused on the impact of social issues on modern theatrical performances.

But the challenge that I'm actually struggling to overcome is actually my PhD dissertation in theater studies.

Examples

  • She decided to major in theatre studies because she was passionate about acting and stage production.

  • Academic institutions, universities, and colleges began to open theatre-teacher training departments. The Ministry of Education prepared an experimental plan in the national curriculum for high-school theatre studies.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Many universities now offer theatre studies programs that explore the history and techniques of performance arts.

Synonyms

dramatics
vstheatre studies
7 4.0

An activity of making and acting in plays, often at school

is academic analysis of performance and contexts rather than practical production
theatrology
vstheatre studies
  • Specialized
9.9

Study of theatre and stage performance in their social and historical background

has identical scope but uses a different academic label

How Conventional

theatre studies
  • UK
4.5
avant-garde
7 8.2
anti-theatre
  • Literature
9.9

Surface Forms

theatre studies singular
theatre studies plural
theater studies plural
theater studies singular

Morphology

theater + study

The phrase combines 'theater' (the art/production of plays) with 'study' (a branch of knowledge), so its meaning 'the academic study of theatre' is directly compositional and predictable from the parts. The pattern 'X studies' to mean an academic field is common across languages and in English, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand this MWE.

Etymology

Theatre studies comes from the words theatre, meaning live shows, and studies, meaning careful learning. Imagine students sitting in a theatre watching plays, taking notes and talking about acting and history, so it means 'the academic study of theatre' today.