HoD's Message

Welcome to Department of Performing Arts and Film

The Department of Performing Arts and Film’s vision is to be the center for academic and practical excellence in performing and screen arts in Africa and beyond and exists to produce performing and screen artists that are responsive to national and global needs.

The Department of Performing Arts and Film offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in music, dance, drama and film. The Uganda National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) whose criteria is in conformity with the Washington Accord certified our programs.

 We offer the following three-year undergraduate degree programs: Bachelor of Arts in Music (BMUS), Bachelor of Arts in Drama and Film (BDRF) and Bachelor of Arts in Arts with music, dance, and drama as one of the subjects. The Bachelor of Arts in Dance is being reviewed. Although the Department does not offer a performance degree, performance in music, dance and drama is at the heart of the department's mission, practice, coursework, and community outreach. In fact, the Department is mandated to offer entertainment at all functions of the University.

The Department also offers masters’ of arts and PhD programs in music with specialization in either composition or ethnomusicology.  We also offer masters’ and PhD programs in drama and film, Our graduates have gone on to influence the world of performing and screen arts and play a leading role in media, education, theatre for development, community music and dance, research as well as featuring prominently on stage. A number of professionals in theatrical performances and choirs have graduated with our two-year Diploma in Performing Arts, formerly Diploma in Music, Dance and Drama. While offering the music, dance and drama, students choose to major in one of them. Certificate programs in music, dance, drama and film are under review.

We are committed to:

  • To searching innovative ways of teaching, research and creativity with the resources at its disposal
  • Collaborative networking among staff and students as well as the community within and outside of the University, nationally and internationally, towards achieving the Department’s mission and vision
  • Accountability for the activities, quality of our students and services to the community and to our funding partners
  • Academic and practical excellence in performing and screen arts
  • Learning experiences and environment, instructional approaches, and academic-support strategies that address the distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, and backgrounds of individual students and groups of students.
  • Outreaches that bring value to the development of communities in order to address and solve problems for the benefit of different communities

Our highly qualified staff constitutes some of the best and most internationally respected academics in their respective fields. They are dedicated to teaching, research and services to the university and the outside communities outside of the University.  Many of them are active members of international bodies where they influence the academic and research trends in their fields.