About This Program
Explore dance studies with Kent State's B.A. program. Study the cultural, historical and social aspects of dance and gain an understanding of how it shapes society. Read more...
Contact Information
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- 5.6% faster than the average
- 116,300 number of jobs
- $69,690 potential earnings
Choreographers
- 14.0% much faster than the average
- 5,500 number of jobs
- $43,680 potential earnings
Dancers
- 2.3% slower than the average
- 11,400 number of jobs
- $N/A potential earnings
Tutors and teachers and instructors, all other
- 7.4% faster than the average
- 406,200 number of jobs
- $40,590 potential earnings
Accreditation
National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD)
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Admission Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.
First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.
Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.
Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
DAN 17051 | MODERN 3 1,2 | 4 |
DAN 17054 | BALLET 3 1,2 | 4 |
DAN 27070 | JAZZ STYLES I 2 | 2 |
DAN 27071 | MODERN 4 1,2 | 4 |
DAN 27073 | BALLET 4 1,2 | 4 |
DAN 27074 | DANCE COMPOSITION I | 3 |
DAN 27150 | KINESIOLOGY FOR DANCERS | 3 |
DAN 27170 | JAZZ STYLES II 2 | 2 |
DAN 37010 | DANCE PEDAGOGY | 3 |
or DAN 37020 | TEACHING DANCE AND MOVEMENT FOR NONTRADITIONAL POPULATIONS | |
DAN 37035 | DANCE COMPOSITION II | 2 |
DAN 37072 | DANCE AND TECHNOLOGY | 2 |
DAN 37092 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) (taken three times) 3 | 3 |
or DAN 37192 | DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | |
DAN 37392 | DANCE PRACTICUM - CHOREOGRAPHY (ELR) | 1 |
DAN 47063 | DANCE HISTORY I | 3 |
DAN 47163 | DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 4 | 3 |
DAN 47199 | BACHELOR OF ARTS CAPSTONE (ELR) | 1-3 |
MUS 22111 | UNDERSTANDING WESTERN MUSIC (KFA) | 3 |
or MUS 22121 | MUSIC AS A WORLD PHENOMENON (DIVG) (KFA) | |
NUTR 23511 | SCIENCE OF HUMAN NUTRITION (KBS) | 3 |
THEA 11732 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION II: COSTUMES, LIGHTING AND PROJECTIONS | 2 |
THEA 11733 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY III: COSTUMES | 1 |
or THEA 11734 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY IV: LIGHTING, SOUND AND PROJECTIONS | |
Additional Technique Elective, choose from the following: 2 | 1-3 | |
TAP 1 | ||
TAP 2 | ||
TAP 3 | ||
AFRICAN DANCE 1 | ||
HIP HOP 1 | ||
HIP HOP 2 | ||
BALLET 4 | ||
MUSICAL THEATRE JAZZ AND TAP I | ||
MODERN 5 | ||
BALLET 5 | ||
MUSICAL THEATRE JAZZ AND TAP II | ||
POINTE 1 | ||
POINTE 2 | ||
JAZZ STYLES III | ||
MUSICAL THEATRE DANCE STYLES II | ||
SPECIAL TOPICS IN DANCE | ||
JAZZ STYLES IV | ||
INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN DANCE | ||
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in GPA) | ||
UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
Kent Core Composition | 6 | |
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning | 3 | |
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 6 | |
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 6 | |
Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory) | 3-4 | |
Kent Core Additional | 6 | |
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) 5 | 35 | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 |
- 1
Students may substitute a different level of modern or ballet.
- 2
Promotion to the next level of technique is at the discretion of the dance faculty.
- 3
Maximum 8 credit hours of DAN 37192 may be applied toward the major.
- 4
A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
- 5
Students must complete a minimum 15 elective credit hours of courses related to a secondary area of inquiry or minor.
Progression Requirements
- Promotion to the next level is at the discretion of the dance faculty.
- All students in the major must audition for all Dance Division concerts. To perform in the concert, students must be enrolled in a minimum of one dance technique course during the semester of the concert.
- Students enter on a probationary status and must maintain GPA requirements and professional standards as indicated in the student handbook in order to be allowed to audition for concerts and progress through to graduation.
Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
---|---|
2.500 | 2.000 |
- All majors must participate in dance faculty juries and an annual review.
- All graduates must successfully complete a course of study that includes a minimum of 15 credit hours related to a subject or minor chosen by the student.
- All graduates must complete a project or presentation through DAN 47199 that demonstrates knowledge of dance and the additional subject chosen by the student.
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Semester One | Credits | |
---|---|---|
DAN 27070 | JAZZ STYLES I | 2 |
DAN 37092 or DAN 37192 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) or DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | 1 |
NUTR 23511 | SCIENCE OF HUMAN NUTRITION (KBS) | 3 |
UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
Ballet or Modern | 4 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 14 | |
Semester Two | ||
DAN 47063 | DANCE HISTORY I | 3 |
THEA 11732 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION II: COSTUMES, LIGHTING AND PROJECTIONS | 2 |
THEA 11733 or THEA 11734 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY III: COSTUMES or FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY IV: LIGHTING, SOUND AND PROJECTIONS | 1 |
Ballet or Modern | 4 | |
General Electives | 5 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Semester Three | ||
DAN 27074 | DANCE COMPOSITION I | 3 |
DAN 37092 or DAN 37192 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) or DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | 1 |
MUS 22111 or MUS 22121 | UNDERSTANDING WESTERN MUSIC (KFA) or MUSIC AS A WORLD PHENOMENON (DIVG) (KFA) | 3 |
Ballet or Modern | 4 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 17 | |
Semester Four | ||
DAN 27150 | KINESIOLOGY FOR DANCERS | 3 |
DAN 27170 | JAZZ STYLES II | 2 |
DAN 37035 | DANCE COMPOSITION II | 2 |
Ballet or Modern | 4 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 14 | |
Semester Five | ||
Additional Technique Elective | 1-3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
General Electives | 6 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Semester Six | ||
Requirement: present choreography at Student Dance Festival | ||
DAN 37010 or DAN 37020 | DANCE PEDAGOGY or TEACHING DANCE AND MOVEMENT FOR NONTRADITIONAL POPULATIONS | 3 |
DAN 37072 | DANCE AND TECHNOLOGY | 2 |
DAN 37392 | DANCE PRACTICUM - CHOREOGRAPHY (ELR) | 1 |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
General Elective | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Semester Seven | ||
DAN 47163 | DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) | 3 |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | |
General Electives | 9 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Semester Eight | ||
DAN 37092 or DAN 37192 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) or DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | 1 |
DAN 47199 | BACHELOR OF ARTS CAPSTONE (ELR) | 1-3 |
General Electives | 12 | |
Credit Hours | 14 | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 |
University Requirements
All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.
NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.
Requirement | Credits/Courses |
---|---|
Flashes 101 (UC 10001) | 1 credit hour |
Course is not required for students with 30+ transfer credits (excluding College Credit Plus) or age 21+ at time of admission. | |
Diversity Domestic/Global (DIVD/DIVG) | 2 courses |
Students must successfully complete one domestic and one global course, of which one must be from the Kent Core. | |
Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) | varies |
Students must successfully complete one course or approved experience. | |
Kent Core (see table below) | 36-37 credit hours |
Writing-Intensive Course (WIC) | 1 course |
Students must earn a minimum C grade in the course. | |
Upper-Division Requirement | 39 credit hours |
Students must successfully complete 39 upper-division (numbered 30000 to 49999) credit hours to graduate. | |
Total Credit Hour Requirement | 120 credit hours |
Kent Core Requirements
Requirement | Credits/Courses |
---|---|
Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 6 |
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3 |
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each) | 9 |
Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) | 6 |
Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) | 6-7 |
Kent Core Additional (KADL) | 6 |
Total Credit Hours: | 36-37 |
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Perform a wide range of dance works within Western and non-Western dance forms.
- Articulate and communicate an embodied understanding of diverse dance forms; their histories, including the role of oppression; and their relationship and representation in the contemporary era of dance.
- Articulate and demonstrate dance theory, aesthetics, pedagogy and choreography.
- Create, revise, reflect and present choreography.
- Articulate a relationship between their dance studies and a secondary concentration, minor or double major, as applicable.
Full Description
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Studies allows students who have previous dance experience and a strong interest in another subject area, within or outside of the arts, the opportunity to combine the two into one plan of study. The curriculum provides students with a solid foundation in dance techniques and dance academics while allowing flexibility to incorporate another area or minor.
The B.A. degree program encourages exploration of areas that can be combined with dance to enhance opportunities for future employment.