Bachelor of Arts in Dance
Bachelor of Arts in Dance
A BA in dance offers comprehensive technical training built on a solid liberal arts foundation, allowing students to double-major or pursue graduate study in a wide number of fields. The BA does NOT require an audition for entry. Instead, students must complete an evaluation at the end of their sophomore year to complete the degree program.
Undergraduate Admission
Admission to KU
All students applying for admission must send high school and college transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Prospective first-year students should be aware that KU has qualified admission requirements that all new first-year students must meet to be admitted. Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the International Support Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of Admissions website.
Bachelor of Arts in Dance Degree Requirements
The B.A. in Dance at the University of Kansas does not require an audition. Instead, all students must pass a technical and academic evaluation at the end of their sophomore year. However, to be considered for a scholarship, a prospective or transfer student must audition. The B.A. in dance offers comprehensive technical training, built on a solid liberal arts foundation, which allows students to double-major or to pursue graduate study in any number of fields.
The curriculum leading to the B.A. in dance offers integrated training in ballet, modern, and jazz dance techniques, as well as courses in classical Indian dance, African dance and flamenco dance techniques, musical theatre dance, dance improvisation and composition, video for dance, history and philosophy of dance, music for dance, creative dance for children, dance production, career preparation in the arts and independent study options. The program prepares students for professional careers in dance or for further academic study. The senior project may involve research in any of the above areas or choreography and performance culminating in a senior recital. Students are expected to take technique classes appropriate to their level of training each semester they are enrolled. A total of 120 credit hours is required.
Bachelor of Arts in Dance Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to the Dance Major | 1 | |
| Introduction to the Dance Major | ||
| Dance Technique | 18 | |
| Majors must complete 18 hours of Dance technique at 200 level or higher. Courses may be repeated for credit. | ||
| Ballet II | ||
| Modern Contemporary II | ||
| Jazz II | ||
| Musical Theatre Dance | ||
| Ballet III | ||
| Modern/Contemporary III | ||
| Jazz III | ||
| Hip Hop Fundamentals | ||
| Tap Fundamentals | ||
| Ballet IV | ||
| Hip Hop II | ||
| Tap II | ||
| University Dance Company | 2 | |
| Satisfied by two semesters of University Dance Company. Repeatable for credit. | ||
| University Dance Company | ||
| University Dance Company | ||
| Dance Composition | 10 | |
| Majors must complete courses as specified in each of the following areas. | ||
| Choreography I | ||
| Choreography II | ||
| Choreography III | ||
| Capstone Course | ||
| Senior Project | ||
| Dance Studies | 9 | |
| Majors must complete 3 courses from the list below | ||
| Rhythms and Structures of Music | ||
| Dance in Culture | ||
| Anatomy and Injury Prevention | ||
| Dance History: Research and Reconstruction | ||
| Career Preparation in the Arts | ||
| Introduction to Flamenco Dance Technique | ||
| Directed Study in: _____ | ||
| Pedagogy | ||
| Practicum in: _____ | ||
| Field Experience in Dance Teaching | ||
| Special Topics in Dance: _____ | ||
Major Hours & Major GPA
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Major Hours
Satisfied by 40 hours of major courses.
Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
Below is a sample 4-year plan for students pursuing the BA in Dance. To view the list of courses approved to fulfill Core 34, please visit the KU Core 34 page.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| DANC 100 (Major Requirement) | 1 | Dance Technique (Modern 1 of 2), Major Requirement | 3 |
| Dance Technique (Ballet 1 of 2), Major Requirement1 | 3 | DANC 150 (Major Requirement)2 | 2 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | DANC 320 (1 of 2, Major Requirement) | 1 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| 1st Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 5 | 2nd Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 5 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Dance Technique (Ballet 2 of 2), major requirement | 3 | Dance Technique (Modern 2 of 2), Major Requirement | 3 |
| DANC 250 (Major Requirement) | 2 | DANC 350 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| BA Laboratory/Field Experience (LFE) | 1 | DANC 290 (Major Requirement) | 0 |
| 3rd Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 3 | Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 |
| Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 | 4-5 | Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 |
| 4th Semester Language, or 1st semester of Another Language, unless req for mjr (BA Second Language)6 | 5 | ||
| 13-14 | 17 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Dance Technique (Jazz), Major Requirement | 3 | Dance Technique (elective), Major Requirement4 | 3 |
| 300+ Dance Elective (1 of 3)5 | 3 | DANC 375 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| 300+ Dance Elective (2 of 3)5 | 3 | Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| DANC 320 (2 of 2, major requirement) | 1 | BA Quantitative Reasoning (QR) | 3 |
| Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 | Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)030 | 3 |
| 200+ ENGL course, DANC 330 pre-req | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| DANC 330 (Core 34: Global Culture (SGE))070** | 3 | DANC 550 (Capstone Requirement, Major Requirement) | 3 |
| 300+ Dance elective (3 of 3), Major Requirement | 3 | DANC 520 or 540 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours7 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours7 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours7 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours7 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120-121 | |||
- 1
Technique placement determined by Dance Department faculty. If student begins technique coursework at 200-level, degree plan will alter significantly.
- 2
Choreography classes sequenced/not offered every semester. See Dance Course Rotation for more details.
- 4
See Catalogue for full list of approved Technique Electives.
- 5
See Catalogue for full list of approved Dance Electives.
- 6
For students completing the language requirement via the 3+1 language option, note that many first semester languages are 5 credit hours.
- 7
Hour requirements (incl. 45 jr/sr hrs) are typically met through Core 34, degree, major, second area of study and/or elective hours. Students completing the BGS with a major must choose a secondary area of study. Individual degree mapping is done in partnership with your advisor.
Please note:
All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to complete 120 total hours of which 45 hours must be at the Jr/Sr (300+) level.
*Courses with a * designate courses that are degree requirements but can also be taken to fulfill the KU Core requirement. If another course is used to fulfill the Core 34 requirement, the course listed is still required as a degree requirement.
Notes:
* - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
** - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.
*** - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course. If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.