Program Overview

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Dance - B.F.A.

About This Program

Pursue your passion for dance with the Dance B.F.A. program. Develop your skills as a performer and choreographer and prepare for a career in the dance industry.

Contact Information

• Tony Hardin |
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

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

Accreditation

National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD)

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.

Admission to this major is selective. Students must audition before being admitted to the Dance major. More information about dance auditions can be found on the school website.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

• Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
  • Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
    • DAN 27074 | DANCE COMPOSITION I | 3
    • DAN 27150 | KINESIOLOGY FOR DANCERS | 3
    • DAN 37035 | DANCE COMPOSITION II | 2
    • DAN 37070 | DANCE COMPOSITION III | 2
    • DAN 37072 | DANCE AND TECHNOLOGY | 2
    • DAN 37092 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) (taken six times) | 6
    • or DAN 37192 | DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR)
    • DAN 37292 | DANCE PRACTICUM - TEACHING (ELR) | 1
    • DAN 37392 | DANCE PRACTICUM - CHOREOGRAPHY (ELR) | 1
    • DAN 47050 | BALLET 4 | 1-3
    • DAN 47051 | MODERN 4 | 1-3
    • DAN 47060 | PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS IN DANCE | 2
    • DAN 47063 | DANCE HISTORY I | 3
    • DAN 47070 | JAZZ 4 | 2
    • DAN 47163 | DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) | 3
    • DAN 47299 | BACHELOR OF FINE 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 11725 | FUNDAMENTALS OF THEATRE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION | 3
    • Dance (DAN) Upper-Division Elective (30000 or 40000 level) | 1-3
    • Ballet Electives, choose from the following: | 12
      • DAN 17011 | BALLET 1
      • DAN 27050 | BALLET 2
      • DAN 37069 | BALLET 3
      • DAN 47050 | BALLET 4
    • Modern Electives, choose from the following: | 12
      • DAN 17002 | MODERN 1
      • DAN 27051 | MODERN 2
      • DAN 37051 | MODERN 3
      • DAN 47051 | MODERN 4
    • Jazz Electives, choose from the following: | 6
      • DAN 17005 | JAZZ 1
      • DAN 27070 | JAZZ 2
      • DAN 37148 | JAZZ 3
      • DAN 47070 | JAZZ 4
    • Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major 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) | 16
      • Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120

Progression Requirements

• Promotion to the next level is at the discretion of the dance faculty. Students must be enrolled in daily 90-minute dance technique courses each semester until graduation.
• All ballet and modern courses must be taken for a minimum 2 credit hours.
• 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.
• All students in the Dance major must audition for and perform when cast in all Dance Division concerts. Students may petition for an exception due to either injury or an approved performance opportunity outside of Kent State.

Graduation Requirements

• Graduation Requirements Summary Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA
  • 2.500 | 2.000
• Students must participate in dance faculty juries and an annual review.
• Successful completion of DAN 47299 (culminating experience) is required.

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid Semester One | Credits

• DAN 37092 or DAN 37192 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) or DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | 1
• NUTR 23511 | SCIENCE OF HUMAN NUTRITION (KBS) | 3
• THEA 11725 | FUNDAMENTALS OF THEATRE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION | 3
• UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1
• Jazz Elective | 2
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Total Credit Hours | 16

Semester Two

• DAN 37092 or DAN 37192 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) or DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | 1
• DAN 47063 | DANCE HISTORY I | 3
• Ballet Electives | 3
• Jazz Elective | 2
• Modern Electives | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Total 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 Electives | 3
• Modern Electives | 3
• Dance (DAN) Upper-Division Elective (30000 or 40000 level) | 1-3
• Total Credit Hours | 14

Semester Four

• DAN 27150 | KINESIOLOGY FOR DANCERS | 3
• DAN 37035 | DANCE COMPOSITION II | 2
• DAN 37092 or DAN 37192 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) or DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | 1
• Ballet Electives | 3
• Jazz Elective | 2
• Modern Electives | 3
• Total Credit Hours | 14

Semester Five

• DAN 37070 | DANCE COMPOSITION III | 2
• DAN 37092 or DAN 37192 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) or DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | 1
• DAN 47070 | JAZZ 4 | 2
• Ballet Electives | 3
• Modern Electives | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Total Credit Hours | 14

Semester Six

• DAN 37072 | DANCE AND TECHNOLOGY | 2
• DAN 37392 | DANCE PRACTICUM - CHOREOGRAPHY (ELR) | 1
• DAN 47050 or DAN 47051 | BALLET 4 or MODERN 4 | 1-3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• General Electives | 6
• Total Credit Hours | 16

Semester Seven

• DAN 37292 | DANCE PRACTICUM - TEACHING (ELR) | 1
• DAN 47050 or DAN 47051 | BALLET 4 or MODERN 4 | 1-3
• DAN 47060 | PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS IN DANCE | 2
• DAN 47163 | DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• General Electives | 5
• Total Credit Hours | 15

Semester Eight

• DAN 37092 or DAN 37192 | KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE (ELR) or DANCE PRACTICUM - PERFORMANCE (ELR) | 1
• DAN 47299 | BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS CAPSTONE (ELR) | 1-3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• General Electives | 5
• Total Credit Hours | 16
• 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.

Bachelor's Requirements 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

Bachelor's 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:

1. Perform a wide range of dance works with an intentional focus on the inclusion of Western and non-Western dance forms.
2. 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.
3. Articulate and demonstrate dance theory, aesthetics, pedagogy and choreography.
4. Create, revise, reflect and present choreography.

Program Policies

Physical Activity and ROTC Courses

No more than 4 credit hours of Physical Activity, Wellness and Sport (PWS) courses or the first 16 credit hours of ROTC courses—Aerospace Studies (ASTU) and Military Studies (MSCI)—may apply to the 120 credit hours required for graduation.

Veterans who have completed a minimum of one year of active duty may receive PWS credit for military basic training according to branch of service, as follows:

• Army and Marine Corps, 3 credit hours;
• Navy and Coast Guard, 2 credit hours;
• Air Force, 1 credit hour.

Requirement Audit

Upon completion of 60 credit hours, each student is required to contact the College of the Arts Advising office to obtain a current evaluation of progress toward completion of the student’s chosen degree program. Requirement evaluations are not a substitute for meeting with a faculty advisor. Students may access GPS (Graduation Planning System) audit through their FlashLine account which provides them with information about their academic progress. Questions about GPS audits are answered in the College of the Arts Advising office.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance develops technically sound, intellectually diverse and creatively expressive dance artists who can contribute significantly to the art form and society. The curriculum provides students with opportunities for strong and varied technical preparation in contemporary dance forms, including modern, ballet, jazz and improvisation. Opportunities for performance and choreography, along with dance theory courses, complete a degree focused on the artist/scholar.

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