Dance Education M.A.

Program Overview

College of Performing and Visual Arts

Site: Extended Campus
Mode: Online with in-person summer intensive
Start term: Fall

Interim Director: Michelle Gaza, M.F.A

Location: Frasier Hall 105

Theatre Arts: 970.351.2991

Dance: 970.351.2991

Website: arts.unco.edu/theatre/

Graduate Coordinator: Mary Schuttler, Ph.D.

Schedule: The program will be delivered through both online learning and on campus classes. The online learning would take place during the fall and spring semesters, while the students would be on campus during the summers for face-to-face intensive classes. The summer classes would include three classes taught over a three week time period.

Admission

General Master's Degree Admission Requirements

Requirements beyond UNC’s Minimum Requirements:

Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree and a strong desire to obtain a Master of Arts degree in Dance Education.
Those applying to the program would submit a sample of their scholarly writing for perusal. Scholarly writing could include writing describing curricula, lesson plans or research created or done by the applicant.
Applicants would also need to describe in detail how they would plan to actively use what they have learned in this graduate program in their own teaching situation or prospective teaching situation.
Students accepted to this program would be teachers or prospective teachers in Colorado and throughout the nation. There would, however, be an emphasis on accepting those who are already teaching in our state with the goal of improving dance education in Colorado schools. There is also the possibility of accepting international students in this program. (Dr. Sandra Minton is well-known as a dance educator in the U.S. and internationally and has been able, in the past, to attract Colorado, national and international teachers as students to her graduate level courses offered through UNC Extended Campus).
Students accepted to this program would not need to have completed undergraduate work in dance, although a background in dance as a professional performer or in dance studio classes would be helpful. Having an undergraduate degree in dance would be a plus.
If a student has had previous experience in the dance field, please briefly describe those experiences. Such dance experiences could include those from dance studios, public or private K-12 schools university programs.

Degree Requirements — 33-36 Credits

Required Courses 33-36 Credits

DNCE 550	Dance History - Tribal Cultures to Current Times	3
DNCE 560	Dance Movement Skills & Pedagogical Approaches	3
DNCE 565	Interdisciplinary Teaching and Advocacy in Dance	3
DNCE 570	Doing, Teaching & Appreciating Choreography & Creative Dance I	3
DNCE 575	Dance Lesson, Curriculum and Assessment Design	3
DNCE 600	Movement and Dance - Framing a Research Question	3
DNCE 690	Thesis I	3
DNCE 693	Popular Dance Forms	3
DNCE 695	Doing, Teaching and Appreciating Choreography II	3
DNCE 697	Dance Production Techniques	3
DNCE 699	Thesis II	3- 6

Program Notes

The Coordinator of the M.A. in Dance Education degree program will assign each student an academic advisor and a graduate committee in accordance with Graduate School policy. The academic advisor will serve as the chair of the graduate committee.

It is recommended that students have a graduate committee review each semester. The student will discuss the graduate review with the academic advisor and the Coordinator of the M.A. in Dance Education Program. The student will assume responsibility for scheduling graduate reviews. Two unsuccessful graduate reviews will be considered grounds for termination of the student’s involvement in the program. In conjunction with DNCE 690 and DNCE 699, the student will prepare and submit a written thesis proposal. Prior to beginning work on the thesis, the thesis proposal must be approved by all members of the student’s graduate committee.

A written research thesis is required of all Master of Arts degree candidates in the School of Theatre Arts and Dance.

Upon completion of the program, the student will be required to demonstrate competence in the designated area of concentration in accordance with approved school standards. The student’s committee must approve the candidate for graduation.