Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 60
Required Courses:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| DANC 8812 | Performance Environments I: Dance Production | 2 |
| DANC 8867 | Educational Inquiry in Dance | 3 |
| DANC 8868 | Graduate Seminar | 2 |
| DANC 9801 | Research Methods in Dance | 3 |
| Studio/Practicum Courses | ||
| DANC 8806 | The Creative Process and the Dance Symbol | 3 |
| DANC 8808 | Corporeal Improvisation | 2 |
| DANC 8839 | Movement Theater Workshop | 3 |
| DANC 8847 | Choreographing Philadelphia | 3 |
| DANC 8849 | Studio Research (taken each of five terms until the Master’s Concert and Thesis term) | 5 |
| DANC 8861 | Dancing Self in Community | 3 |
| DANC 8862 | Embodied Craft | 3 |
| DANC 8866 | The Body Politic | 3 |
| Critical-Thinking Courses | ||
| DANC 8859 | Dancing the City | 3 |
| DANC 8872 | Educating Dance | 3 |
| DANC 8873 | Concepts of Culture | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Dance | 3 | |
| Outside of Department | 6 | |
| Master’s Thesis Concert | ||
| DANC 9984 | Master's Concert in Dance | 7 |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
Culminating Events:
Comprehensive Examination:
The comprehensive examination is designed to evaluate the student's general knowledge in four major areas that are not covered by required courses: dance history, dance in a cultural context, dance education, and dance science. An acceptable level would be equivalent to that acquired from taking a single course in each area covered by the exam.
The comprehensive examination consists of two parts. The short answer section gives students the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge in diverse areas and is taken under supervision, without access to reference materials. The essay section allows students to use any appropriate references and resources. These questions require critical thinking, analysis and specificity. The essay section is completed over a period of days, and students may use any appropriate references as resources.
The comprehensive examination is taken before the first term of study and must be successfully completed before Master's Concert approval. Graduate Faculty appropriate to the MFA degree write the questions. Evaluation of the examination is followed by advising, where needed, as to specific deficient areas, with recommendations made for courses within the graduate dance curriculum that address areas of concern.
Master's Thesis Concert:
The Master's Concert is a seven-credit exercise developed over three terms, and culminating in a publicly produced presentation of choreographic work. The Master's Concert generally consists of one major choreographic work designed to demonstrate the candidate's highest achievement of artistry, craft and thinking.
During the Spring term of the second year of full-time study, students identify a thesis advisor, conduct preliminary research, and prepare the thesis concert proposal. The proposal articulates the artistic and intellectual focus of the project, setting out the questions and challenges of the work that will be developed further in the final paper. After the culminating performance, the student submits a written thesis of 8,000 words that documents the choreographic research process and final product, but more crucially also explores the interaction of theory and practice that informs the work, presenting in-depth reflection on strengths, challenges, meanings and projections for future work.