Five Year Combined Pathway in Dance: BFA + MA
Program Description
In keeping with The School of Dance’s commitment to nurturing the highest caliber of dance training, art making, and scholarship, the combined pathway offers an opportunity to earn both a BFA degree and an MA degree in Dance. Within a targeted tenure of five years, the combined pathway is designed so that successful candidates merge graduate level coursework into the undergraduate senior year, then complete the graduate degree the following year.
This program is ideal for the undergraduate dance major who has identified area(s) of interest within the School of Dance curriculum and seeks to deepen their investigation into this/these area(s). Guided by the mentorship of distinguished faculty, the program is designed to support self-driven inquiry and offer curricular flexibility. Students pursue elective coursework that relates to their area(s) of interest, deepening their understanding of dance studio studies and scholarship and engaging in significant investigation via process-based research. Students may apply twelve (12) hours of graduate credit towards both their BFA and MA in Dance degrees. Please note: undergraduate seniors enrolled in courses for graduate credit may not carry a semester load of more than fifteen (15) credit hours.
Requirements for admission include: an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0; a GPA of 3.0 in all dance coursework, successful obtainment of proficiency in dance technique, as defined by the School of Dance; and a formal application to the Graduate School and School of Dance. Undergraduate students engaged in the combined pathway may register for six (6) hours of graduate level coursework during each semester of their senior year, provided that students obtain the approval of the Dean of the College of Fine Arts, the School of Dance Department Chair, and the course instructor. Undergraduate seniors enrolled in courses for graduate credit may not carry a semester load of more than fifteen (15) credit hours. Students must have eligibility of combined pathway participation certified in the Office of the University Registrar before seeking Dean and instructor approval.
Potential candidates should meet with their academic advisor to determine if the program aligns with the student’s trajectory of study. Qualified students normally apply to the School of Dance combined pathway in their junior year. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission although students should make a formal application to FSU’s Graduate School and the School of Dance’s Graduate Program during the last semester of their senior year.
Future Students: Auditions/Admissions
Sample Schedule for Pathway Program in Dance
A sample schedule for the BFA + MA in Studio and Related Studies (SRS) follows. Recommended graduate coursework for the senior year is in addition to any remaining BFA degree requirements and can be counted towards the BFA degree. Graduate year coursework reflects graduate student status (post-BFA degree), culminating in an earned MA degree at the end of the academic year.
BFA + MA-Studio & Related Studies
The MA with a focus on Studio and Related Studies (SRS) offers students the ability to self-design a course of study that augments dance training with coursework in choreography, technology, dance sciences, administration, production, and/or other areas of interest to the particular student. SRS candidates complete 36 hours for the degree and work towards a cumulative capstone project unique to their own experience.
More Information
BFA Senior Year Courses in Graduate Study
- Fall
- DAN5647: Choreographic Process (2 hours)*
- Dance Electives (4 hours)
- Spring
- DAN5191: Seminar in Dance Research (3 hours)
- Dance Electives (3 hours)
Graduate Year Courses
- Fall
- Dance Technique (2 hours)
- DAN5618 Graduate Choreography (3 hours)*
- Dance Electives (7 hours)
- Spring
- Dance Technique (2 hours)
- Dance Electives (7 hours)
- DAN5971: MA Capstone (3 hours)
*Students may substitute this course with one that is more appropriate for their area of study under the guidance of the Graduate Program Director.
List of Graduate Courses that Double-Count Towards BFA and MA in Dance for Pathway Candidates.
Credits will be counted towards the graduate degree after the student receives the Bachelor’s Degree and matriculates. Additionally, students must earn a GPA of at least 3.0 in graduate course work taken as an undergraduate in order for the credits to be double-counted towards the student’s graduate degree.
DAA 3208r or 4110r/5118r. Contemporary Dance (1–3).
DAA 3209r or 4210r/5218r. Ballet (1–3).
DAA 3684r or 4685r/5688r. Dance Ensemble (1). (S/U grade only.)
DAA 3695r/5698r. Dance Performance (1–2).
DAE 5305. Science of Dance Training (3). Prerequisite: DAN 3714 or equivalent.
DAN 4484/5486. Documentation Techniques (3).
DAN 5590. Studies in Dance Technology (3).
DAN 4420r/5591r. Dance and Video (2).
DAN 4421/5596. Photography for Dance (2).
DAN 4951r/5950r. New York City: Arts and Resources (3).