Online Bachelor's Degree in Dance Studies
***The online BS in Dance program is not accepting new students at this time. More information to come.***
Your dance career doesn’t stop when the performance ends. Drexel University’s online BS in Dance is designed to help professional dancers transition to a post-performance career. Whether your goal is to find success in other areas of the dance industry, or to continue on to earn an advanced degree, Drexel’s bachelor’s degree in dance program will give you the skills and support you need to prepare for this new stage in your career.
What is a Bachelor's in Dance?
A bachelor’s degree in dance pairs an interdisciplinary undergraduate education with a core curriculum focused on the dance field. Students in Drexel’s online BS in Dance can take classes in topics such as dance pedagogy, dance writing/criticism, and choreography to help prepare you for when your dance performance career has ended. Throughout the bachelor’s degree in dance program, you will learn to:
- Develop choreographic and improvisational skills
- Demonstrate visual literacy and kinesthetic proficiency
- Establish an understanding of physical and emotional self-care practices
- Understand and demonstrate a knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy, kinesiology, and musicality
- Describe movement using a range of theoretical and somatic frameworks
- Appreciate the value of diversity through a developing awareness of the world and your place in it
Bachelor's in Dance Program Features
- 100% online program
- Up to 50 credit hours of dance movement-based technique courses will be offered based on previous experience
- Develop and demonstrate skills for critical thinking and apply these skills to pedagogy and performance
- Learn from faculty with years of experience and connections in the dance and choreography industries in Philadelphia and beyond
- Transfer up to 135 quarter credits (90 semester credits) from any regionally accredited institution of higher learning, as long as you received a grade of C or better
Archived Webinar
Can I Learn Dance Online?
Although this bachelor’s degree in dance program is entirely online, dance is still a central element to the curriculum. The distance learning dance courses in this program include a mix of readings, video viewings, discussions, writings, and some practical components. For dance courses involving a practical component, you will be required to provide video recordings of your own practice and creative work.
What Degree Does a Dancer Need?
For the most part, dancers do not need a degree to perform. However, the short lifespan of the professional dance performance career is widely recognized in the industry, and finding a fulfilling career after performing can be a challenge for some dancers. Drexel’s online BS in Dance is designed to help you transition to a post-performance career. It allows you to complete an undergraduate degree while taking specialized courses that set you up for success in a dance-related field.
Drexel’s online BS in Dance prepares you for careers in:
- Choreography
- Dance Administration
- Dance Criticism
- Dance Education
- Dance Somatic Practice
After completion of a bachelor’s degree in dance, you may consider earning an advanced degree which will prepare you for careers in the following areas:
- Dance/Movement Therapy
Continue for two years of study in the College of Nursing and Health Professions to earn an MA in Creative Arts in Therapy and become a licensed dance therapist. - Dance Education
Complete a five-year bachelor’s/master’s option through the School of Education and qualify for Pennsylvania PreK-4 teaching certification. Through Interstate Reciprocity Agreements, you can become certified to teach in almost any state. - Physical Therapy
Continue for an additional three years in the College of Nursing and Health Professions to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy and become a licensed physical therapist.
Can You Major in Dance with No Experience?
This bachelor’s degree in dance program is designed for those with a background in dance. The goal is to help you transition from a career in performance to a career in a dance-related space. When applying to this program, you will be expected to submit a professional resume and a two to five minute video of a professional performance. Please see the Admission Criteria page for a full list of admission requirements.
Drexel's 10,000 Hours Podcast: Sandra Parks
We tend to think of dance as a female-dominated field. But is it? Assistant teaching professor Sandra Parks breaks down the ways the industry keeps women out of leadership positions, and what needs to be done to bring about change.
State restrictions may apply to some programs.
Curriculum
This program is organized into four 10-week quarters per year (as opposed to the traditional two semester system) which means you can take more courses in a shorter time period. One semester credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter credits.
Up to 50 credit hours of dance movement-based technique courses will be offered based on previous experience.
General Education Requirements | ||
ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
MATH 171 | Introduction to Analysis A | 3.0 |
MATH 172 | Introduction to Analysis B | 3.0 |
PSY 101 | General Psychology I | 3.0 |
PSY 120 | Developmental Psychology | 3.0 |
PSY 240 | Abnormal Psychology | 3.0 |
Two English (ENGL) electives | 6.0 | |
One Art or Humanities elective | 3.0 | |
Two Natural Science electives | 8.0 | |
Free electives | 40.0 | |
Dance Major Requirements | ||
ARTH 102 | History of Art II: Renaissance to Romanticism | 3.0 |
DANC 100 | Introduction to Dance Studies | 2.0 |
DANC 115 | Introduction to Dance | 3.0 |
DANC 116 | Dance and Fitness | 3.0 |
DANC 135 | Rhythmic Study for Dance | 3.0 |
DANC 215 | Dance Appreciation | 3.0 |
DANC 216 | Introduction to Laban Movement Analysis | 3.0 |
DANC 222 | Dance Pedagogy | 3.0 |
DANC 235 | Dance Composition I | 3.0 |
DANC 315 | Twentieth Century Dance | 3.0 |
DANC 316 | Dance Kinesiology | 3.0 |
DANC 415 | Dance Aesthetics and Criticism | 3.0 |
DANC 481 | Senior Seminar in Dance | 1.0 |
DANC 491 | Senior Project in Dance * | 3.0 |
NFS 100 & NFS 101 |
Nutrition, Foods, and Health and Introduction to Nutrition & Food |
3.0 |
Technique and Performance Based Courses |
50.0 | |
Total Credits | 186.0 |
*1.0 credit course repeated for a total of 3.0 credits
Admissions Criteria
All applicants must have professional dance performance experience.
Transfer Students
- A minimum of 24 previous college semester credits (36 quarter credits) with a grade of C or better from a regionally accredited institution
- GPA of 2.5 or above
First-Year Students
- Between 0 - 23 previous college semester credits from a regionally accredited institution
- Must have earned a high school diploma or GED
Required Documents
With multiple ways to submit documents, Drexel makes it easy to complete your application. Learn more by visiting our Completing Your Application Guide.
- A completed application
- Transfer Students
- Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions attended (including trade schools)
- First-Year Students
- Official high school transcripts
- Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions attended (including trade schools)
- Personal Essay
- Resume with clear professional dance experience
- Additional requirements for International Students
Tuition
The tuition rate for the academic year 2024-2025 is $591 per credit. (A 40% tuition savings off Drexel's regular tuition rate of $985 per credit)
- This program is eligible for Financial Aid.
- Special tuition rates available for Drexel University Alumni, Military members, and members of our Partner Organizations
- These rates apply only to new online students and students being readmitted.
- Tuition rates are subject to increase with the start of each academic year in the fall term.
- All students must contact applyDUonline@drexel.edu within the first two weeks of the term to request tuition savings for which they qualify.
- Special rates cannot be combined. If you qualify for more than one special rate, you'll be given the one with the largest savings.
- When receiving special tuition plans with Drexel University Online, you may not combine them with other tuition benefits that may be available from Drexel University.
Academic Calendar
2024-2025 Academic Year
Term
Classes Begin
Classes End
Exams Begin
Exams End
Fall 2024
September 23, 2024
December 7, 2024
December 9, 2024
December 14, 2024
Winter 2025
January 6, 2025
March 15, 2025
March 17, 2025
March 22, 2025
Spring 2025
March 31, 2025
June 7, 2025
June 9, 2025
June 14, 2025
Summer 2025
June 23, 2025
August 30, 2024
September 2, 2025
September 6, 2025
Apply for admission to Drexel University
This program is not currently accepting new applicants.
Previously enrolled at Drexel? Learn more about readmission.
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