Dance, B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Dance offers two concentrations:
- Performance and Choreography with focuses in ballet or contemporary dance and
- Dance Education K-12.
The performance and choreography focus in classical ballet requires 8 ballet techniques and 4 contemporary techniques classes. The contemporary dance focus requires 6 contemporary techniques, 4 ballet techniques and 2 techniques of other forms of dance. Academic coursework such as choreography, dance history, and theory courses are also included in the major requirements for a degree in dance. Dance performances include full-length ballet productions, classical repertory and contemporary works.
Learning Outcomes
- Dance majors will demonstrate an advanced level of technical proficiency in ballet and or contemporary dance. Dance majors in Performance as well as Dance Education must achieve level three by graduation.
- Students will be able to write about dance in an educated manner and use critical approaches to evaluate dance.
- Students will describe the principles and theories of dance artists, their theories and choreographic strengths and also the material that pertains to history and cultural dance.
- Students will be able to verbally articulate the principles and theories of dance artists and their significance in terms of history and cultural dance.
Admission Requirements
- Entering freshmen and transfer students must meet University admissions requirements and academic standards.
- Initial acceptance into the dance major is dependent upon a qualifying dance audition in ballet and contemporary dance.
- Dance majors are encouraged to complete all four years at USC, Columbia campus, due to the rigorous and ongoing nature of the technical proficiency, as well as company requirements. If a student chooses to transfer into the dance major, additional coursework may be necessary to remedy deficiencies.
- Students who wish to enter the program from another major on the Columbia campus or from another USC campus must be in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.
Progression Requirements
- At the end of each semester, dance majors will be evaluated for proficiency and progression to the next level of dance technique based on rubrics and syllabi. To graduate, students must complete DANC 302 and DANC 312.
- All dance majors with an emphasis in dance education must fulfill admission requirements for the Professional Education Program and Internship.
- To remain in the dance major, a student must make satisfactory progress towards a degree. A student who fails to make satisfactory progress may be placed on academic probation or removed from the college.
Admissions
Entrance Requirements
New freshmen who meet University admissions standards are eligible for admission to degree programs offered by the college. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another college on the Columbia campus must be in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another UofSC campus must fulfill one of the following requirements:
- Be in good standing, meet the admission requirements for a baccalaureate degree on the Columbia campus, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.
- Be in good standing and have completed 30 semester hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher on a UofSC campus.
Some programs in the College of Arts and Sciences have special admission requirements established by the department or committee that supervises the specific degree program, for example, Cardiovascular Technology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Economics, Environmental Science, the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. These requirements are listed in the sections of this bulletin that describe department and special degree programs.
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
Program of Study
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| 1. Carolina Core | 32-44 |
| 2. College Requirements | 15-18 |
| 3. Program Requirements | 0-41 |
| 4. Major Requirements | 32-70 |
Founding Documents Requirement
All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers. This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective. Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.
1. Carolina Core Requirements (32-44 hours)
CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)
must be passed with a grade of C or higher
- any CC-CMW courses
ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-8 hours)
- any CC-ARP courses
SCI – Scientific Literacy (8 hours)
- Two 4-credit hour CC-SCI courses
GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language (0-6 hours)
Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the minimal passing grade on the exit examination in the 122 course is required. Students can demonstrate this proficiency by successfully completing Phase II of the Proficiency Test or by successfully completing the 122 course, including the exit exam administered as part of that course.
It is strongly recommended that students continuing the study of a foreign language begin college-level study of that language in their first semester and continue in that language until their particular foreign language requirement is completed.
GHS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours)
- any CC-GHS course
GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours)
- any CC-GSS course
AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)
- any CC-AIU course
CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-CMS course
INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-INF course
VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-VSR course
| 1 | Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements. |
2. College Requirements (15-18 hours)
Foreign Language (0-3 hours)
- only if needed to meet 122-level proficiency
History (3 hours)
The College of Arts and Sciences requires one additional GHS course beyond the Carolina Core GHS requirement.
- If the Carolina Core GHS requirement is fulfilled by a U.S. history course, the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement must be fulfilled by a non-U.S. history course.
- If the Carolina Core GHS requirement is fulfilled by a non-U.S. history course, the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement must be fulfilled by a U.S. history course.
Please select the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement from the approved list of U.S. and non-U.S. history courses.
Social Science and Fine Arts or Humanities (12 hours)
- Courses Acceptable for Social Science and Fine Arts or Humanities Credit in Degree Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences (3 hours of Social Science)
The following must be passed with a grade of C or higher (C+ or higher for Dance Education K-12 Certification):
3. Program Requirements (0-41 hours)
Cognate or Minor (12-18 hours) optional for Dance Education K-12 Certification Concentration
Cognate (12 hours)
The cognate is intended to support the course work in the major. The cognate must consist of twelve (12) hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of but related to the major. The cognate may be taken in one or more departments or programs, depending on the interests of the student and the judgment of the advisor.
Courses offered by departments and programs that are acceptable for cognate credit are outlined in the section titled Courses Acceptable for Cognate Credit in Degree Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.
For cognate course offerings in other colleges, consult the appropriate sections of this bulletin. Some major programs have specific cognate requirements.
It should be emphasized that the cognate is not a second set of elective courses to be chosen at random by the student. The cognate must be approved by the major advisor as being related to the major field of study. Students are urged to consult their major advisors for specific requirements in their major.
Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the cognate.
For Bachelor of Arts degrees, all cognate courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.
Minor (18 hours)
In place of the cognate a student in the College of Arts and Sciences may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of prescribed courses. (Some minors in the sciences require a minimum of 16 hours.) The subject area of the minor may be related to the major. Students pursuing interdisciplinary minors who wish to use courses in their major department for minor credit must petition the College Committee on Scholastic Standards and Petitions for permission to do so.
The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. It differs from the cognate inasmuch as the courses must be concentrated in one area and must follow a structured sequence. Interdisciplinary minors can be designed with the approval of the assistant dean for academic affairs and advising.
Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. At least half of the courses in the minor must be completed in residence at the University.
A list of minor programs of study can be found at Programs A-Z.
Electives (0-29 hours)
No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the College of Arts and Sciences.
4. Major Requirements (32-70 hours)
A minimum grade of C is required in all major courses. (C+ or higher for Dance Education K-12 Certification)
Choose one of the following concentrations:
Performance and Choreography (32 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DANC 103 | The Dancer's Body | 3 |
| DANC 160A | Dance Improvisation and Composition | 3 |
| DANC 360 | Choreography I | 3 |
| DANC 490 | Senior Capstone Dance Project | 3 |
| Techniques | ||
| Select either Ballet or Contemporary Dance: | 15-24 | |
Ballet: | ||
Eight ballet techniques | ||
Four contemporary techniques | ||
Contemporary: | ||
Six contemporary techniques | ||
Four ballet techniques | ||
Two techniques of other forms of dance | ||
| Dance Company | ||
| DANC 177 | Dance Company I | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours | 32-41 | |
Note: Students must meet both the number of credits and distribution of technique requirements listed. Some techniques courses are variable credit. To graduate with a major in dance, students must successfully complete DANC 302A and DANC 312A. Students may take up to 24 hours of techniques courses toward the major.
Dance Education K-12 Certification (70 hours)
Dance majors with an emphasis in Dance Education K-12 teacher certification must meet USC and South Carolina Department of Education requirements in order to be recommended for certification (includes passing state-required examinations). An application for certification is required. Contact the College of Education, Office of Student Affairs, 803-777-6732.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DANC 103 | The Dancer's Body | 3 |
| DANC 160A | Dance Improvisation and Composition | 3 |
| DANC 300 | Music for Dancers | 3 |
| DANC 360 | Choreography I | 3 |
| Techniques | ||
| The following courses must be taken 4 times each: | ||
| DANC 202A | Ballet Technique II | 4 |
| DANC 302A | Ballet Technique III | 4 |
| DANC 402A | Ballet Technique IV | 4 |
| The following courses must be taken 4 times each: | ||
| DANC 212A | Contemporary Dance Technique II | 4 |
| DANC 312A | Contemporary Dance Technique III | 4 |
| DANC 412A | Contemporary Dance Technique IV | 4 |
| Select two hours of the following world dance forms courses: | 2 | |
| World Dance I | ||
or DANC 113A | World Dance II | |
| West African Dance I | ||
or DANC 407 | West African Dance II | |
| DANC 380 | Movement and Dance for Musical Theatre | 3 |
| Dance Company | ||
| DANC 177 | Dance Company I | 3 |
| Professional Education | ||
| DANC 270 | Dance Education I: Introduction to Dance Education | 2 |
| DANC 370 | Dance Education II: Creative Dance | 3 |
| DANC 470 | Dance Education III: Dance Pedagogy for Middle and High School | 4 |
| DANC 471 | Synthesis of Dance Education Constructs (pre-internship seminar) | 1 |
| DANC 478 | Integrated Approaches in Dance Education | 5 |
| DANC 479 | Teaching Internship in Dance Education | 12 |
| Education Courses | ||
| EDFI 300 | Schools in Communities | 3 |
| EDPY 401 | Learners and the Diversity of Learning | 3 |
| PEDU 515 | Physical Education for Inclusion | 3 |
| or EDEX 523 | Introduction to Exceptional Children | |
| EDRD 500 | Content Area Literacy PK-12 | 3 |
Notes:
- Students must successfully complete DANC 302A and DANC 312A with a C+ or better.
- Ballet and contemporary technique courses are variable credit.
- Students must meet both the number of credits and distribution of technique requirements listed above.
Professional Education Program Requirements
The dance major with an emphasis in dance education supports prospective teachers in developing both in-depth content knowledge and appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions of teaching required in today’s classrooms.
Extensive clinical experiences in a variety of appropriate K-12 classrooms and schools are a central component of the program.
Application and admission to the Professional Program in Education (typically at 60 credit hours) and admission to Internship are required for all majors seeking teacher certification. All teacher education candidates must adhere to all education policies and procedures related to clinical experiences. Information on education applications, policies, and procedures is available from the College of Education, Advising and Student Services office at 803-777-6732.
Specific requirements in dance education for Admission to Internship II/Student Teaching include the following:
- Admission to the Professional Program.
- Maintenance of minimum collegiate summary grade point average as required for admission to the Professional Program.
- Successful Completion of DANC 270, DANC 370, DANC 470, and DANC 478; all courses within the dance major and all performance practicum requirements.
- A grade of C+ or better in all dance, dance education and education courses.
- Successful completion of 100 practicum hours completed during the dance education coursework.
- Satisfactory performance in the area of teacher education dispositions.
- SLED clearance through fingerprinting and background check requirements.
- Successful completion of the application for student teaching.
Major Map
A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.
Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.
Dance, B.A. Performance and Choreography Concentration
Dance, B.A. Dance Education K-12 Certification Concentration