MFA

MFA in Dance, Fall 2020 semester! 

The Hunter College MFA program in Dance prepares dance artists/educators for careers and professional roles in the field of dance through a wide-ranging program of dance technique and choreography, complemented by appropriate coursework in theory, perspectives and contexts, history, and dance pedagogy. The MFA in Dance is considered the terminal degree in the field; it is the baseline qualifying credential for the college/university teaching job market, a challenging laboratory for furthering deep personal artistic accomplishment, and an important venue for the development of contextual and aesthetic understanding. The MFA program enrolled its first students in 2018.

Admission Requirements

All applicants are required to complete the online Hunter College graduate school application and submit an updated CV by May 1st, 2020. Candidates will also be required to participate in and interview that will include a presentation on the candidate's professional perfoming and creative career. Details for the presentation will be available after the candidate's application has been submitted. Admission will occur only in the fall semester. Applicants are required to have a bachelor's degree in any subject, at least 5 years of professional dance experience, and a clearly demonstrated career plan for which academic study of the art form is appropriate.

The GRE exam is not required for application for the MFA/Dance Program. An undergraduate degree in Dance is desirable, but not required. Based on a proficiency exam and one-on-one assessment administered early in the course of study, undergraduate courses may be required to cover specific deficiencies in the student's preparation.

Curriculum

The degree plan comprises courses in dance pedagogy, theory, criticism, aesthetics, history, research methods, cultural studies, physical training, and extensive creative work in performance and choreography. The capstone of the curriculum is the MFA project, an intensive research process culminating in the presentation of significant creative work.

Requirements

The MFA program requires 60 credits and is a terminal degree. The program's standards are those articulated by the National Association of Schools of Dance. The credit requirements are as follows:

• Theory and Perspectives - 12 credits
• Dance Technique - 11 credits
• Creative Work - 11 credits
• Pedagogy - 6 credits
• Major MFA project - 8 credits
• Electives - 12 credits

The 12 elective credits will make it possible for the student to investigate particular areas of interest, and possibly develop a secondary area of interest and expertise.

Curriculum Details

Pedagogy

The 6-credit Pedagogy requirement consists of the following courses:

• DANED 76000 - Dance Methods I: Curriculum Design and Pedagogy for Productive Teaching and Learning (3 cr)
• DAN 75000 - Topics in Teaching for College/University (3 cr)

Electives

The 12 credits of electives are chosen from across the college curriculum or approved outside projects according to particular student interests. Independent study with the Dance faculty in ground-breaking research is encouraged.