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Department of Dance

The Department of Dance is dedicated to providing programs of excellence based on a Liberal Arts education. Training includes dance technique, creative projects, historical and theoretical thinking, performance, and aesthetics taught by a highly qualified, terminally degreed faculty. The dance department offers pre-professional opportunities that motivate the student to achieve their academic and artistic potential. The National Association of Schools of Dance accredits academic programs in dance at Jacksonville University.

Degrees Offered

  • Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Dance
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in dance offers the student intensive training in technique and choreography with the flexibility to study in depth in other fields and disciplines. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree with a major in dance offers a four-year pre-professional program of study, preparing the student for a professional career as performer or choreographer in a dance-related field.

Opportunities are provided for the student to gain the necessary practical experience in dance performance, choreography, pedagogy, research, and technical proficiency skills.

Minors Offered

  • Dance

Program Requirements

Dance students must meet the following requirements:

  • All students wishing to major in dance must successfully complete an audition and admittance into the program before declaring either dance degree.
  • All dance majors are required to register for a minimum two technique classes each semester until technique requirements are fulfilled.
  • All dance majors are required to fulfill the College of Fine Arts sophomore review requirement before completion of 64 credit hours.
  • The University speech-intensive requirement will be fulfilled by completion of DANC 420SI and DANC 335SI.
  • The University writing-intensive and research-intensive requirement will be fulfilled by completion of DANC 318WI and DANC 420WR.
  • All students wishing to enroll in dance technique classes above the 100-level must have fulfilled the prerequisites, attend a placement class, or receive permission from the instructor.
  • All dance majors participating in a Dance Concert are required to register for a minimum of one technique course that corresponding semester and maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA.

Auditions, Placement and Scholarships

After acceptance to the University, prospective dance majors must audition in person or for international students by submission of a video-recorded performance. Auditions in person are scheduled several times throughout the academic year by taking a placement class during a Fine Arts open house. Placement in technique courses is then established. Auditions are used to determine possible scholarship awards. Limited dance scholarship recommendations and dance service grant awards are available. Audition appointments may be arranged with the Office of Admissions.