Bachelor of Arts in Dance
The Bachelor of Arts in Dance is designed to provide a comprehensive education in dance with the opportunity to pursue further study in performance, choreography, or dance studies. The major is organized around a 30-unit core and a 15-unit area of focus. Core courses introduce students to foundational skills and knowledge in dance technique, choreography, music, dance sciences, and dance studies. Students should choose an area of focus according to educational and career goals in consultation with an advisor.
All new dance majors must enroll in DANC 170 Integrated Dance Technique I DANC 170 Integrated Dance Technique I in their first semester. Dance majors are expected to consult with their faculty advisor on a semester basis.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Dance the student will be able to:
- Students will demonstrate competence at working conceptually and thinking critically about dance technique, performance, and choreography to include aesthetic properties of style and ideas shaped by artistic and cultural contexts.
- Students will demonstrate foundational knowledge in theatrical, social, and vernacular dance technique, choreography, and production—including intermediate to advanced competence in one or more areas of technique, performance, or choreography.
- Students will demonstrate foundational knowledge of dance theory and the application of research methodologies for undertaking original research on and writing about dance topics.
- Students will demonstrate foundational knowledge of the body and kinesiology as applicable to work in dance.
- Students will demonstrate competence in teaching—including one or more areas of intermediate level dance technique, creative process, or other dance topics.
Dance (B.A.) — 45 units
Core Courses (30 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| DANC/TH A 123 | Music Fundamentals for Theatre and Dance Artists | 3 |
| DANC 170 | Integrated Dance Technique I | 3 |
| DANC 232 | Dance Composition: Choreography I | 3 |
| DANC 301GW | Dance Research Methods and Theory | 3 |
| DANC 304 | Issues in Dance Medicine I | 3 |
| DANC 311 | Alignment/Pilates Mat | 1 |
| DANC 350 | Dance Aesthetics: Cultural/Historical Perspectives | 3 |
| Select One: | 3 | |
| Historical Survey of Dance in the Western World | ||
| Ethnography of Dance | ||
| Select One: | 3 | |
| Scenery and Props Laboratory and Crew | ||
| Costume and Makeup Laboratory and Crew | ||
| Lighting and Sound Laboratory and Crew | ||
| Select 3 units from: | 3 | |
| African-Haitian Dance I | ||
| Dance in Cultural Context | ||
| Cultural History of Dance | ||
| Folklore of Dance: African-Haitian | ||
| Select 2 units from: | 2 | |
| Ballet II | ||
| Modern Dance II | ||
| Jazz Dance II | ||
Areas of Focus (15 units)
These courses are optimally organized for areas of focus in Performance/Choreography and Dance Studies. Students should meet with an advisor to choose an area of focus.
Performance/Choreography
The area of focus in Performance/Choreography includes 4 units of foundational coursework, 5 units of upper-division dance technique, and 6 units of upper-division coursework in dance composition and performance. Students should meet with an advisor to select courses that align with their educational and career goals. Four units of technique courses numbered 300 or above may be repeated in this section for credit.
Foundation (4 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| DANC 312 | Alignment Study/Pilates Mat II-III | 1 |
| DANC 434 | Dance Composition: Choreography II | 3 |
Upper-Division Technique (5 units)
Select 5 units from the following:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| DANC 312 | Alignment Study/Pilates Mat II-III | 1 |
| DANC 363 | Ballet III | 2 |
| DANC 374 | Modern Dance III | 2 |
| DANC 376 | Jazz Dance III | 2 |
| DANC 400 | Workshop in Contemporary Dance | 1 |
| DANC 401 | Ballet Pointe and Partnering | 1 |
| DANC 434 | Dance Composition: Choreography II | 3 |
| DANC 465 | Ballet IV | 2 |
| DANC 474 | Modern Dance IV | 2 |
| DANC 476 | Jazz Dance IV | 2 |
Upper-Division Electives (6 units)
Select 6 units from the following:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| DANC 340 | Dance Pedagogy | 3 |
| DANC 399 | University Dance Theatre | 2 |
| DANC 461 | Advanced Choreography and Production | 3 |
| DANC 463 | Performance in Dance Production | 1 |
| DANC/TH A 490 | Dance Theatre Workshop | 1-3 |
Dance Studies
The area of focus in Dance Studies includes 3 units of additional coursework in dance studies, 6 units of coursework in theatre studies, and 6 units of electives (not already used to satisfy core requirements) in dance technique, composition (choreography), or performance. Students should meet with an advisor to select courses that align with educational and career goals. 4 units of dance technique courses may be repeated in this section for credit.
Additional Dance Studies Coursework (3 units)
Choose the course not already used to satisfy core requirements:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| DANC 430 | Historical Survey of Dance in the Western World | 3 |
| DANC/ANTH 657 | Ethnography of Dance | 3 |
Theatre Studies Coursework (6 units)
Select 6 units from the following:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| TH A 404 | Musical Theatre History and Literature | 3 |
| TH A/DANC 408 | Performance in Asia and the Asian Diaspora | 3 |
| TH A 504 | Historical Styles of Decor and Clothing | 3 |
| TH A/MUS 559 | Women in Jazz | 3 |
Electives (6 units)
Select 6 units, not already used to satisfy foundational or technique core requirements, from the following:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| DANC 207 | Dance in Cultural Context | 1 |
| DANC 208 | Cultural History of Dance | 3 |
| DANC 236 | Folklore of Dance: African-Haitian | 2 |
| DANC 263 | Ballet II | 2 |
| DANC 275 | Modern Dance II | 2 |
| DANC 276 | Jazz Dance II | 2 |
| DANC 312 | Alignment Study/Pilates Mat II-III | 1 |
| DANC 340 | Dance Pedagogy | 3 |
| DANC 363 | Ballet III | 2 |
| DANC 374 | Modern Dance III | 2 |
| DANC 376 | Jazz Dance III | 2 |
| DANC 399 | University Dance Theatre | 2 |
| DANC 400 | Workshop in Contemporary Dance | 1 |
| DANC 401 | Ballet Pointe and Partnering | 1 |
| DANC 434 | Dance Composition: Choreography II | 3 |
| DANC 461 | Advanced Choreography and Production | 3 |
| DANC 463 | Performance in Dance Production | 1 |
| DANC 465 | Ballet IV | 2 |
| DANC 474 | Modern Dance IV | 2 |
| DANC 476 | Jazz Dance IV ( Modern Jazz IV) | 2 |
| DANC/TH A 490 | Dance Theatre Workshop | 1-3 |
Complementary Studies
Bachelor of Arts students must complete at least 12 units of Complementary Studies outside of the primary prefix for the major. (Note: Students may not use an alternate prefix that is cross-listed with the primary prefix for the major.)
Students who complete two majors or a major and a minor automatically complete the Complementary Studies requirement. Additional ways to complete Complementary Studies for students in the Dance major include, with the approval of a Dance Program advisor, completing 12 units in a single foreign language of their choosing, 12 units from courses taken in a study abroad program, 12 units of courses taken as partial completion of a second major, minor or certificate, or 12 units of courses in related disciplines.
Related disciplines typically include theater, music, cinema, broadcast and electronic communications, creative writing, journalism, kinesiology, physical education, health education, holistic health, biology, elementary education, English, history, anthropology, business, and journalism. The dance program allows up to 12 units of dance-related disciplines to count toward the dance major.
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.