The Dance, BFA program is a nationally respected academic program intended for students with professional aspirations in dance, and includes a variety of courses that, in their breadth and depth, prepare students to enter the field as young artists. At 78 credit hours required within the department, the demands of the BFA program are significant. The possibility of a minor in another subject within the standard four-year course study is diminished on this track. The BFA is most appropriate for students who wish to make a definitive commitment to dance and who have demonstrated clear aptitude for the physical and intellectual demands of the field. Acceptance into the BFA program is by application only. Applications to the BFA are accepted early in the spring semester.

As a result of successfully completing program requirements, students should be able to:

• demonstrate accomplishment as contemporary dancers with substantial experience/proficiencies across culturally diverse dance forms;
• create dances and scholarship that reflect a distinctive point of view and demonstrate exposure to collaborative and interdisciplinary processes;
• analyze and articulate how dance practices circulate within systems of power and resistance;
• initiate and utilize professional and scholarly discourse to analyze their bodies of work as well as those of their peers and professionals;
• create a working portfolio that showcases their body of work and demonstrates an aptitude for success in a variety of artistic and professional settings;
• design, present and evaluate concept-based dance curriculum using pedagogical practices that reflect their knowledge of anatomy, culture and multiple learning styles; and
• articulate their ideas and advocate for the field of dance through kinesthetic, verbal and written communication.

Performance Standards

The Dance Department expects exemplary effort and accomplishment from our BFA candidates. Failure to meet one or more of the following expectations will result in review of a candidate’s continuation within the BFA program. BFA candidates must:

• pass all required courses with grades of C or better and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA;
• advance through technical requirements in a timely manner;
• BFA students will demonstrate continuing development as dancers. Typically BFA students will advance one level each year;
• exhibit full engagement and presence in their artistic and scholarly practices; and
• conduct themselves in a manner beneficial to their own and others’ education.

Transfer Students Seeking a BFA in Dance

Transfer students seeking the BFA degree earn a minimum of 45 credits at Columbia and at least 15 of those must be toward major requirements. Any prior dance courses at a previous institution will be evaluated for equivalency with Columbia College’s Dance Department requirements.