Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy is an important step toward satisfying the MFA degree requirements. A formal application for advancement to candidacy must be completed and approved by the department, then forwarded to the Office of Graduate Studies for final approval. To receive departmental approval for advancement to candidacy, the following conditions must by met by January 31st of the student's second year of study:

  1. No deficiencies in undergraduate work.
  2. No outstanding Incompletes in required graduate courses.
  3. No grades below B and no outstanding Ws in required graduate courses.
  4. Satisfactory progress toward completion of the thesis project, including at least the following:
    • Student has met with the Thesis Chair at least once every two weeks during Fall quarter of the second year.
    • Student is able to clearly state, in one written paragraph, the goals, scope, and plan of action for the thesis. This thesis statement will include the major research question or questions involved in the research process.
    • Student has completed a review of the relevant literature and has produced an annotated bibliography of sources consulted. This bibliography can be formulated according to an agreed style and should include at least one or two sentences per entry, concentrating on what the entry has to offer in relation to the thesis topic. Students should not limit their search to printed materials. Students with a choreography, media, or other studio emphasis should use also this requirement to become familiar with existing choreography or other relevant works in their area of interest. The search of the literature is conducted in consultation with the Thesis Chair and any other specialists who will help insure that important sources are included. A summary of this annotated bibliography may appear in some form in the thesis paper, the length of which will vary from a few pages to many, depending on relevance and project.
    • Student has begun the thesis work in a meaningful way, in addition to the annotated bibliography, as determined by the Thesis Chair. In the case of a thesis with a written research focus, this could be an introduction or a draft chapter. In the case of a thesis with a performance focus, this might be a section of a work or a demonstration of movement vocabulary, as well as a written portion of the supporting document. In both cases, the student should also provide an outline of the overall project that clearly demonstrates the direction and tone of the thesis.
    • Students with a media/technology emphasis should have completed a substantial portion of the choreography and media/technology work, and had it approved by the Thesis Chair.
    • Students with a dance science emphasis should consult your advisor regarding additional requirements.