Graduate Program Details

Want to learn more about our graduate program? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions from prospective students. For complete program details and admission requirements, please refer to the current UCI Catalogue.

Q: What are the required courses?
A: The required courses for the M.F.A. program are: Six courses chosen from any graduate or upper-division dance technique course; Graduate Kinesiology for Dance (Dance 201); Musical Resources (Dance 222); Teaching of Dance Techniques (Dance 225); Dance and Video Technology (Dance 281); two courses in Graduate Choreography (Dance 261); Movement Analysis (Dance 282); Critical Issues in Dance (Dance 283); Bibliography and Research (Dance 284); Thesis (Dance 286); Proseminar in Dance History (Dance 296) or Proseminar in Dance Ethnology (Dance 298).

Q: How many years is the graduate program?
A: Generally it takes two years to complete the program.

Q: What are the admission requirements and application deadlines?
A: The deadline for application is December 1, 2025. See Applying to the Graduate Program in Dance for complete information.

Q: How many students are in the Dance department?
A: Currently there are about 150 undergraduate students and 9 graduate students in the Dance Department.

Q: What opportunities are available for me to perform or present work?
A: Students perform in a variety of venues, ranging from traditional theaters to innovative alternative spaces. These include a large, fully equipped dance studio featuring state-of-the-art projection, lighting, and sound systems, as well as the Experimental Media Performance Lab (xMPL)—a versatile black box theater with flexible seating and advanced technological and video capabilities. The Dance Department produces four concerts annually, two of which showcase original choreography by graduate students. Additionally, students have the opportunity to present thesis concerts, video projects, and other creative works in both conventional and experimental settings, fostering a dynamic and multifaceted performance experience.

Students also have the opportunity to work across disciplines and collaborate with artists from a range of fields—including, but not limited to, musicians, lighting designers, costume designers, painters, and multimedia artists—enhancing their creative process and expanding the scope of their work.

Q: What is the cost of tuition?
A: Visit the UCI University Registrar page for current tuition rates.

Q: What fellowships or teaching assistantships are available?
A: See Graduate Program Financial Aid.

Q: What if I have more questions?
A: For additional information please contact: 
Dance Department:  dancemfa@uci.edu
For questions about the M.F.A. in Dance program, contact the Graduate Advisor, Associate Professor Chad Michael Hall, chall1@uci.edu
For questions about the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, contact School of the Arts Student Affairs Office: (949) 824-6646, artscounselor@uci.edu

Pictured: Lar Lubovitch's Legend of Ten Part. I, Dance Visions  2017. Photo by Rose Eichenbaum.