Dance (Dance Education Licensure) BFA

The curriculum leading to the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in dance education will prepare dancers to teach in public or private schools. The program is designed to provide a well-rounded education that balances dance performance, choreography and pedagogy with the core curriculum (please see degree plan for specific course requirements).

Dance (Dance Education Licensure) BFA Degree Requirements (136 hours)  

Dance (Dance Education Licensure) BFA Semester Guide  

Availability: Hattiesburg Campus

Admission Requirements:

• See University Admission Policies  
• Admission to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance in both emphasis areas requires an audition. Auditions are held in the fall and spring semesters in the year prior to a student’s enrollment at USM. Please contact the dance program at 601.266.4161 or visit www.usm.edu/dance for audition dates.

Program Academic Policies and Requirements:

• See University Academic Policies and Requirements  
• Retention Policy for Dance Majors - To remain in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, a student must maintain a 2.75 GPA in all dance courses, regardless of emphasis. A student must retake any dance course in which the grade earned is a D or lower. Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA in dance courses to be eligible for The University of Southern Mississippi Repertory Dance Company. A student who fails to maintain the required GPA will have one probationary semester to bring up grades to an acceptable GPA. A student whose grades do not improve after probation will not be allowed to enroll in additional dance courses above the 100-level.
• Dance majors applying for admission to teacher education must be in good academic standing at The University of Southern Mississippi.
• To satisfy the state of Mississippi, students seeking a degree in dance education must earn a grade of C or better in all required courses.

Licensure:

Students desiring to become licensed public elementary and secondary school dance educators must adhere to all teacher education requirements. Criteria for admission to teacher education programs and completion of teacher education programs, forms, deadlines and procedures can be found in this Bulletin under the Teacher Education Requirements tab. Students must consult an advisor in dance and the current Bulletin for prerequisites and proper sequences of courses.
Out-of-state students should consult with their respective state agencies regarding licensure requirements.

Accreditation: National Association of Schools of Dance