Major and Minor Requirements
Requirements for the Major
For Barnard College, Columbia College, And School Of General Studies
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Majors must complete eleven academic courses (six required, five elective) and a minimum of eight 1-point technique courses. All majors write a senior thesis as part of their coursework.
Required courses are distributed as follows:
Dance History
The following two courses in Dance History must be completed before the fall of the senior year.
- DNCE BC 2565 World Dance History
- DNCE BC 3001 Western Theatrical Dance from the Renaissance to the 1960s
Movement Science
One course in Movement Science
- DNCE BC 2501 Biomechanics for the Dancer: Theory and Practice
- DNCE BC 2562 Movement Analysis
- DNCE BC 2573 Applied Anatomy for Human Movement
- DNCE BC 3144 Coding Choreography
Composition
One course in Composition must be completed before the fall of the senior year.
- DNCE BC 2563 Dance Composition: Form
- DNCE BC 2564 Dance Composition: Content
- DNCE BC 3560 Dance Composition: Screendance
- DNCE BC 3565 Dance Composition: Collaboration and the Creative Process
- DNCE BC 3566 Dance Composition: Site / Experimental
Senior Work
If you plan to write a combined thesis, you must request approval from both departments and notify the Registrar.
All majors must do two semesters of senior work. The following course, which culminates in a 25-30-page written thesis and an oral presentation to the Department at the end of the semester, is required of all seniors:
- DNCE BC 3591 Senior Seminar in Dance
In addition, all majors must take one or both of the following two courses, depending on whether the senior requirement is completed with a creative project, a two-semester written thesis, or both:
- DNCE BC 3592 Senior Project: Research for Dance
- DNCE BC 3593 Senor Project: Repertory for Dance
Students who are double majors may request permission to write a two-semester combined thesis.
Electives
Five additional 3- or 4-point courses, chosen in consultation with the major advisor, are required. Electives may be chosen from among the departmental offerings listed above or below, including additional coursework in Composition, Movement Science, and/or Senior Work beyond the major requirement.
History/Criticism
- DNCE BC 2570 Dance in New York City
- DNCE BC 3000 From the Page to the Dance Stage
- DNCE BC 3002 Choreographing Race in America
- DNCE BC 3200 Dance in Film
- DNCE BC 3240 Seeing the Body: Movement and Phycicality in Modern Visual Culture
- DNCE BC 3567 Dances of India
- DNCE BC 3570 Latin American and Caribbean Dance: Identities in Motion
- DNCE BC 3574 Inventing the Contemporary: Dance Since the 1960s
- DNCE BC 3576 Dance Criticism
- DNCE BC 3577 Performing the Political
- DNCE BC 3580 History of Social Dancing: Frm Choreomanias to TikTok
- DNCE BC 3980 Performing the Political
- DNCE BC 3981 Inventing American Modern Dance
Studio/Performance
- DNCE BC 2555 Ensemble Repertory: Modern
- DNCE BC 2556 Ensemble Repertory: Ballet
- DNCE BC 2567 Music for Dance
- DNCE BC 3601, 3602, 3603, 3604 Rehearsal and Performance in Dance
Overview of Major Requirements
(11 total, plus 8 technique courses)
1 Movement Science
1 Composition
2 History
1 Senior Seminar
1 Senior Project (Research in Dance or Repertory for Dance)
5 Electives
8 Technique Courses
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Columbia College And School Of General Studies
Degree Requirements For A Concentration In Dance
The concentration in Dance is identical to the major except that only two electives are required.
(For Major requirements, please see above)
Overview of Concentration Requirements (8 total, plus 8 technique classes)
1 Movement Science
1 Composition
2 History
1 Senior Seminar
1 Senior Project (Research in Dance or Repertory for Dance)
2 Electives
8 Technique Classes
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Requirements for the Barnard College Minor
A minor consists of any six 3-point or 4-point courses in Dance. Although there are no distribution requirements for the minor, the Department recommends that a minor course of study reflects the range of course offerings in Dance Studies (History and Theory), Composition, Movement Science, and/or Rehearsal & Performance. Minors are not required to take 1-point studio/technique courses, nor do technique classes count toward the minor.
N.B. Minors may apply only 12 credits of 1-point studio/technique courses in Dance toward their degree (14 credits if 2 of the classes count toward the PE requirement). For more on the College policy on studio classes, see “Requirements for the Liberal Arts Degree” in the Barnard College Catalog: http://catalog.barnard.edu/barnard-college/curriculum/requirements-liberal-arts-degree/
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School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Minor
Undergraduate Degree Requirements For A Minor In Dance
The SEAS Dance Minor consists of five 3 point courses. Please note that no performance/choreography courses below count toward the non-tech requirement for SEAS students:
1.-2. Two of the following history/criticism courses:
DNCE BC 2565 World Dance History
DNCE BC 3001 Western Theatrical Dance from Renaissance to the 1960's.
DNCE BC 2570 Dance in New York City
DNCE BC 3570 Latin American and Caribbean Dance: Identities in Motion
DNCE BC 3577 Performing the Political
DNCE BC 3574 Inventing the Contemporary: Dance Since the 1960s
DNCE BC 3576 Dance Criticism
DNCE BC 3580 History Of Social Dancing
3.-4. Two of the following performance/choreography courses:
DNCE BC 2555 Ensemble Repertory: Modern
DNCE BC 2556 Ensemble Repertory: Ballet
DNCE BC 3571 Solo Repertory
DNCE BC 2563 Dance Composition: Form
DNCE BC 2564 Dance Composition: Content
DNCE BC 3565 Composition: Collaboration and the Creative Process
DNCE BC 2567 Music for Dance
DNCE BC 2580 Tap as an American Art Form
DNCE BC 3601, 3602, 3603, 3604 Rehearsal and Performance in Dance (for 3 points)
5. One elective.
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