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Lancaster Campus    
2019-2020 USC Lancaster Bulletin 
    
 
  May 05, 2024
 
2019-2020 USC Lancaster Bulletin

Dance, BA


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Overview

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Dance offers two concentrations: (1) Performance and Choreography with focuses in ballet or contemporary dance and (2) Dance Education K-12. The performance and choreography focus in classical ballet requires 8 ballet techniques and 4 contemporary techniques classes. The contemporary dance focus requires 6 contemporary techniques, 4 ballet techniques and 2 techniques of other forms of dance. Academic coursework such as choreography, dance history, and theory courses are also included in the major requirements for a degree in dance. Dance performances include full-length ballet productions, classical repertory and contemporary works.

Learning Outcomes

  • Dance majors will demonstrate an advanced level of technical proficiency in ballet and or contemporary dance. Dance majors in Performance as well as Dance Education must acheive level three by graduation. 
  • Students will be able to write about dance in an educated manner and use critical approaches to evaluate dance.
  • Students will describe the principles and theories of dance artists, their theories and choreographic strengths and also the material that pertains to history and cultural dance. 
  • Students will be able to verbally articulate the principles and theories of dance artists and their significance in terms of history and cultural dance.
  • Dance majors will demonstrate that they are prepared for the rigors of an academic dance curriculum.
  • Dance majors will identify and explain a wide selection of dance repertory, principal eras and genres, and cultural sources of dance.
  • Dance majors will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of nutrition, anatomy and kinesiology, and injury prevention, in general and as it relates to their own physical being. Students will be able to examine performance anxiety.
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge of performance skills as well as knowledge of production process for dance performance.
  • Dance majors will demonstrate choreographic proficiency.
  • Dance majors in the teacher certification track will demonstrate professional knowledge, dispositions, and practice appropriate for the certification area.

Admission Requirements

  1. Entering freshmen and transfer students must meet University admissions requirements and academic standards.
  2. Initial acceptance into the dance major is dependent upon a qualifying dance audition in ballet and contemporary dance.
  3. Dance majors are encouraged to complete all four years at USC, Columbia campus, due to the rigorous and ongoing nature of the technical proficiency, as well as company requirements. If a student chooses to transfer into the dance major, additional coursework may be necessary to remedy deficiencies.
  4. Students who wish to enter the program from another major on the Columbia campus or from another USC campus must be in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.

Progression Requirements

  1. At the end of each semester, dance majors will be evaluated for proficiency and progression to the next level of dance technique based on rubrics and syllabi. To graduate, students must complete DANC 302 and DANC 312.
  2. All dance majors with an emphasis in dance education must fulfill admission requirements for the Professional Education Program and Internship.
  3. To remain in the dance major, a student must make satisfactory progress towards a degree. A student who fails to make satisfactory progress may be placed on academic probation or removed from the college.

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

   
Dance, BA Dance, BA    
Performance and Choreography Concentration Dance Education K-12 Certification Concentration    

 


Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Program of Study

  1. Carolina Core (32-44 hours)
  2. College Requirements (15-18 hours)
  3. Program Requirements (0-41 hours)
  4. Major Requirements (32-70 hours)

1. Carolina Core (32-44 hours)


Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written — CMW (6 hours)

must be passed with a grade of C or higher

Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving — ARP (6-8 hours) 

Scientific Literacy — SCI (8 hours)

Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language — GFL (0-6 hours)

Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the minimal passing grade on the exit examination in the 122 course is required. Students can demonstrate this proficiency by successfully completing Phase II of the Proficiency Test or by successfully completing the 122 course, including the exit exam administered as part of that course.

It is strongly recommended that students continuing the study of a foreign language begin college-level study of that language in their first semester and continue in that language until their particular foreign language requirement is completed.

Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking — GHS (3 hours) 

Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences — GSS (3 hours) 

Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding —  AIU (3 hours)

Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component* — CMS (0-3 hours)

Information Literacy* —  INF (0-3 hours)

Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility* — VSR (0-3 hours)

*Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

2. College Requirements (15-18 hours)


Foreign Language (0-3 hours) 

  • only if needed to meet 122-level proficiency

History (3 hours) 

The College of Arts and Sciences requires one U.S. History and one non-U.S. History course. Whichever is not fulfilled through the Carolina Core GHS requirement must be fulfilled through this college requirement. Accordingly, please select one of the following:

  • One Carolina Core GHS-approved course primarily focused on U.S. History: HIST 111 , 112 , 214 , or another GHS-approved course determined by the College of Arts and Science to fit this geographic category.

OR

  • One Carolina Core GHS-approved course primarily focused on non-U.S. History: HIST 101 , 102 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 108 , 109 , GERM 280 , FAMS 300 , or another GHS-approved course determined by the College of Arts and Sciences to fit this geographic category.

Social Science and Fine Arts or Humanities (12 hours)

The following must be passed with a grade of C or higher (C+ or higher for Dance Education K-12 Certification):

  • DANC 150 - Introduction to Dance  

  • DANC 281 - Dance History I  

  • DANC 282 - Dance History II  

3. Program Requirements (0-41 hours)


Cognate or Minor (12-18 hours) optional for Dance Education K-12 Certification Concentration

Cognate

The cognate is intended to support the course work in the major. The cognate must consist of twelve  (12) hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of but related to the major. The cognate may be taken in one or more departments or programs, depending on the interests of the student and the judgment of the advisor.

Courses offered by departments and programs that are acceptable for cognate credit are outlined in the section titled Courses Acceptable for Cognate Credit in Degree Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences .

For cognate course offerings in other colleges, consult the appropriate sections of this bulletin. Some major programs have specific cognate requirements.

It should be emphasized that the cognate is not a second set of elective courses to be chosen at random by the student. The cognate must be approved by the major advisor as being related to the major field of study. Students are urged to consult their major advisors for specific requirements in their major.

Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the cognate.

For Bachelor of Arts degrees, all cognate courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Minor

In place of the cognate a student in the College of Arts and Sciences may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of prescribed courses. (Some minors in the sciences require a minimum of 16 hours.) The subject area of the minor may be related to the major. Students pursuing interdisciplinary minors who wish to use courses in their major department for minor credit must petition the College Committee on Scholastic Standards and Petitions for permission to do so.

The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. It differs from the cognate inasmuch as the courses must be concentrated in one area and must follow a structured sequence. Interdisciplinary minors can be designed with the approval of the assistant dean for academic affairs and advising.

Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. At least half of the courses in the minor must be completed in residence at the University.

A list of minor programs of study can be found at Programs A-Z .

Electives (0-29 hours)

No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the College of Arts and Sciences.

4. Major Requirements (32-70 hours)


A minimum grade of C is required in all major courses. (C+ or higher for Dance Education K-12 Certification)

Choose one of the following concentrations:

Performance and Choreography (32 hours)
  • DANC 103 - The Dancer’s Body  
  • DANC 160 - Dance Improvisation and Composition  
  • DANC 360 - Choreography I  
  • DANC 490 - Senior Capstone Dance Project  
  • Techniques (15-24 hours): Choose either ballet or contemporary dance.
    • Ballet
      • 8 ballet techniques
      • 4 contemporary techniques
    • Contemporary
      • 6 contemporary techniques
      • 4 ballet techniques
      • 2 techniques of other forms of dance
  • Dance Company (5 hours)
    • DANC 177 - Dance Company I  

Note:  Students must meet both the number of credits and distribution of technique requirements listed. Some techniques courses are variable credit. To graduate with a major in dance, students must successfully complete DANC 302  and DANC 312 . Students may take up to 24 hours of techniques courses toward the major.

Dance Education K-12 Certification (70 hours)

Dance majors with an emphasis in Dance Education K-12 teacher certification must meet USC and South Carolina Department of Education requirements in order to be recommended for certification (includes passing state-required examinations). An application for certification is required. Contact the College of Education, Office of Student Affairs, 803-777-6732.

  • DANC 103 - The Dancer’s Body  
  • DANC 160 - Dance Improvisation and Composition  
  • DANC 300 - Music for Dancers  
  • DANC 360 - Choreography I  
  • Techniques (16 hours)
    • 4 semesters of ballet technique: DANC 202 , 302 , and/or 402  
    • 4 semesters of contemporary technique: DANC 212 , 312 , and/or 412  
    • 2 semesters of world dance forms: one of DANC 111  or 113  and one of DANC 307  or 407  
    • 1 semester of musical theatre dance: DANC 380  
  • Dance Company (3 hours)
    • DANC 177 - Dance Company I  
  • Professional Education (27 hours)
    • DANC 270 - Dance Education I: Introduction to Dance Education  
    • DANC 370 - Dance Education II: Creative Dance  
    • DANC 470 - Dance Education III: Dance Pedagogy for Middle and High School  
    • DANC 471 - Synthesis of Dance Education Constructs (pre-internship seminar)  
    • DANC 478 - Integrated Approaches in Dance Education  
    • DANC 479 - Teaching Internship in Dance Education  
  • Education Courses (12 hours)

Notes:

  • Students must successfully complete DANC 302  and DANC 312  with a C+ or better.
  • Ballet and contemporary technique courses are variable credit.
  • Students must meet both the number of credits and distribution of technique requirements listed above.

Professional Education Program Requirements

The dance major with an emphasis in dance education supports prospective teachers in developing both in-depth content knowledge and appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions of teaching required in today’s classrooms.

Extensive clinical experiences in a variety of appropriate K-12 classrooms and schools are a central component of the program.

Application and admission to the Professional Program in Education (typically at 60 credit hours) and admission to Internship are required for all majors seeking teacher certification. All teacher education candidates must adhere to all education policies and procedures related to clinical experiences. Information on education applications, policies, and procedures is available from the College of Education, Advising and Student Services office at 803-777-6732.

Specific requirements in dance education for Admission to Internship II/Student Teaching include the following:

  1. Admission to the Professional Program.
  2. Maintenance of minimum collegiate summary grade point average as required for admission to the Professional Program.
  3. Successful Completion of DANC 270 DANC 370 DANC 470 , and DANC 478 ; all courses within the dance major and all performance practicum requirements.
  4. A grade of C+ or better in all dance, dance education and education courses.
  5. Successful completion of 100 practicum hours completed during the dance education coursework.
  6. Satisfactory performance in the area of teacher education dispositions.
  7. SLED clearance through fingerprinting and background check requirements.
  8. Successful completion of the application for student teaching.

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