M.F.A. Dance

To apply for admission to the M.F.A. in Dance program, please follow these steps: 

1) Complete and submit the UMD Graduate School application. 

• Review the Graduate School’s step-by-step guide to the application process. 
• Upload all required application materials through the application portal. 
• Further information is available in the Apply to the UMD Graduate School section below. 

2) Complete and submit the audition registration, including all required audition materials. 

• The audition for Fall 2025 admission is a two-day virtual event held on Thursday and Friday, January 23–24, 2025.
• Detailed information about the audition process can be found in the Audition section below. 

For additional information, please contact: 

• Crystal Gaston, TDPS Graduate Services Coordinator: cgaston@umd.edu OR 
• Kendra Portier, TDPS Head of M.F.A. in Dance: portier1@umd.edu

The Graduate School Application

The University of Maryland’s Graduate School accepts applications through its online application system. Before applying, please review the admissions requirements for specific instructions. 

To be considered, all application components must be submitted and received by the deadline for your application to be reviewed. 

As required by the Graduate School, all materials must be submitted electronically, including: 

1. Graduate Application 

2. Transcripts 

3. Current CV 

• Your CV should thoroughly reflect your educational background and all professional and related experiences to date. It plays a critical role in fellowship nominations, so be comprehensive. 

4. Statement of Purpose 

• Compose a brief, engaging narrative that connects your research and movement practice to your goals for graduate study. Reflect on your experience in the field, detailing your past and ongoing training, as well as your current choreographic or performance interests. Share your aspirations for the future and consider how graduate studies will support these goals. This is also an opportunity to highlight your involvement in community engagement, leadership roles, mentoring, or any challenges you have overcome along the way. 
• Length: 1-2 pages single-spaced or 3-4 pages double-spaced. Upload as a Word or PDF file. 

5. Work Samples 

• Submit 3 links (Vimeo, YouTube, etc.) in a single PDF or Word document showcasing your choreography, performance, teaching, or dance media projects. 
• Include basic details such as title, date, location, your role, and suggested timestamps (totaling no more than 10 minutes). 
• Briefly describe each work and explain why you included it. 
• Avoid overly edited "sizzle reels." 

6. Writing Sample 

• Submit a substantive piece (4–20 pages double-spaced) that demonstrates your writing ability and reflects your potential research and creative interests. This could be a critical review, process paper, scholarly essay, or reflection on your work experience as it relates to graduate studies in dance. 

7. Letters of Recommendation 

• Provide the names and email addresses of three recommenders who will submit electronic letters of recommendation. 

8. Non-refundable Application Fee 

• A $75 fee is required for each program application. 
• Fee Waiver Eligibility: https://gradschool.umd.edu/feewaiverinformation

The audition is a required component for applying to the M.F.A. in Dance program at UMD. For Fall 2025 admission, the virtual two-day audition will take place on January 23 and 24, 2025 (ET). Please note the following important details: 

Application Materials: The materials submitted with your Graduate School application may also serve as your audition materials. 

Participation: Applicants are expected to attend the scheduled audition. If you are unable to attend, alternative arrangements can be made by consulting the TDPS Graduate Services Coordinator and the Head of the M.F.A. in Dance program. 

Admission Contingency: Admission to the M.F.A. in Dance program is contingent upon acceptance into the UMD Graduate School. Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by late February, and offer letters will be sent out by April. Late applications may be considered if space and funding remain available. 

To Audition: You must REGISTER TO AUDITION by Friday, January 17, 2025, and upload the following materials: 

Work Samples 

• Upload a single PDF with 1-3 links (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) showcasing your dance choreography and/or performance. 
• Selected excerpts or timestamps should not exceed 10 minutes. 
• Provide brief descriptions of the samples, identifying yourself in group works, if applicable. 

Written Statement 

• Submit one or a combination of the following: Teaching Philosophy Statement, Artist Statement, or Statement of Purpose (as outlined in the Graduate School application). 
• 2 pages single-spaced or 4 pages double-spaced, in PDF or Word format. 
• This statement can also serve as your writing sample for the Graduate School application. 

Teaching Experience 

• Provide a brief description of your teaching experience, including your teaching goals and areas of interest. 
• Previous teaching experience is not required for acceptance into the graduate program.

You must have earned a 4-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution, or an equivalent degree earned at a non-U.S. institution with at least a 3.0 GPA. 
 
For potential graduate students who DO NOT have an UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR IN DANCE: You may still apply and audition—however, you may be required to take additional coursework at the undergraduate level in order to meet prerequisites for some graduate courses. (These courses include: Improvisation, Dance History, Modern Movement Analysis and Teaching Dance.)

For prospective graduate students with expertise in non-Modern dance forms, the program welcomes your knowledge and your capacity to foster connections through your embodied research. While accommodations will be made to support your learning, we encourage you to review the curriculum and facilities to better understand how your practice can engage with the resources offered.
 
The M.F.A. in Dance program does not require the GRE but does require an audition and interview.
 
All international students must meet the English language proficiency requirements, which includes a minimum TOEFL score. Additional information and support for international students and scholars can be found on the International Educational Services website.
 
Upon time of enrollment, your final official transcript, with degree earned included, should be sent by your previous institution to UMD at the following address:

University of Maryland College Park
Enrollment Services Operation – Attn: Graduate Admissions
Room 0130 Mitchell Building
College Park, MD 20742
DANC is the program code for the M.F.A. in Dance
 
The electronic submission of application materials helps expedite the review of an application. Completed applications are reviewed by an admissions committee in each graduate degree program. The recommendations of the committees are submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School, who will make the final admission decision. Students seeking to complete graduate work at the University of Maryland for degree purposes must be formally admitted to the Graduate School by the Dean.
 

The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. The office of International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) is a valuable resource of information and assistance for prospective and current international students. International applicants are encouraged to explore the services they offer and contact the office with related questions.

The University of Maryland Graduate School offers admission to international students based on academic information; it is not a guarantee of attendance. Admitted international students will then receive instructions about obtaining the appropriate visa to study at the University of Maryland which will require submission of additional documents. Please see the Graduate Admissions Process for international applicants for more information. To ensure the integrity of the application process, the University of Maryland authenticates submitted materials through TurnItIn for Admissions.

The School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies is committed to fully funding all graduate students accepted into its programs and makes every effort to meet that goal. Assistantships are available for graduate study and are awarded by the TDPS graduate program only after a successful audition and Graduate School acceptance. 

Competitive support from TDPS for workshops, conference presentations, summer study and other projects is also available. In addition to assistantships, there are opportunities for awards and fellowships through the College and University. To find more opportunities outside of TDPS offerings, please visit the ARHU website page for financial support.

For questions related to the admissions process, prospective students may contact the Graduate School.

Please direct questions about the M.F.A. in Dance program or application to the Head of M.F.A. in Dance, Kendra Portier (portier1@umd.edu).
 

M.F.A. in Dance candidates must adhere to the following requirements:

• Full-time enrollment in the three-year MFA in Dance program 
• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 over 60 graduate semester units 
• Creation and production of a 20–25 minute choreographic project 
• Submission of 50-75 page written thesis and choreographic project recording 
• Successful completion of 10–15 minute thesis presentation, followed by an oral examination (defense) 

View the two-page overview of course and curriculum requirements for the M.F.A. in Dance program.

Coursework includes:

• DANC600: Graduate Dance Research
• DANC604: Graduate Studies in Dance Pedagogy
• DANC608: Graduate Choreography I: Creative Process
• DANC611: Dance Technology & Media
• DANC648/649: Modern Dance Technique I and II
• DANC679: Graduate Dance Performance
• DANC698: Independent Study in Dance
• DANC708: Graduate Choreography II: Collaboration
• DANC719: Graduate Choreography III: Projects
• DANC766: Graduate Movement Observation and Analysis
• DANC777: Graduate Internship in Dance
• DANC784: Dance in Global Context
• DANC788: Graduate Tutorial
• DANC799: Master’s Thesis Project in Dance
• Electives in TDPS, such as Playwriting, Sound Design, Aesthetics of Collaboration, Immersive and Digital Interfaces for Dance, Subversive Cultures and Performance, and Theatre History, and graduate-level courses outside of TDPS, such as Creative Writing, Anthropology, Ethnography, Visual Arts, and Immersive Media Design.

M.F.A. in Dance candidates develop and present their creative research through both a choreographic project and written scholarship. These thesis projects are the culmination of a comprehensive, multi-month, four-stage process encompassing concept development, design, integration, and implementation. The written component merges traditional scholarship with choreographic research, incorporating artistic methodologies, movement analysis, and relevant visual materials—such as research images and production photographs—that provide context and depth to the project. For the final thesis assessment, candidates deliver an oral presentation synthesizing their written and choreographic work, offering an account of their creative research—including choreographic inquiry, methodology, artistic process, guiding questions, and conclusions—designed to engage an audience unfamiliar with the performance.

The M.F.A. Dance Handbook is available here. It is recommended that all M.F.A. in Dance candidates are familiar with the program’s handbook.

The UMD Graduate Catalog can be found on their website.