Utah Valley University

What you'll study

Coursework balances practical studio training with classroom-based study. Typical learning areas include:

• Technique and performance: regular studio classes to build strength, alignment, musicality and stagecraft.
• Choreography and composition: creating solo and group works, learning improvisational methods and structuring movement pieces.
• Dance studies: history, criticism, somatics, and contextual studies that connect practice to cultural and theoretical perspectives.
• Production and collaboration: rehearsal processes, lighting and costuming basics, and working with musicians, filmmakers or designers.

Entry requirements

Entry commonly requires a combination of general undergraduate admission criteria plus audition or portfolio review that assesses technical ability, creative potential and commitment to the discipline. Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate movement skill, provide a résumé of performance experience, and meet any university academic baseline for undergraduate study.

Career prospects

Graduates move into a range of pathways: professional performance with companies or freelance work, choreography and creating work for stage and screen, dance education in schools and studios, community arts programming, and related roles in arts administration, production or physical movement practices. Some graduates continue to postgraduate study or certifications for teaching and therapy-related careers.

Scholarships & funding angle

Many universities offer performance or talent-based scholarships, departmental awards, and general student financial aid; applicants should audition or submit work for scholarship consideration where available. Students can also explore external arts grants, local arts councils, work-study positions in performance production, and payment plans to manage costs while building a professional portfolio.