Dance MA/MFA

This course is in clearing

Overview

Course modules

This MA/MFA in Dance at UEL will prepare you for a career in the creative industries by combining practice, theory, and professional development. The core modules of this programme cover critical theories of performance, dramaturgy, and representation. You'll also receive intensive training in different dance practices and collaborative creation. You'll develop skills in dance curation, production, and digital archiving. You'll also use research methods to support your final project showcase. Through the Mental Wealth module, you’ll build an industry-ready portfolio. You'll master audition techniques, self-taping, funding applications, and professional networking. Designed for aspiring performers, choreographers, producers, and educators, this degree equips you to innovate, lead, and thrive in today’s global dance landscape. 

In your second year, which is an MFA programme, you'll focus on bridging your artistic skills with professional practice. In the Creative Practice module, you will develop a full-length, professional-quality creative work in your discipline. You'll receive expert support and critical feedback throughout the process. The Professional Platform module places you directly in the dance industry. You'll engage in supervised projects, placements, and collaborations with external organisations, leading to performances or exhibitions. You will graduate with a professional portfolio, practical case studies, and the confidence and creative independence needed to become a leading practitioner in the performing arts.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

We are still finalising this course. You can still apply.

Entry requirements

MA:
MFA:

What makes this course different

Focus on inclusivity and diversity

Our courses centre dance styles often excluded from Western canons and foster an inclusive, collaborative environment that supports experimentation and artistic confidence. Engage with social and global dance forms and help bring diverse practices to the forefront of the field.

Build on established expertise

Leveraging UEL’s pioneering BA in Dance, a leader in inclusive dance education for nearly two decades, this course offers unparalleled expertise and industry connections. Benefit from a well-established network and a proven track record of successful dance graduates.

Develop artistic and entrepreneurial skills

This dance course combines theory and practice, centring on your personal projects. You’ll hone your choreographic voice while also gaining curatorial and entrepreneurial skills, ensuring you’re prepared for both artistic and leadership roles in the dance industry.

Course options

Start date

MA

Dance MA/MFA, home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Full time, 1 year
  • £ 10980 per year

Dance MA/MFA, international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant
  • Full time, 1 year
  • £ 16620 per year

MFA

Dance MA/MFA, home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Full time, 2 years
  • Year 1 fees: £10,980 (180 credits). Year 2 fees: £7,320 (120 credits).

Dance MA/MFA, international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant
  • Full time, 2 years
  • Year 1 fees: £16,620 (180 credits). Year 2 fees: £11,080 (120 credits).

What we’re researching

Our dance team conducts diverse and dynamic research that challenges the boundaries of dance practice and scholarship, engaging with global discourses on the body and performance. We prioritise innovative, inclusive, and globally connected approaches to understanding dance and its societal impact, with a focus on researching and documenting marginalised dance and performance practices often overlooked by the global North.

Your future career

Our MA and MFA Dance programmes open the door to a wide range of exciting careers in the dance and performing arts industries. While you study, we’ll provide opportunities to engage with industry professionals and real-world projects. MFA students will be able to do work placements, building valuable relationships with leading dance companies and cultural organisations.

Prepare for leadership roles in choreography, performance, arts production/management and dance curation. Gain hands-on experience and connect with our professional industry networks, such as East London Dance, Breakin’ Convention, Boy Blue.

Industry links

UEL is connected to a range of leading dance organisations and cultural institutions, including East London Dance, Breakin’ Convention, Far From the Norm and Boy Blue. These industry links and partnerships provide our MA and MFA Dance students with unique opportunities to collaborate with professionals, gain practical experience, and develop a strong network within the dance and performing arts sectors.

Graduate employers

With our postgraduate degrees in dance, you can pursue a variety of roles across performance, choreography, dance curation management and education. Graduate employers include dance companies, arts festivals, performance venues and museums, cultural organisations and independent projects. Graduates may also find opportunities in arts administration, curating and producing, and working with organisations that support dance communities and cultural exchanges.

Job roles

Our MA and MFA Dance graduates are prepared for a variety of careers in dance.

Job roles could include being professional choreographers, dancers, movement directors for commercials or television, dance educators, festival curators and directors. You will be ready to shape the future of the dance industry, driving its innovation and growth. 

Further study

Our Dance MA/MFA graduates may choose to move on to one of our PhD or Professional Doctorates in Performing Arts.

Rema Khatun
As a university committed to your career growth, we've curated dedicated Career Zones across all of our campuses with practical services tailored to your success. From internships, personalised coaching, and employability workshops to volunteering, mentoring, placements, and enterprise opportunities, we offer a diverse range of support."
Rema Khatun

Career Zone

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

Our dedicated and award-winning team provide you with careers and employability resources, including:

  • Online jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work.
  • Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts
  • 1-2-1 career coaching services
  • Careers workshops and employer events
  • Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you’ve mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

Our Mental Wealth programme

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

  • Enterprise and entrepreneurship support
  • Ranked 2nd for graduate start-ups (2023/24)
  • Networking and visits to leading organisations
  • Support in starting a new business, freelancing and self-employment
  • London on our doorstep

How you'll learn

The MA/MFA in Dance employs a dynamic and interactive learning approach, combining practice-based and theory-integrated methods to support your artistic, academic and professional development. You will engage in a variety of formats, including practical workshops, lectures, seminars and online learning. We run guest artist sessions and work with industry professionals in our state-of-the-art studios. The dance course begins with tutor-led instruction and gradually shifts to independent research and self-directed projects. We encourage you to work with students from other courses so you can gain interdisciplinary skills for the wider creative industries. In the MFA, you can do professional placements with dance companies, organisations or independent choreographers. This gives you hands-on experience in choreography, performance production and dance event curation.

Guided independent study

When not attending timetabled lectures or workshops, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This will typically involve skills development through online study, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects and preparing coursework assignments and presentations. 

Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, and specialist facilities, such as edit suites, the library, the full Microsoft Office software, including MS Teams, and Moodle: our Virtual Learning Environment.

Academic support

Our academic support team provides help in a range of areas - including learning and disability support.

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your academic advisor. This is the member of the academic course team who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at UEL and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer.

Workload

Year 1

  • Taught sessions: 216 hours
  • Practical sessions: 150 hours
  • Independent learning: 960 hours

Year 2 MFA

  • Taught sessions: Approximately 100hrs x 2 (10 per credit)
  • Independent learning: 500hrs x 2

Your timetable

Each year you will spend up to 366 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.

Class sizes

As this is a new course, the size of class may vary in size. However, we predict a cohort each year of between 5-15 students.

Your practice by terms

Term one
Develop your choreographic, performance voice through a balance of individual and collaborative work. Cultures of Performance combines theory and practice to help you build frameworks for your creative ideas while producing auto-ethnographic solo work. Dance Performance Practice introduces advanced choreographic and dramaturgical tools to shape your choreography, reflect on its impact and experiment with collaborative approaches.

Modules: Cultures of Performance, Dance Performance Practice

Term two

Strengthen your creative, research and production skills through hands-on work in curation, documentation and project design. Dance Curation and Production explores dance’s digital migration, authorship and the performativity of documentation, leading to a collaboratively produced evening performance. Research Methods in Creative Practice supports you in developing independent research strategies and preparing material for your final project.

Modules: Dance Curation and Production, Research Methods in Creative Practice

Term three 

Focus on professional practice and industry engagement. Mental Wealth: Professional Life – Practitioners and Praxis guides you through completing and promoting your final project while building the networks, funding knowledge and digital profiles needed for creative careers. Project Platform culminates the programme with a public presentation of your work at the annual festival.

Modules: Mental Wealth: Professional Life – Practitioners, Project Platform

How you will be assessed

Assessment tasks are mainly spread across the year to make the workload manageable. Assessment methods include group work, exams and individual work including essays, presentations, case studies, professional development and practical activities depending on the nature of the course. All grades count towards your module mark. More details will be included in the student handbook and module guides.

You'll always receive detailed feedback outlining your strengths and how you can improve. We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 15 working days, although you will receive immediate feedback following many of our face-to-face assessments.

Campus and facilities