The 14-credit Certificate in Dance Education provides students with specialized knowledge specific to the field of dance education. Students are prepared for a wide variety of careers that involve teaching dance or integrating dance in the classroom.
Careers specific to dance include: teaching in private dance studios, community centers, non-profit organizations, public schools, after school programs, fitness centers, and within professional companies. Careers that are non-specific to dance include: community based programs, physical education, arts education, theatre education, music education, and non-arts education in elementary education and secondary education.
Courses will enhance skills for current dance majors to add pedagogy to their dance performance understandings, and provide dance understandings to students majoring other areas, including elementary education and physical education.
This certificate is also available to individuals who have already completed a Bachelor’s degree; see the Nondegree/Visiting Student Guide. Current educators wishing to incorporate dance and movement in their classrooms may enroll in this unique opportunity to develop expertise in dance and creative movement for the classroom.
How to Get in
All current UW-Madison undergraduates in good academic standing are eligible to complete the Dance Education Certificate. BS, BFA, and Certificate candidates in Dance are eligible for the Dance Education Certificate. University Special students who have previously completed any Bachelor’s degree, are also eligible to pursue this certificate.
Students must meet with the Dance Education Certificate Advisor to discuss their intention to pursue the certificate. Appointments may be arranged via email. To declare the certificate, students must also complete the application form located on the School of Education's Certificate Programs page.
Requirements
The Certificate in Dance Education requires the following course distribution for a minimum of 14 credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DANCE 156 | Movement as Material Through Improvisation | 2 |
| DANCE 274 | Methods in Dance Education | 3 |
| DANCE 373 | Introduction to Dance and Community | 3 |
| DANCE 374 | Teaching Dance | 3 |
| DANCE 379 | Dance Teaching Practicum | 3 |
| Total Credits | 14 | |
Residence and Quality of Work
- At least 7 credits must be completed in residence.
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses.
Undergraduate/Special Student Certificates
This certificate may be completed within the context of an undergraduate degree or as a Special student after an undergraduate degree has been awarded from any institution. The certificate may be completed in its entirety while enrolled as a Special student. Candidates are encouraged to contact the certificate coordinator to discuss course enrollment and the sequencing of certificate requirements.
Learning Outcomes
- Gain a working knowledge of historical and progressive approaches, theories, and methodologies to teaching dance across diverse community settings.
- Engage with dance and dance education as embodied forms of artistry and vehicles for learning, self discovery, empowerment, and transformation.
- Analyze dance education in relation to the social and cultural circumstances in which it is embedded.
- Integrate social-emotional, kinesthetic motor, and cognitive development with trauma-informed and culturally sustaining practices through dance lesson planning, implementation, and ongoing critical assessment.