Master of Fine Arts - MFA

Three people dancing
photo by Jesse Scroggins

Join the innovative MFA in Dance program at TWU!

Explore

  • Who you are as a choreographer, a dancer, a leader, a creator, a citizen
  • What kind of dancemaker you want to be
  • What kind of dance you want to see in the world
  • How you see yourself leading the field of dance

Belong to apart of a diverse learning community with faculty mentors and students from a wide variety of professional backgrounds.

Build your profile as a choreographer, performer and leader in the field by developing, expanding and implementing your artistic vision

Engage critically with your creative process by exploring innovative approaches to dancemaking in various artistic contexts

Develop lasting relationships with diverse faculty, guest artists and students from the BA, MFA, MA and PhD programs

At TWU Dance grow your artistic vision and make dance your career!

An MFA in Dance from TWU, a nationally recognized accredited dance program, is a three-year active residency program designed to foster your unique ways of making, sharing and leading as a professional in the field of dance.

TWU Dance offers:

  • Exceptional paid graduate assistantships including: in-person and online teaching, digital media, recruitment, production and marketing
  • Diverse dance practices including: Africanist and Latinx fusion, ballet, release techniques, hip hop, jazz, ballet folklorico, contact improvisation, Argentine tango and community outreach programming
  • Numerous performance opportunities in a variety of venues from fully-produced proscenium and black box concerts to gallery installations, informal showcases, campus, and community choreography projects, performances and teaching opportunities
  • A terminal degree that qualifies graduates to work in a variety of settings including higher education, arts leadership, arts administration, choreographing and performing, and building dance communities

Admission requirements

Admission Requirements for the M.F.A. in Dance

Program Contact 

Professor Jordan Fuchs
940-898-2769
jfuchs@twu.edu

Application Deadlines

December 15, with face-to-face auditions January 23-24.

It is recommended that International Students complete the graduate school application and submit required materials for review and processing at least six to eight months before the deadline.

Application Requirements

  1. Resume of dance, educational, and artistic experience.
  2. Statement of Interest and Objectives, (300-500 words) which includes your professional goals; your previous artistic, academic, and career experience related to those goals; and the importance of graduate study in the TWU Department of Dance MFA Program to the pursue of your professional goals.
    • Please feel free to reference the TWU Department of Dance website for information on the MFA Program in Dance course work and on the Dance Department faculty and their research areas in your statement.
  3. Writing sample such as a research paper from an undergraduate or graduate dance theory course, description of workshops, publicity packet materials or other promotional materials.
    • YouTube, Vimeo, or website link to a video portfolio of artistic work including performance and choreography excerpts and at least one full-length work choreographed by the applicant. Include the password if password protected.
  4. Email addresses for three individuals familiar with your teaching, academic, and/or artistic work, who can provide letters of recommendation to be requested through and submitted into the application. 
  5. Participate in an interview, either in person or over the phone. Qualified applicants will be contacted by the Department of Dance Recruitment Coordinator to schedule an interview.
  6. All applicants must participate in a Dance Audition.

Applicants who choose to apply for a graduate assistantship in Dance should review the Graduate Assistantships Dance webpage and complete the Application for Graduate Assistantship and Teaching Expertise in Dance forms found on that page.

Graduate Admission

Begin by reviewing your program's website to see if there are additional admission requirements and application deadlines prior to applying.  

  1. Apply online.
    Apply to Graduate Programs  via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal following instructions below.  
  2. Submit transcripts to TWU.
    • Domestic Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college or university attended, both undergraduate and graduate. See the Information on Transcripts website for more details. Original transcripts for each college/university attended must be submitted, even if referred to on another schools transcripts.
    • International Applicants are now required to provide an evaluation prepared by a NACES or AICE member evaluation service. International transcripts should not be sent directly to TWU. See the International Admissions website for more details.
  3. Submit Recommendation Requests
    If your program requires you to submit names for recommendations you will need to do it in the application. List of programs-majors.  
  4. Pay the application fee.
    The $50 fee ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants, can be paid by:
    1. Credit card - Pay Online through the application as the last step before submitting the application. The second portion of the application will not be available until the application fee has been received.
    2. Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar Application Fee Waiver. TWU Alumni may be eligible for the Alumni Advantage Fee Waiver. Check your eligibility here: https://twu.edu/alumni-advantage/. If eligible submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission
    3. Following fee payment return to the application dashboard where supplemental application documents can be uploaded. The online application will list which documents are needed to fulfill the program admission requirements. You can also check the program's website.
  5. Submit Program supplemental documents
    1. Submit all program requests for Resume, Statement of Purpose, Artist or Research Statement, Scholarly Writing Sample, Custom Essay, Portfolio Document, Video Submission, Licensure, Department Specific Application, Teaching Service Record, Teaching Certificate, etc. following submission of your application fee.

Watch for emails from your new program/department that may come to your TWU email address.

For more information or assistance with the application or graduate admissions, visit the Graduate Admissions website.

Students who wish to apply for a Graduate Assistantship must meet the General Criteria for Appointment of Graduate Assistants.

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Page last updated 1:24 PM, November 21, 2024