MFA Dance

As a leading research university, our program provides MFA candidates with access to a breadth of resources to pursue opportunities that stretch the boundaries of how dance contributes to global intellectual and creative endeavors. We welcome returning professionals seeking to transition into higher education, outstanding recent undergraduates, and artists at all stages hoping to deepen their practice through three years of rigorous study.

The fully funded 3-year program includes full tuition, health insurance, and a living stipend. The curriculum offers multiple avenues for investigating the permeable boundaries between practice and theory, and students engage in unique interdisciplinary research and performance endeavors. Graduate students have full access to everything a Research 1 University has to offer: various grants for conducting international research, state of the art digital facilities, and world-renowned faculty across the arts, humanities, and social sciences. With proximity to Detroit, many students conduct site-specific research projects and collaborations with neighboring artists, partners, and venues. The final year of study culminates in a thesis project synthesizing students’ research into a live performance, written document, and a presentation of career plans for continuing research beyond graduation.