Dance PhD

The Dance PhD degree in Temple’s Boyer College of Music and Dance offers a rigorous curriculum of coursework and research, culminating in an in-depth dissertation project. Critical theory seminars in culture, history, pedagogy and philosophy are interwoven with experiential methodology studies.

PhD graduates pursue careers in artistic direction, choreography and performance, as well as advocacy, dance administration, entrepreneurship, teaching in higher education, research and writing.

Boyer’s Dance PhD degree program is one of four in the country, and its curriculum is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance.

Over four to six years, you’ll study dance as aesthetic behavior, a mode of inquiry and social communication, and a performing art. The curriculum emphasizes

  • cultural, historical, and philosophical perspectives of dance and the body;
  • dance learning and teaching across the life span; and
  • performance theory and practice.

Boyer’s Dance faculty represent an array of research areas and specialties, including aesthetic, artistic, educational, ethnographic, historical, phenomenological and sociological modes of inquiry in dance. Faculty have performed at nationally known institutions such as Kariamu & Company: Traditions, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Metropolitan Opera Ballet and Pearl Lang Dance Company. 

    Classes & Curriculum 

    Some of the core courses during the term of this degree will have a centralized focus in

    • Black Performance;
    • Bodies Texts, History;
    • Dancing the Popular;
    • Educational Inquiry in Dance;
    • Experience, Engagement, Multi-Sensory Inquiry; and
    • Neoclassicism and the Baroque Revival in 20th Century Dance & Culture.

    Learn more about the required courses for the Dance PhD.

    Related Graduate Degrees

    Two dancers perform on stage.

    Tuition & Fees

    View tuition rates and fees on the Office of the Bursar site. You can use the tuition calculator and reference the Temple University tuition rate schedule.

    Additional information

    Our Advisors

    Faculty advisors can help you navigate your program and discuss research opportunities, teaching assistantships and more. Learn more about Boyer College of Music and Dance faculty

    Program Contact

    Sherril Dodds is the coordinator of graduate studies in the Dance Department.
    Phone: 215-204-4959
    Email

    Additional Program Information