Performance and Choreography Concentration
McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Theatre and Dance
Bulletin Year: 2026-2027

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Semester One (14 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	ENGL 101	Critical Reading and Composition (CC-CMW)	3	C
	DANC 150	Introduction to Dance3 (CR)	3	C
		Ballet Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Modern Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Foreign Language5 or other Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC-GFL)	3
		Elective7 (PR)	3

Semester Two (15-16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	ENGL 102	Rhetoric and Composition (CC-CMW/INF)	3	C		C or better in ENGL 101
	DANC 160A	Dance Improvisation & Composition8 (MR)	3	C
		Ballet Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Modern Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Dance Company9 (MR)	1	C
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3-4
		Foreign Language5 or other Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC-GFL)	3

Semester Three (15-16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	DANC 360	Choreography I (MR/CC-INT)	3	C		C or better in DANC 160A or 160B; at least 3 sem. of technique recommended
		Ballet Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Contemporary Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Dance Company9 (MR)	1	C
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3-4
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3
		Foreign language5 or Carolina Core Requirement6 (CR/CC)	3

Semester Four (15 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	DANC 103	The Dancer’s Body (MR)	3	C
		Ballet Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Contemporary Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Dance Company9 (MR)	1	C
		Cognate or Minor Course10 (PR)	3	C
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3

Semester Five (16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	DANC 281	Dance History I3 (CR)	3	C
		Ballet Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Cognate or Minor Course10 (PR)	3	C
		History11 (CR)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement6 or Elective7 (CC/PR)	3

Semester Six (15 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	DANC 282	Dance History II3 (CR)	3	C
		Ballet Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Contemporary Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
		Cognate or Minor Course10 (PR)	3	C
		Cognate or Minor Course10 (PR)	3	C
		Carolina Core Requirement6 or Elective7 (CC/PR)	3

Semester Seven (16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	DANC 480	Senior Capstone Preparation (MR)	1	C		C or better in DANC 160A or 160B and in DANC 360
		Technique Course4 (MR)	1	C
	DANC 500	Selected Topics in Dance (MR)	1	C
		Dance Company9 (MR)	1	C
		Minor Course10 or Elective7(PR)	3	C (minor)
		Social Science (CR)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement6 or Elective7 (CC/PR)	3
		Elective7 (PR)	3

Semester Eight (13 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	DANC 490	Senior Capstone Dance Project (MR, CC-INT)	2	C		C or better in DANC 480 & 360
	DANC 500	Selected Topics in Dance (MR)	1	C
		Carolina Core Requirement6 or Elective7 (CC/PR)
		Minor Course8 or Elective7 (minor) (PR)	3	C (minor)
		Elective7 (PR)	3
		Elective7 (PR)	3

Graduation Requirements Summary

Minimum Total Hours	Minimum Major Requirements Hours	College & Program Requirements Hours	Carolina Core Hours	Minimum Institutional GPA
120	32	44-56	32-44	2.000

1. Regardless of individual course grades, students must maintain a minimum 2.000 cumulative GPA.
2. Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses. Courses indicated in this column are included in the major GPA for this program of study.
3. DANC 150, 281, and 282 fulfill the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences’ nine hours of Humanities or Fine requirements.
4. Techniques Requirements:
   • Ballet: 6 semesters (6-12 credits): DANC 202A, DANC 302, DANC 402.
   • Modern: 2 semesters (2 credits): DANC 212A.
   • Contemporary: 4 semesters (4 credits): DANC 312, 412.
   • Additional Techniques: 2 Dance Technique classes (2 credits) from the following options (must be two different classes): Jazz, Pointe, Hip Hop, West African, Musical Theatre, or Tap: DANC 278, 204, 304, 307, 378, 380.
   • Note: Students must meet both the number of credits and distribution of technique requirements listed. Some techniques courses are variable credit. To graduate with a major in dance, students must successfully complete DANC 302 and DANC 312. Students may take up to 24 hours of techniques courses toward the major.
5. Students in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 122 course through course credit or the corresponding foreign language placement score.
6. The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina undergraduate students.
7. No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences.
8. Suffix A is for dance majors.
9. Dance Company (4 hours):
   • DANC 177 Student Choreography Showcase/Performer
   • DANC 277 Student Choreography Showcase/Choreographer
   • DANC 376 Faculty/Guest Artist Dance Company.
10. The cognate is intended to support the course work in the major. The cognate must consist of twelve hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of, but related to the major. In place of a cognate, a student may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of courses concentrated in one area that follow a structured sequence. A second major eliminates the minor/cognate requirement.
11. The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences requires one U.S. History and one non-U.S. History course, both of which must be chosen from the approved Carolina Core GHS courses. Whichever is not fulfilled through the Carolina Core GHS requirement must be fulfilled through this college requirement.

Program Notes

• Courses identified as “critical” must be completed in the student’s first 60 semester hours of work in order for these courses to be credited toward graduation.
• All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin.
• The last 30 credit hours toward your degree must be earned in residence at the University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Code Definitions

University Requirements: Bachelor’s degree-seeking students must meet Carolina Core (general education) requirements.

Code	Definition
CC	Carolina Core
CC-AIU	Carolina Core – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding
CC-ARP	Carolina Core – Analytical Reasoning and Problem-Solving
CC-CMS	Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component
CC-CMW	Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written Component
CC-GFL	Carolina Core – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language
CC-GHS	Carolina Core – Historical Thinking
CC-GSS	Carolina Core – Social Sciences
CC-INF	Carolina Core – Information Literacy
CC-INT	Carolina Core – Integrative Course
CC-SCI	Carolina Core – Scientific Literacy
CC-VSR	Carolina Core – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
CR	College Requirement
MR	Major Requirement
PR	Program Requirement