MFA Experimental Choreography at University of California, Riverside

Programme overview

The MFA in Experimental Choreography offers emerging and established artists intensive investigation in dance making, performance and interdisciplinary embodied practice. It pairs studio work with critical dance studies and is closely linked to the PhD in Critical Dance Studies. Students present work at Graduate Critique Panels and public Fourth Quarter Showings.

Faculty: College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences | Department: Dance | Duration: 6 quarters normative time to degree (some students take a 7th quarter) | Intake: Fall | Study mode: full-time | Location: Riverside, CA, United States

What you will study

40 units of coursework (10 courses) plus 12-14 units of independent research, with at least 54 total graduate and upper-division units. Core courses are Dance 240-243, with Dance 239, 244, 180R/DNCE 292 and 8 units of critical dance studies electives. The degree culminates in a final project with a public artist talk and a 20-40 page written document.

Career pathways

The written document is designed to support job talks, grant proposals and promotion.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate Division (university-wide): bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution or recognized international equivalent; minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA (some programs set a higher standard); transcripts, statement of purpose and letters of recommendation; English proficiency (TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic 7 with no component below 6) unless the prior degree was taught in English; GRE/GMAT only where the program requires it (many no longer do). Source: graduate.ucr.edu/admission-requirements.

UC Riverside operates a quarter system. Summer begins mid-June, Fall late September, Winter early January and Spring late March/early April. Most graduate programmes admit and begin in the Fall quarter only.

New domestic applicants: Fall January 5 (fellowship consideration) / June 1 (admission only), Winter November 1, Spring February 1, Summer May 1. New international applicants: Fall January 5 (fellowship consideration) / June 1 (admission only), Winter September 1, Spring December 1, Summer March 1. A few programmes have deadlines after June 1 and some have earlier programme deadlines. The Winter 2027 and Spring 2027 applications are open for select programmes only; the Summer/Fall 2027 application opened September 1, 2026, with rolling review for most programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://grad.ucr.edu/apply/

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