Dance-specific scholarship (incorporating, for instance, the analysis of movement, compositional studies and historical methodologies) forms the heart of the department’s research perspective, and emphasis is thus placed on the student’s attainment of literacy in the theory, history and literature of dance through a cluster of required core courses that reflect this perspective.

After completing core courses, the PhD student conceives a research topic with the close advisement of faculty members. Benefiting from the department’s situation within a leading research university, the student may choose to supplement this independent research through extra-disciplinary studies in any number of fields available in the larger university. The PhD student’s research culminates in a written dissertation.

We welcome applications from prospective students pursuing any area of dance studies research. We particularly welcome applicants with scholarly research interests in concert dance (including but not limited to European, African American, and Jewish and Israeli concert dance practices); screendance and dance-technology; and critical studies of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, nationalism, and diaspora.