Dance MA

If you are seeking the opportunity to focus on innovative creative practice as a dance performer, choreographer, film maker or educator, and would like to challenge yourself and step into new territory, this is the course for you. It is carefully designed to help you develop your practice and knowledge at a professional level. Offering expert tuition and exploration of creative dance making, compositional forms, research methods and critical frameworks, you will receive support to realise your creative ambitions, developing your creative dance skills, theoretical understanding and research interests. Our modules cover advanced-level teaching in essential theories and practices, performance and creative approaches, technological platforms, areas of research strategy, analysis, documentation and essay writing. During your MA studies, you will undertake either a written research dissertation or a practical project, leading to the production of a substantial piece of creative work (for example, a substantive performance, workshop, lecture or event). The foundation of this course is our belief in artistic development through active self-discovery, enabling you to execute your own highly engaging and creative work.

Teaching takes place at our Creative Campus, Kingsway, which offers large and impressive dance studios with cutting-edge technology. These studios are available for you to book throughout the year. There is a library and canteen, as well as Mac-based computer suites and a huge range of equipment loan stock available to you as part of your course.

What You'll Study

Our modules are designed to help you develop your skills and knowledge in creative dance-making practices through exploring and studying practical, scholarly, and theoretical frameworks. Other areas of study include research methods in the wider arts context as well as the documentation of dance practice using various approaches and technological platforms.

Core Modules

In this module you will learn about a range of research methodologies appropriate to the development of analytical and critical research skills. Topics covered in taught sessions may include: fieldwork methods, ethnography, practice based research, retrieval skills, referencing and academic writing. You will apply these methods to create an analytical piece of work.

In this module, you will develop a substantial research-led project. The potential output of work can take various forms. Some may choose to develop practical work, which could culminate in performances, live shows, exhibitions, workshops, lectures or presentations, whereas others might present their work as portfolios, pre-recorded media, or written dissertations.

The project created will provide an opportunity for you to evidence increased breadth and depth as creative practitioners, and the ability to critique a range of suitable theories, practices and scholarly frameworks. Those choosing to develop practical work can work individually or with their peers, with undergraduate students of the division or with external contacts and agencies.

This module will provide students with the opportunity to expand upon and develop greater knowledge and depth of inquiry within their own personal and creative practice. Work created will be specific and appropriate for the individual subject discipline and may include: performance; composition; arrangement; exhibition; recording; film; production of coursework or a portfolio.

Lectures, seminars and workshops will encourage students to consider how they might further refine their creative practice and offer distinctive and original interpretations of forms, practices, and established traditions. Students will move closer to establishing their artistic niche and be able to situate their practice in comparison to other practitioners within their field of study.

In this module, students will continue to develop their personal creative practice, but this time with an emphasis upon developing a more distinctive and original synthesis. Work created will therefore push or challenge conventions of style and/ or genre, demonstrate innovation, as well as a high degree of specialist skill, artistic control and stylistic flair.

Lectures, seminars and workshops will enable students to develop and discuss their individual practice with an advanced level of critical self-reflection. Students will learn how to confidently discuss the significance of their work by referring to current research, trends, movements, theories and advanced practice within their discipline.

The module will examine methodological approaches to explore and analyse dance practices and frameworks in various contexts.

It will include: contemporary dance studies and performance practices, dance making and choreographic frameworks, dance dramaturgy, pedagogical models and social and cultural approaches to provide an analytical toolbox for performers, choreographers, educators, screen dance makers and producers to develop a critical awareness of their own and others' disciplines.

It will also facilitate the application of analytical methodologies on the work of others in order to inform and challenge the students' own practices.

The module aims to provide a framework for students to investigate and deepen their practical skill and knowledge by exploring techniques, performance or production, and improvisational approaches. Students will be involved in practical tasks given by tutors drawn from the professional field. Students will explore, test and reflect upon the tasks in relation to their own practices. Through this task-based approach, students will be able to exemplify an expressive and interpretative position on their own work.

Students will also develop their own practice regime to work with material outside of taught sessions. This will also be supported by independent research into theoretical frameworks and practices.

Work created will be specific and appropriate for the subject discipline and may include: performance; composition; arrangement; exhibition; recording; film; production of coursework or a portfolio. In addition, students will have the opportunity to work in state of the art studios, and use a variety of analogue and digital equipment.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

How You'll Learn

How we teach at the University of Chester

Teaching takes place at Creative Campus, Kingsway, which offers 6,920 square metres of floor space, including a 200-seat lecture theatre; dance and performance studios; a learning resource centre; subject-specific IT labs housing 200 Macs and PCs; and two catering outlets.

Modes of learning include lectures, practical studio-based workshops, presentations, seminars, performances, and one-to-one tutorials. In the final phase of the MA, you will undertake either a practical research project leading to the production of a substantial piece of work such as a creative or performance project, workshop(s), lecture(s) or event, or a written research dissertation. This learning and professional development will empower you to take artistic leadership with academic authority.

Assessment will be via critically informed practical presentations, performances or practical pieces, oral examination, written work, documentation of performances and practical work, portfolios of written and visual evidence and other traces of performance.

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

This course offers many job prospects, including but not limited to dance performer, choreographer, rehearsal director, artistic director, screen dance artist, dance development artist, school teacher, community arts practitioner, dance therapist, dance company manager, education officer, creative learning practitioner, private dance studio teacher, further education lecturer, dance producer, creative producer and arts facilitator. These roles work across local authorities, theatres, arts centres, community centres, national dance agencies, secondary schools, colleges, professional dance companies, sports and recreation, social services, health services and other areas of the creative industries.

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

Man executing handstands in a dark space, highlighting elements of a dance course in their degree..

Dancers perform gracefully in a smoke-filled room, showcasing their skills as part of a dance course for their degree..

A group of dancers practices in a smoky, dimly lit room, emphasising their dedication to a dance degree course.

A group of dancers hanging from a pole in a dance studio, showcasing skills from their dance course and degree in dance.

A woman dances gracefully on the steps of a building, showcasing her skills from her dance course and degree in dance.

A lively group of young individuals jumping, highlighting their passion for dance and pursuit of a degree in dance course.

Entry Requirements

Honours Degree	2:2 honours degree in any relevant discipline or an equivalent qualification
Audition	Applicants will be required to attend and audition/interview

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please select your country/region of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

For more information on our English Language requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

IELTS	6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
Honours Degree	2:2 honours degree in any relevant discipline or an equivalent qualification
Audition	Applicants will be required to attend and audition/interview

Fees and Funding

£9,990 for a full-time course (2026/27)

The tuition fees for home students studying courses in 2026/27 are £9,990 per year.

Guides to the fees for students who wish to commence postgraduate courses are available to view on our Postgraduate Fees page. Here you will also find information about part-time fees and project/placement year fees.

£15,500 (2026/27)

The tuition fees for international students studying courses in 2026/27 are £15,500 per year.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.

For more information about International fees for Postgraduate study, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Creative Campus, Kingsway Tours

Study at our Creative Campus, Kingsway, home to some outstanding art, design and performance-based courses for the University’s School for the Creative Industries. Scroll through our 360 tours to explore our state-of-the-art facilities.