A performing arts student on stage

Course Summary

If you are seeking the opportunity to focus on innovative creative practice as a dance performer, choreographer, film maker or educator and want to challenge yourself and step into new territory then this is the course for you. It is carefully designed for you to navigate and 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; arming you to be able to execute your own highly engaging and creative work. 

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

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.

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 provides you with the exciting opportunity to investigate and develop your 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 you to identify current debates and practices in relation to your individual subject disciplines. In this way, you will foster a strong sense of your emerging artistic identities and produce work demonstrating flair and fluency within your chosen idiom. In addition, you will have the opportunity to work in state-of-the-art studios and use a variety of analogue and digital equipment.

This module will provide you with the opportunity to expand upon and develop greater knowledge and depth of inquiry within your 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 you to consider how you might further refine your creative practice and offer distinctive and original interpretations of forms, practices, and established traditions. You will move closer to establishing their artistic niche and be able to situate your practice in comparison to other practitioners within your field of study.

In this module, you will continue to develop your 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 you to develop and discuss your individual practice with an advanced level of critical self-reflection. You will learn how to confidently discuss the significance of your work by referring to current research, trends, movements, theories and advanced practice within your 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 your own practices. 

Offerings

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.

Dance MA

Dance MA

Who You'll Learn From

Dr Evelyn Jamieson

Associate Professor
Dr  Evelyn Jamieson

Richard Molony

Deputy Head
Richard Molony profile photo

Caroline Ford

Senior Lecturer
Caroline Ford

Nicole Wellings

Senior Lecturer
Blank profile picture.

Dr Pamela Barnes

Senior Lecturer
Pamela Barnes

Dr Stef Kerrigan

Senior Lecturer
Dr Stef Kerrigan

How You'll Learn

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.

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.

Entry Requirements

2:2 honours degree

A 2:2 honours degree in any relevant discipline or an equivalent qualification is usually required. Admission is by written application and interview.

Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of proficiency to IELTS 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in each band or equivalent.

2:2 honours degree

A 2:2 honours degree in any relevant discipline or an equivalent qualification is usually required. Admission is by written application and interview.

See below for your country specific requirements. Please note, some programmes have special entry requirements and if applicable, these are listed below. 

Please note, this course is not eligible for progression to the Graduate Visa (PSW) or Skilled Worker Visa. It is not possible to upgrade from this course to the MA Dance.

English Language Requirements

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

Fees and Funding

£9,630for the full course (2025/26)

Guides to the fees for students who wish to commence postgraduate courses in the academic year 2025/26 are available to view on our Postgraduate Taught Programmes Fees page.

£15,000for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Postgraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £15,000.

Please note: For MSc programmes where a placement or project year is undertaken there will be an additional charge of £2,750 for the placement/project year (due at the start of the second year of the course).

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships for postgraduate study, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

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

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships. 

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees and Finance section of our website.

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.

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