Dance Education EdD

Prepare to Lead the Future of Dance Education

The EdD in Dance Education program prepares doctoral students as teacher educators and researchers with leadership roles. Our courses in Embodied Learning, Dance and Human Development, and Historical Foundations develop content knowledge while facilitating opportunities to examine critical gaps in the field where innovations have the potential to rapidly advance how we prepare future dance educators, classroom teachers, educational administrators, and policymakers. Charged with a responsibility to inform and educate adults who make critical decisions about dance education, a series of courses prepare students to develop effective leadership strategies in a chosen sector, such as PK-12 schools, private studio settings, university contexts, consultancies, and cultural organizations. These courses, including Adult Learning, Advanced Curriculum Design, Teaching and Leadership, Internship Seminar, and Studio Seminar, enhance content knowledge while providing opportunities to design adult learning and engage in the vibrant dance and arts communities in NYC and beyond as they refine their research ideas.

Students also select a specialization area and 15 credits of out-of-program courses to deepen the breadth of a chosen area of inquiry: 

• Teacher Education – Breadth in shaping pedagogical content knowledge, supervising student teachers, and coaching educators.

• Leadership and Policy – Breadth in leadership skills, program management, cultural policy, or educational administration.

• Movement Sciences – Breadth in the pedagogical application of motor learning, anatomy, physiology and biomechanics.

• Interdisciplinary – A self-designed track to provide breadth into combined inquiries or a specific alternate inquiry such as neuroscience, Afro-centric education, instructional technology, spirituality, creativity, peace education, visual art, music, literature, philosophy, human development, or cognition for example.

The program is committed to preparing today’s master dance educators as tomorrow’s dance education researchers. We believe that the multiple ways of knowing that are embedded in dance practices can serve as the bedrock for developing a research identity and for conducting multi-modal research that is convincing and transformative. Through a series of communal doctoral and dissertation seminars, students are supported in preparing an original, self-designed, empirical research study and written dissertation. The Introduction to Doctoral Inquiry course orients students to scholarly skills and resources that are the foundation of research. During Doctoral Seminar 1 students develop a preliminary literature review and research proposal. Subsequently, during Doctoral Seminar 2, students prepare their advanced literature review as well as a pilot study toward completion of the doctoral exam. During Dissertation Seminar 1, students finalize their research proposal and present it during a public hearing. Finally, during Dissertation Seminar 2, students are supported while they collect their research data, write and prepare to defend their dissertation. Disbursed throughout this sequence, students select from a wide variety of research methods courses offered at the college to tailor their research visions. Each doctoral candidate works closely with a program faculty member who serves as the dissertation advisor and the culminating dissertation committee includes dance education faculty as well as college-wide faculty selected for related field expertise. A culminating course, Writing for Journal Publication, prepares students to disseminate their discoveries. Furthermore, the Arnhold Institute for Dance Education Research, Policy and Leadership provides an unparalleled opportunity to learn within a dynamic research community while participating in symposiums, institute research projects, and professional learning events.

Degree Progress

Beginning in Autumn 2021, International students must enroll in the program on a full-time basis (9 credits per semester) during both the Autumn and Spring semesters. U.S. students may complete the degree full-time (9 credits per semester), part-time (3 to 8 credits per semester), or modulate between full-time and part-time enrollment during both the Autumn and Spring semesters. U.S. students may also optionally complete out-of-program courses during summer semesters. For students employed in full-time jobs, TC recommends enrollment in no more than six credits per semester. The major degree advisor is available for individualized meetings to help students tailor their plans to meet their personal and professional needs. 

Students may transfer up to 25 eligible graduate credits into the doctoral program, reducing it from a 75-credit to a 50-credit degree track. U.S. and International students who transfer 25 credits and attend full-time can expect to complete coursework in three years. An additional one-year duration is standard for completing the dissertation research study and writing as well as defending the dissertation.

Scholarships & Fellowships

Incoming students are considered exclusively for the following opportunity:

• TC Doctoral Fellowships: This fellowship offers three years of tuition remission as well as a stipend. These fellowships are awarded by the college to incoming students only and are highly competitive. Since the inception of the Dance Education Program in 2018, two Dance Education doctoral students have been awarded this fellowship.

New, as well as current students, are considered annually for multiple funding opportunities:

• Arnhold EdD Fellowships: These partial scholarships are awarded annually by the program in consultation with the Office of Financial Aid. All applicants and students are eligible and considered.
• Arnhold Institute Assistantships: Graduate Research Assistant and Graduate Administrative Fellow positions are selected by the Executive Director, Assistant Director, and Senior Fellow of the Arnhold Institute. These positions require up to 20 hours of work each week collaborating with faculty and affiliated scholars on institute projects. For this reason, full-time students who are available during day-time hours are given priority consideration for these opportunities. GRAs and GAFs may not hold a full-time job in addition to their Institute position. The GRA and GAF positions offer partial tuition remission and a stipend. 
• EdD Program Stipends: The Dance Education program offers stipends to support doctoral study endeavors, such as conference presentations, dissertation research travel, and leadership initiatives that enhance the community of TC.
• Zankel Urban Fellowships: Managed by TC’s Office of School and Community Partnerships, students may apply annually for a host of projects that serve work with disadvantaged inner-city youth, including the Math in Motion: Elementary Math & Dance Engagement project. Information is available here.
• College-wide and External Scholarships: The Office of Financial Aid provides resources for additional funding opportunities that may be found here.
• College-wide Research Grants: The college offers a number of student research grants. Students are encouraged to check their TC email for announcements.
• College Stipends: The Office of Doctoral Study as well as many of the student organizations and other TC units offer student stipends related to study activities. Students are encouraged to check their TC email for announcements.

Students are encouraged to check the employment websites of Columbia University, Barnard College and Teachers College for part-time or full-time employee positions offering tuition remission.

All students are encouraged to develop a plan for funding their doctoral study, including external scholarships offered by employers or cultural institutions. Resources for additional college as well as external funding options may be found here.