UCSB’s Dance Program in the Department of Theater and Dance is committed
to contributing to an artistically and intellectually vibrant global society. What
better way to enhance your ability to make such a contribution than to participate
in UCSB’s Education Abroad Program? Living and studying abroad will offer
new perspectives, fresh challenges, and will better prepare you for life in the
global community. Since all courses taken through EAP are accepted as UC
courses, with careful planning you can spend a year of study at a foreign university with no loss of progress towards graduation.
Studying abroad is a great opportunity for dancers to explore different cultures and approaches to dance education that enhances the dance experience at UCSB. Students may engage with and learn different styles and methods of dance that further their development as dancers, offering contrasting approaches and an expanded range of artistic reference. Studying abroad is often the most rewarding and memorable experience of your undergraduate career.
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EAP offers a variety of short-term and year-long programs taught in many different languages (including English). All course units earned abroad through EAP are automatically credited toward your degree requirements.
Because dance is taught in conservatories, rather than universities, in much of the world, including Europe, the number of options for pursuing the dance major is more limited than with most academic majors. Nevertheless, there are universities where dancers can engage in either a range of courses that will build on their studies at UCSB or advance their knowledge of dance in other cultures. Programs in classical and modern dance, taught in the language specified, can be found at:
English
• University of Melbourne, Australia
• University of Auckland, New Zealand
• University of Cape Town, South Africa
• University of Leeds, UK
Spanish
• University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
Italian
• University of Bologna, Italy
• University of Padua, Italy
French
• University of Bordeaux, France
Dance majors can expand their artistic boundaries by studying African dance
at the University of Ghana or Indian dance at the University of Hyderabad. An option both for African dance and classical and modern dance is the University of Cape Town in South Africa.
Another option for dance majors is to study for a semester or summer in a
location where you can fulfill general education requirements or advance your study of a language. With over 130 universities in over 30 different countries, you have many options.
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Although most students choose to study abroad in their junior year, we
recommend that dance majors study abroad in the summer or in the sophomore
or senior year so that you will not miss the critical creative process with your peers during the junior year. If you do choose to go abroad during your junior year, the university you attend should have a strong creative component in its curriculum as well as technical training to support the rate of growth students
experience in our program during the junior year.
It is best to plan early for study abroad. Applications are due as much as eight months prior to the start of the program.
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Depending on your course selection, you may fulfill major and/or GE requirements with your study abroad courses. Upper division dance courses taken abroad may be applied to the elective requirements in the major. Technique and creative courses may be more difficult to get approved by the department as substitutions for major requirements but given similar content and
sufficient documentation, such as a course syllabus, such courses can be
successfully substituted.
The department Undergraduate Advisor and the advisors in the College of Letters and Science are available to help you select the courses that are right for your education and interests.
Application of credit to major requirements will be subject to the discretion of the Department and approval of the College.
Keep in mind that at least 20 units of upper-division major coursework (or
12 upper-division minor units) must be completed in residence at UCSB
along with other residence requirements. Consult an advisor in the College of Letters & Science for more information.
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Consult the EAP web pages to see what programs best suit you. Navigate to host universities’ websites on the available links to learn more about the schools and their departments.
Come by the EAP office at 2431 South Hall. Peer advisors who have recently
returned from studying abroad as well as staff advisors are eager to answer your questions.
Go see your Undergraduate Advisor in the department office and make an
appointment to speak with an advisor in the College of Letters & Science.
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Department of Department of Theater and Dance
552 University Road
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-7060
Phone: (805) 893-3241
www.theaterdance.ucsb.edu
