Professional Dance BA (Hons)

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Course Summary

Challenge the boundaries of your physical expression through a dynamic studio-based learning experience. Ignite your passion for dance and shape your future with our BA (Hons) Professional Dance degree. The course focuses on nurturing talented individuals into highly skilled professional dancers through a rigorous blend of creative and explorative training and innovative teaching.

Our expert staff and highly motivated professionals will ensure that you develop in a supportive and collaborative environment, while benefiting from studying in state-of-the-art, subject-specific studios.

Underpinned by a critically informed approach to current trends in media and technology, you will develop your skills in a range of styles, whilst developing strong performance and choreographic skills.

Gain valuable industry experience, collaborate with professionals, and present your work, so that you leave us as a world-ready graduate with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to excel in the diverse world of dance.

Our graduates have gone on to work with companies throughout Europe and the UK, and also secured Arts Council funding to create their own work.

Interested in other performance-based programmes? We also offer BA (Hons) Performing Arts, BA (Hons) Drama, and BA (Hons) Acting.

What Our Students Think

What You'll Study

The BA Professional Dance course contains core modules at each level of study.

Year 1 (Level 4):

  • An introduction to performance and production principles.
  • Explore how technology plays a role in creating performances.
  • Learn about the industry and what it takes to succeed.

Year 1 will introduce you to dance and movement techniques, professional working practice, choreographic approaches, and performance technology. You will develop physical skills, somatic knowledge, and creative practice through performance projects.

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.

Year 2 (Level 5):

  • Build upon your foundation with more advanced learning.
  • Combine technical skills with creative approaches.
  • Engage in collaborative and inclusive performance design

Year 2 will extend your technical abilities and develop your choreographic skills through experimentation and somatic exploration. Placements and study abroad options further expand your horizons and develop industry links.

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.

Year 3 (Level 6):

  • Engage in performance projects that bring together everything you have learned.
  • Focus on artistry and creativity—express yourself as an emerging dance artist.
  • Embrace the possibilities of technology as a powerful tool within and for performances.
  • Enhance your critical thinking and analytical skills demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of how theory informs practice.

Year 3 will allow you to take greater responsibility for planning and managing your own studies, aligned to your personal artistry and future dance career aspirations. Independent projects enable you to deepen your areas of practice, preparing you to launch into industry work, or postgraduate study.

Throughout your journey you will also explore professional practice which will prepare you for industry and a successful career in the creative industries and beyond.

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

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The majority of teaching takes place in classes, workshops, lectures, seminars and tutorials

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You will be assessed in a variety of ways

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This course is designed around in-person study

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There may be some online learning activities

This course is delivered in three terms of 10 weeks each. In each term students typically study 40 credits comprising one overarching module which may cover a variety of topics. This will be made up of scheduled classes, workshops, lectures, seminars and tutorials as well as group work and independent study or practice.

Independent study might include following asynchronous learning material on the University’s VLE, tutorial time with staff, using the University’s library, working with peers, rehearsing, and preparing work for assessment.

Teaching will be delivered by passionate, experienced academics and practitioners in their field. This is likely to be supplemented by occasional guest lecturers and speakers.

There will be a broad range of assessment methods so that students are exposed to the different types of tasks they might encounter in the industry, these could include:

  • Practical activities (group and/or individual)
  • Performance
  • Production and/or technical outputs
  • Workshops (applied, educational, creative)
  • Experiential/work-based learning
  • Industry and professional live briefs
  • Digital outputs (for example, podcasts, web pages, social media platforms)
  • Verbal and non-verbal presentations

We continuously review the assessment methods used in order that they adequately prepare students for graduate level employment.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

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.

Fashion Design Industrial Workshop

A student stood next to a mannequin

TV Studio

A person operating a camera in a broadcasting studio

Music Performance Studio

A group of music students performing on stage.

Music Recording Studio Control Room

Students in music production studio

Photo Studio

student taking picture of someone in costume in studio

Music Rehearsal Studio

Student singing in performance studio

Music Production Suite

Music editing equipment

Animation Suite

Photography Darkroom

student taking a picture with camera

Workshop

Student holding a globe shaped glass and pencil

Studio

Professional Dance students performing

Outdoor Ampitheatre

A group of students taking part in an outdoor performance with people watching

Common Room

Entry Requirements

104UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff

104 points

GCE A Level

Typical offer – CCC-BCC 

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM

International Baccalaureate

28 points

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H4 H4

Scottish Highers: BBBB

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above

T Level

Pass (C or above on the core)

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma: DMM

Extra Information

Applicants will be required to attend an audition.

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. We accept the UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma. 

Candidates who do not meet the minimum entry requirements, or who have non-standard qualifications and relevant experience, are encouraged to apply and will be considered if they can demonstrate appropriate ability through their audition. 

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 click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

  • IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
  • Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

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

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, 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 courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

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.

Students often elect to purchase a laptop; where students choose to do so, the cost is likely to be around £800-£1000.

Additional costs are likely to be small and infrequent, but there may occasionally be optional trips and small specialist equipment may need to be purchased.

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

Dance Rehearsals
Dance Dress Rehearsal
Dance Dress Rehearsal
Vertical Dance Workshop
Performing SItes - Dance on Rows
Zen & Now Dance Workshop
Junior Cunningham Pro Dance Workshop
Student dancing and painting

Your Future Career

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.