Application and Interview for the PhD Program

Please see the information below in order to prepare for the Autumn 2025 application season! Please email dance@osu.edu if you have additional questions.

In order to give us time to send invitations for interviews, we ask that you complete the Ohio State Graduate Admission/Dance Interview application by October 1, 2024. 

The application, transcript(s), Autobiographical Statement, CV/Resume, Writing Sample, and Statement of Academic Purpose must be completed and received by October 1 before a review of any materials can take place. Letters of Recommendation may be submitted after the interview invitation and no later than November 1. 

Procedure for Entrance

The interview is by invitation only (November date to be published soon). Applicants will be notified by October 15, 2024, if they are invited to interview. We are currently planning for an in-person interview process on November 18 and 19, 2024; there will be online accommodations for international applicants on November 18, 19, and 22 between 8:30-12:30pm EST. While a sample schedule is available to view, the schedule with be finalized with the invitation to attend.

Acceptance into the Department of Dance PhD program requires admission to the university graduate school as well as admission to the department. Applicants must complete application procedures for both the Graduate Admissions Office and the Department of Dance. There is only one application to complete, which is reviewed by the Department of Dance faculty in order to determine if an invitation will be extended to the applicant. If invited to an interview, applicants are notified of the admission decision in late January.

 

Admission Requirements

Complete the single, combined Graduate Admission and Dance Interview Application online.

All materials are to be submitted electronically. Please do not send additional hard copies of supporting materials. You will be asked to upload the following documents. Please note that you are encouraged to submit the application and return to upload supporting documents at any time prior to the deadline. 

For technical assistance, contact the Graduate Admissions Office; for further questions, contact the Dance Academic Program Coordinator. Please allow Graduate Admissions and the Department of Dance several business days to process your documents and update the checklist in your Applicant Center; your patience is appreciated.

The application, transcript(s), Autobiographical Statement, CV/Resume, Writing Sample, and Statement of Academic Purpose must be completed and received by October 1 before a review of any materials can take place. Letters of Recommendation (and English proficiency materials, if needed) may be submitted after the interview invitation and no later than November 1. 

 

  1. Scanned copy of an official transcript for  all universities/institutions attended for review purposes. If admitted, you will need to request an official transcript be sent directly from the institution(s) to the Graduate Admissions Office.
  2. Autobiographical Statement: Compose a brief but engaging narrative, relating your interests in pursuing the Dance Studies doctoral program. Your essay should situate you within the field at the present time, gathering significant details of your previous experience, clarifying your current involvement and interest in dance, and speculating about your future intentions within the field. We are interested in getting to know something about you as a dance professional through this writing: what have you done that has led you here, how do you articulate your aesthetic and analytical sensibilities, what do you hope to accomplish in your studies? Please note: Should you be nominated for a Fellowship, this narrative will also be included in the application packet, which is forwarded to the University Fellowship Committee, and as such should provide a compelling account to a committee of readers from diverse disciplines. Please keep the length to 1-2 pages single-spaced or 3-4 pages double-spaced.
  3. Curriculum Vitae: This document should accurately reflect your completed educational background and all of your professional and related experiences to date. Please be thorough and comprehensive, as your C.V. is critical in our determination of appropriate potential fellowship assignments.
  4. Writing Sample: The Graduate Studies Committee reviews writing samples to determine applicants’ potential research interests and to assess their competency as writers. Please submit a substantive piece of scholarship that demonstrates your capacity to conduct research, synthesize ideas, and pursue a theoretical argument. Please submit a paper of about 20–25 pages (12-point font, double spaced). This writing sample can take the form of a formal research paper, chapter from a thesis, or similar. It should be one continuous piece of writing; please do not submit two different papers.
  5. Statement of [Academic] Purpose: Please give a brief but specific description of your research interests in choosing to pursue the PhD in Dance Studies at Ohio State. In framing your summary, consider the following broad statement of the Ohio State degree program as stated in our Graduate Handbook: "The focus of the PhD keeps dance at its core, with studies in the history, theory, and literature of dance grounded in and emanating from this rich nucleus of human activity." We realize that your research interests will continue to develop and crystallize during your doctoral studies here. This initial statement need not be lengthy, but will probably be in the range of one or two paragraphs that provide the selection committee with an understanding of your general academic goals and objectives, as well as a basis from which to determine whether the program would offer a good fit for your agenda.
  6. At least three letters of recommendation must be submitted. Letters should speak your academic strengths and scholarly aptitude; they may additionally speak to your work in dance. In order to be considered for a University Fellowship, at least two letters should be from someone at an academic institution who can speak to these strengths, even if your previous academic work was not in dance. Recommendations should be chosen carefully as they are reviewed for both admission and potential funding. You may select more than three recommenders if you wish. Instructions for online submission of reference letters will be emailed to your recommenders after you submit the online application and application fee. You may manage REMINDERS and/or send instructions to new recommenders from your Applicant Center.

 

You may submit the application anytime prior to October 1, and return later to upload the documents listed above by the deadline.

If you request an application fee waiver, you must have proof of eligibility ready for review (which may or may not be approved). Otherwise your submitted application will be delayed; please allow up to 10 business days for processing. If the waiver not approved, you will need to change your request in your Applicant Center and plan to resubmit with payment.

IMPORTANT: Autobiographical Statement, Statement of Academic Purpose, Curriculum Vitae, Writing Sample, and most (if not all) Letters of Recommendation materials must be submitted by the deadline date for PhD applicants. If you have questions or need additional information please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator.

NOTE: GRE scores ARE NOT REQUIRED unless your cumulative undergraduate GPA is calculated as below 3.0 on a 4.0 scale by the Graduate Admissions Office. If your cumulative undergraduate grade point average is below 3.0, you must take the GRE. If you attended an institution that used the Pass/Non-Pass system, you must also take a GRE. If you have GRE scores, they are optional and you may submit them to the Graduate Admissions Office (institution code 1592). If you have not completed the GRE, it is not required unless your cumulative undergraduate GPA is below 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent). 

 

University Fellowship

Consideration for University Fellowship is based on excellence in previous academic work and artistic work, and is evidenced by official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate academic institutions, a statement of purpose, and three letters of reference.

Please note: To qualify for a University Fellowship, you must have a minimum of a 3.6 cumulative point-hour ratio (on the 4.0 scale) in all previous undergraduate and graduate level course work. While it is possible to nominate an applicant who does not meet this eligibility minimum, there must be compelling evidence of excellence in all other areas of the application in order for this to be considered by the Graduate Studies Committee.

International Applicants

In addition, International applicants must have completed the English language proficiency exam within the last two years. Please send all scores to the Graduate Admissions Office (institutional code 1592) or see their website for more information.