Bachelor of Music Honours in Dance

This Honours programme is the first year of postgraduate study in Dance. It is designed to provide the opportunity for further intensive study in Dance and training in concepts and research methods that equip the candidate with the skills necessary either for employment in dance-related fields, or for further study at Masters and Doctoral level in Dance or a related subject area.

The desired minimum academic entrance requirement to the programme is a Bachelor degree, and, depending on the candidate's choice of specialization within the degree, an appropriate standard of performance and/or choreographic ability. This is assessed by audition.

RPL: Dance practitioners who have reached a level of competence through the practical application of knowledge and experience gained other than by way of tertiary education may be admitted to the degree. Admission to the programme is then by examination and audition.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Dance practitioners who have reached a level of competence through application and experience other than tertiary education may be admitted to the degree. Assessment is by audition and tests.

The Honours graduate is competent to

(i) understand and manipulate qualitative and quantitative data within an area of specialisation.

(ii) design and conduct research in his or her area of specialisation.

(iii) produce academic papers that reflect an ability to interrogate the professional literature and engage in critical debate;

(iv) find information of professional relevance efficiently and independently;

(v) use information-technology efficiently and independently;

(vi) embark on an Honours level research study under supervision.

(b) General outcomes (contextually demonstrated general knowledge, skills and values of the programme)

The BMus (Hons) graduate is competent to

(i) articulate an understanding of an area of specialisation at a high level of abstraction;

(ii) independently apply discipline-based knowledge and practices to an understanding of conceptual and practical problems;

(iii) design and conduct research utilizing the methods of the discipline;

(iv) apply the theory and research methods of the discipline to the development of research questions;

(v) produce theoretical, practical, artistic, creative and research communications that draw on a range of information bases.

(c) Specific Outcomes, including professional outcomes, contextually demonstrated)

The Honours Dance graduate is, depending on his or her choice of specialisation, able to

• Formulate a sophisticated argument drawing on appropriate dance theory and research;
• Produce critiques of dance theory, performance, production, education and research;
• Design a limited scope research project to answer a dance-related question;
• Utilise advanced quantitative, qualitative, artistic and creative methods to address research questions.
• Choreograph and produce innovative and original dance pieces using a variety of dance styles and techniques, both physical and technological.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to an understanding of physical, creative and artistic problems
• Have the ability to impart creative skills and knowledge to an audience and/or a learner.

(a) The learner's achievement of critical cross-field outcomes is assessed formatively during the course through a range of activities, and summatively in the capstone activity outlined under integrated assessment.

(b) The learner's achievement of general programme outcomes is assessed through a range of formative and summative assessments throughout the course, and particularly in the capstone activity outlined under integrated assessment.

(c) Assessments include theoretical papers, practical reports, and research projects and dance performances and productions.

Formative assessment includes the preparation of extended papers written under supervision, as well as continuous assessment of the creative and physical attributes required in the practice of dance.

Summative assessments mainly take the form of the capstone literature review, research proposal and pilot project report and/or the performance or production of a dance portfolio. This is required to be of an internationally recognized standard and is viewed in a public forum (see integrated assessment).

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

The integrated assessment of the Dance Honours graduate includes measurement of foundational, reflective, technical, creative and practical competencies. Learners are required to complete a series of exercises. These serve both to integrate skills learnt during the Honours year, and to prepare for the MMus in the case of those learners who wish to continue to a higher degree.

The exercises have the following components to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the candidate's chosen field of study within the discipline of Dance:

• Production of a focused literature review that is based on the use of a variety of text media, and that informs a potential research question. The review is written up in the form of an academic paper that accords with generally accepted publication conventions.
• The formulation of a research question, and the development of a research proposal based on the literature review. The proposal must present a consideration of the ethical implications of the research, and specify a research design and method/s that is able to answer the research question.
• Conducting and writing up pilot research (in a manner that accords with the publication conventions of the discipline), that is designed to be the first stage of the research to be conducted for the Masters degree.
• Production of a portfolio of dance pieces of a specified length, which is viewed by an audience in a theatrical venue, and which incorporates and demonstrates knowledge of dance technique, stage technology, design and production skills.
• Performance of solo, duo and ensemble dance pieces for an audience, demonstrating the candidate's ability to adapt to and perform in a variety of dance techniques and styles.
• Oral presentation of the background to the research proposal, performance or production.