Recognizing that dancers must be as agile offstage as they are on it, Oklahoma City University is rolling out two new interdisciplinary tracks for its dance and entertainment business majors.
The latest offerings in OCU’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment are designed to expand career longevity and executive leadership for performing arts students. Beginning in the fall 2027 semester, the university will launch a new Dance Science track within its Bachelor of Arts in Dance program, and an accelerated pathway toward a Master of Arts in Arts Administration.
Both options leverage existing cross-campus collaborations with OCU’s Petree College of Arts & Sciences and the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program to prepare graduates for multifaceted careers.
MA in Arts Administration
Building on a model first introduced through the School of Theatre two years ago, the new accelerated pathway allows undergraduate dance management, dance pedagogy and entertainment business majors to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts in Arts Administration in as little as 4.5 years.
By dual-listing some undergraduate senior courses with graduate-level courses, students can complete nearly half of their master’s coursework while still covered by undergraduate scholarships, effectively cutting their graduate tuition costs in half. The remaining 18 graduate credit hours are delivered 100% online in flexible eight-week modules.
Dance Dean Melanie Shelley said the concept means that performers can earn their master’s degrees while working in the industry.
“They can hold jobs anywhere, even on a cruise line or on a touring production, and still earn their graduate degree,” Shelley said.
The program focuses on crucial management skills like strategic planning, fundraising, grant writing, financial oversight, marketing and board governance. Nonprofit Leadership Director Beth Adele said the program also addresses ongoing economic volatility and shifts in federal arts funding by teaching students how to build resilient, sustainable organizations.
“It offers a way for students to gain executive tools while pursuing their performance or management careers,” Adele said. “With shifts in public funding and federal grant distribution, arts leaders must know how to diversify their revenue streams. Whether our students plan to establish their own dance studios, serve as development directors or lead major performing arts centers, this degree equips them to navigate challenges to keep cultural missions thriving.”
Physical therapy track
OCU’s new Dance Science addition to the BA Dance degree is designed for performers interested in healthcare, injury prevention and sports medicine. The track integrates studio instruction with science prerequisites including anatomy, physiology, chemistry, general physics, biology, psychology and statistics.
Students who maintain required academic standards on this track gain an admission pathway into OCU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
“Dancers possess an extraordinary degree of body awareness, making them natural candidates for physical therapy, particularly within performing arts medicine,” Shelley said. “Whether graduates transition immediately into graduate healthcare programs or dance professionally first, this curriculum offers additional career possibilities.”
The Dance Science track expands upon an existing collaboration with DPT faculty and graduate students, who perform annual physical assessments and wellness workshops each year in the campus dance studios.
By repurposing existing coursework across dance, health sciences and nonprofit arts administration, OCU continues to strengthen student employability.
“Thanks to our collaborative campus community, we are giving dancers and arts leaders the skill sets they need to thrive in every stage of their professional lives,” Shelley said.
Prospective students can learn more about these new tracks, and about the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, by going to okcu.edu/dance. The school’s next round of dance auditions is scheduled for Oct. 23 and 24.
