Dance Career Preparation & Resources

Dance Career Preparation & Resources

Within the Department of Dance, career preparation is highly prioritized and integrated into the curriculum. Students have access to a wide variety of career development tools and resources throughout their educational program, continuing into their status as alumni. Dance actively partners with the Career Center to support students in their career preparation through career coaching, experiential learning, employer engagement, and much more!

As a student at UNC Charlotte, it is never too early to begin focusing on your professional development as you prepare for your career after graduation. Review the top career skills acquired in this degree program, student experiential learning and career outcomes, and career development resources.

CAREER SKILL DEVELOPMENT

In the Dance Department, students gain valuable career skills that help prepare them for life after graduation. These are the specific career skills learned in the Dance program:

• Leadership – Dance students gain leadership skills through participating in rehearsal, performance, and production experiences. There are many additional opportunities to build leadership abilities, such as working directly with the chair of the department by serving on the Student Advisory Committee.
• Critical Thinking – Coursework in Dance integrates theory with practice, providing students with problem solving skills and the ability to contextualize information. Faculty include students in their research projects, further developing critical thinking skills.
• Teamwork – Dance performances require groups of individuals to work together for a common goal, leading students in our program to develop extensive collaborative skills.
• Communication – Through varied coursework that includes writing, speaking, creating dances, and performing, students in Dance gain the ability to convey ideas and information, and to express themselves.   
• Professionalism – Dance students work as course preceptors and production assistants, participate in internships, travel to conferences and festivals, teach classes and workshops, and produce their own research and choreography. These opportunities develop students’ abilities to present themselves in professional environments.
• Engaging Across Perspectives – Students in our program learn dance forms and practices from a variety of cultures. As they work with faculty and other students from various perspectives and areas of expertise, they gain experience interacting and communicating with others both like and unlike themselves.

DATA & STUDENT SUCCESS

Access data on experiential learning and post-graduation career success of students studying in this department.

• Explore Experiential Learning Data
• See post-graduation Career Success Data

DANCE CAREER RESOURCES

• Internships
• Study Abroad – Dance
• Study Abroad – College of Arts + Architecture
• Student Organizations
• Special Opportunities

CAREER CENTER RESOURCES

In addition to your academic department, the Career Center provides valuable career development resources to assist you in developing your professional brand and prepare you for purposeful work.

• Make a Career Coaching Appointment with a Career Community specific Career Coach through Hire-A-Niner
• Explore example career paths you can pursue with your major: WCIDWAMI
• Find and apply for on- and off-campus internship and career opportunities on Hire-A-Niner
• Gain Experience through a variety of short and/or long term experiential learning opportunities
• Develop your Personal Branding Materials (i.e., resumes and CV’s, cover letters, LinkedIn & portfolios, practice interviews, professional attire, etc.)
• Learn and develop the Career Skills that employers highly value
• Make Connections with professionals:
  • Career Fairs
  • Career Meet Ups
  • Career Treks
  • Employer Information Sessions
  • Career Center Study Abroad Program
• Download the Virtual Career Guide for visual examples of the career preparation process

The Career Center is located in Atkins Annex, next to the main Atkins Library. Students can utilize Career Center Drop-In Hours, Monday-Friday from 10 AM – 3 PM, to get their quick questions answered and get connected with careers information.