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Colleges · United States

Dance Programs in Illinois

7 college dance programs in Illinois across 5 institution types. BFA, BA, MFA, minor, and AA transfer pathways. Free to browse. Updated weekly.

  • 7
    Programs
  • 3
    BFA
  • 5
    Cities

All Illinois programs by institution type

Degree
Type
Accredited

Showing 7 programs

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Other US states with dance programs

New York dance programs34California dance programs28Pennsylvania dance programs15Texas dance programs14North Carolina dance programs13Ohio dance programs13Florida dance programs11Virginia dance programs8

Frequently asked questions

How many college dance programs are in Illinois?
We track 7 college and university dance programs in Illinois — 3 offer BFA degrees, 1 offers MFA, across 5 cities.
Which Illinois dance programs are NASD-accredited?
1 Illinois program in our directory is NASD-accredited, including University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. NASD accreditation is the national standard for dance-degree programs.
Does Illinois have any dance conservatories?
Yes — The Ruth Page School of Dance. Conservatories offer intensive pre-professional training with a smaller ratio of academic coursework than a research university.
What's the difference between a BFA and a BA in dance?
A BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) is a professional degree with ~75% studio + 25% academic coursework — best for students headed into performance, choreography, or industry careers. A BA (Bachelor of Arts) is closer to 50/50, giving flexibility for double majors, teaching credentials, or dance-adjacent careers.
Can community college dance students transfer to a Illinois BFA program?
Yes — most 4-year BFA and BA dance programs in Illinois accept community college transfers with an AA in dance or a general-education AA plus dance coursework. Individual credit acceptance varies; contact the receiving institution's admissions office. See our AA (transfer path) page for community colleges with dance programs.

Verify before you decide. DanceFinder works to keep this current, but program details change — always confirm dates, costs, and requirements on the school's official website.