The Dance program at the WVU School of Theatre and Dance in the College of Creative Arts and Media has received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Dance.
The NASD is one of four sibling organizations overseen by Arts Accredit, which includes the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). These four national, not-for-profit organizations are certified by the U.S. Department of Education to be accrediting bodies.
“This accreditation is a testament to the time and energy our faculty have committed to providing a dance program at the level that our students deserve,” said Keith Jackson, Dean of the College of Creative Arts and Media. “This external validation—just like we expect in our research—means we have to continue to hit that standard, because we are now associate members of the NASD.”
The Dance program joins the College’s other accredited programs, including Theatre (NAST), Music (NASM) and Art and Design (NASAD). Fewer than 50 institutions have accreditations from all four associations.
The Reed School of Media and Communications is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). All schools under the College of Creative Arts and Media now have full accreditation.
Joshua Williamson, director of the School of Theatre and Dance, helped launch the Bachelor of Arts in Dance in 2013 and submitted its application for NASD accreditation in June 2019.
“The accreditation process is a very comprehensive, deep analysis of the facilities, the budget, the faculty, the students, the curriculum and the syllabi for all the classes to make sure that they meet national standards,” Williamson said. “If there's specialized accreditation in your discipline, then you should achieve it.”
A NASD accreditation is a win for the College of Creative Arts and Media administration, but it’s just as valuable for current and incoming students.
“This accreditation is important in recruiting students into the arts, especially when speaking with parents who are nervous about their kids wanting to major in something theoretically as uncertain as the arts,” Williamson said.
“If you come here to study in the fine and performing arts, then you know you're getting a quality education.” Joshua Williamson, director of the School of Theatre and Dance
“Accreditation validates that the work we do here is in keeping with the rest of the industry nationally. The education that students are leaving with as they enter the workforce is meaningful and will push them in the right direction and give them the tools they need to succeed in whatever they want to do as they graduate,” he added.
Jackson agreed. “It’s reassuring to know that your degree has value after you leave.”
For Williamson, who will be stepping down as director at the end of the academic year, receiving the NASD seal of approval is a full circle moment.
“I helped create the major and now we have the accreditation,” he said. “It's a nice outgoing accomplishment to say that we got it.”
To learn more about the Dance program at WVU, visit dance.wvu.edu and follow @dance_wvu on Instagram.