Aria University’s Ph.D. in Indian Classical Dance is a WSCUC-approved, research-centered doctoral program dedicated to advancing original scholarship in two of India’s most revered classical traditions — Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. It is the institution’s inaugural doctoral degree and a natural extension of its established Master of Arts programs in both dance forms.

The program is designed for mature, research-oriented practitioners and scholars who wish to investigate Indian classical dance across its religious, sociocultural, political, and aesthetic dimensions. Students choose one of two concentrations — Kuchipudi Dance or Bharatanatyam Dance — and pursue a curriculum of 60 semester units spanning foundational coursework, concentration-specific electives, advanced research methods, and an original doctoral dissertation. The program is typically completed in three years.

Instruction is delivered by a distinguished cohort of 15 scholar-practitioners, most of whom are based in India and bring both terminal academic credentials and deep mastery of their classical tradition. The program is offered entirely online through the Canvas Learning Management System, with live synchronous sessions via BigBlueButton, making doctoral study accessible to qualified students anywhere in the world without the need to relocate.

Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in dance or a related discipline and demonstrate readiness for independent doctoral-level inquiry through a statement of research intent, a scholarly writing sample, letters of recommendation, and a professional research profile. New cohorts are admitted each Fall and Spring semester.