Dance Program Director/Advisor

Dr. Paula Thomson


Department of Kinesiology, Dance
Redwood Hall 250
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8287


Office: RE 287

Phone: (818) 677-3205

Send email

Dance Program Advisor

Mariko Iwabuchi


Department of Kinesiology, Dance
Redwood Hall 250
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8287


Maildrop: 8287
Office: RE 277B

Phone: (818) 677-3205

Send email

Mission Statement and Strategic Plan

CSUN Mission:

California State University, Northridge exists to enable students to realize their educational goals. The University’s first priority is to promote the welfare and intellectual progress of students. To fulfill this mission, CSUN designs programs and activities to help students develop the academic competencies, professional skills, critical and creative abilities, and ethical values of learned persons who live in a democratic society, an interdependent world, and a technological age; we seek to foster a rigorous and contemporary understanding of the liberal arts, sciences, and professional disciplines.

Dance Program Fit with CSUN Mission:


The Dance programs adhere to the mission statement at CSUN. They enable students to realize educational goals related to achieving excellence in dance. Graduating students will be prepared to enter the professional field as performers, choreographers, educators, or in performance- related fields. The dance programs are designed to help students develop academic competencies, professional skills, critical and creative abilities, and ethical values that promote a deep and contemporary understanding of dance. Students will also be prepared to recognize and promote diversity and equity within the dance and dance-related fields.

CSUN Strategic Plans:

The theme of “Student Success” is the primary focus of the CSUN strategic plan. The plans are framed through the prism of diversity and inclusiveness. The theme contains three interrelated components seen as vital to ensuring the desired results. They include: 1) Student Achievement, 2) Student Engagement and 3) Student Support. CSUN is a minority serving institution. The dance programs are ideal for underserved students and are designed to ensure student success via academic advising (faculty and peer mentoring), pre-professional opportunities to create and perform new works, and guidance required to succeed in a career in dance or dance-related fields. The inclusion of dance as a single subject teaching credential adds to the opportunities associated with acquiring a degree in dance. Currently, there is no equity gap in the dance programs; retention, persistence and graduation success are very strong in these programs

Dance Program Director/Advisor

Dr. Paula Thomson


Department of Kinesiology, Dance
Redwood Hall 250
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8287


Office: RE 287

Phone: (818) 677-3205

Send email

Dance Program Advisor

Mariko Iwabuchi


Department of Kinesiology, Dance
Redwood Hall 250
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8287


Maildrop: 8287
Office: RE 277B

Phone: (818) 677-3205

Send email

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