De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is celebrating after its Dance programme was named number one in the UK in the Daily Mail University Guide 2027.
The result forms part of a strong performance for DMU in this year’s guide, with the university rising 20 places, one of the biggest rises in the UK – and five subjects ranked in the national top five.
The ranking follows outstanding feedback from DMU Dance students in the latest National Student Survey (NSS), with students giving the programme 100% positive scores across 11 measures.
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Mel Knott, Senior Lecturer in Dance at DMU, said the team was proud of the achievement.
She said: “We work hard to provide creative opportunities for every one of our students and, alongside the performance experience we offer, the programme maintains a strong employability focus.
“Through studying with us, students are able to build networks with professionals working in many aspects of the dance industry including community practice, producing and arts administration.
“DMU has a rich history in teaching creative arts and we are immensely proud to be acknowledged in this way.”
Students rated the programme highly across a range of areas, including 96% for learning opportunities, 96.3% for learning resources and 95% for academic support.
They also gave the programme full marks for ease of contacting teaching staff and feedback on their work, as well as for being able to express their ideas and opinions freely.
The results highlight the strength of the student experience at DMU, including the quality of teaching, specialist resources and support for wellbeing.
The student experience is supported by state of the art dance studios and performance spaces, which includes The Venue that hosts the annual Dance showcase. The block teaching structure gives students dedicated time to create, collaborate and develop their practice, with performance opportunities throughout the year for all students.
Video suites and professional technical support also give students opportunities to develop dance-on-screen work and create material for personal showcasing.
Alongside this, dedicated wellbeing support including autism tutors is available, while students benefit from strong links with regional and national organisations such as People Dancing, Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Moving Together, Curve Theatre and FABRIC for work related placements and professional development. Masterclasses and training opportunities are offered with Creative Pro Exchange, ME Dance (Marcia Edwards) and Aakash Odedra Company, to name a few.
The student-run Dance Society also gives those who want to continue competition training the opportunity to train and compete alongside their studies.
The programme gives students opportunities to develop their skills, gain industry experience and build professional networks for their future careers.
Posted on Tuesday 18 August 2026