Degree Requirements
MA in Arts Management
The Master of Arts in Arts Management requires 48 units of academic coursework, of which at least 30 units are taken in required courses and up to 18 units are taken as electives. The degree is designed to be completed in three semesters of full-time study (16 units per semester) and begins in the fall semester. The degree is offered in partnership between The Drucker School of Management and the School of Arts and Humanities at CGU.
Consulting Practicum or Master’s Project: As the capstone to the Master’s of Arts in Arts Management, all students are required to complete a capstone consisting of either a Consulting Practicum or Master’s Project. Qualified students may enroll in the Consulting Practicum in their final semester. In this course, students engage in consulting projects for arts organizations based in Los Angeles. Activities include defining the scope of work, identifying deliverables, contracting, conducting the project, and writing a final project report. Integrating arts management skills learned through the program, the student provides 100 hours of consulting with the support of a faculty advisor. The project culminates with a final paper and public presentation. Alternatively, students may enroll in the Critical Entrepreneurship and Startup Studio sequence of courses. Proposals for Master’s Projects must be approved by your academic advisor or the Director or Associate Director of CMCI. Master’s Projects take the shape of plans for ventures, initiatives, or businesses and are presented publicly at the end of the final semester to panels of arts professionals and investors.
Arts Management on Site: All students are expected to participate in field study travel in each semester of the program. For more information on field study, see the TRAVEL section of the CMCI handbook.
Research Tool: Students in the Arts Management program must fulfill a research tool requirement. Critical Entrepreneurship for Creative Industries and Practice-Based Research for Arts Leaders both fulfill this requirement, but there are other courses offered in the School of Arts and Humanities that will satisfy the requirement as well. Please consult with your advisor on the fulfillment of the Research Tool requirement.
Optional Concentrations: All students who satisfactorily complete the minimum requirements as set forth above shall receive a general Master of Arts in Arts Management. Additionally, students in the Arts Management program may choose to pursue one of the following concentrations. Election of a concentration must be approved by the student’s academic advisor or the Director or Associate Director of the CMCI:
Nonprofit Management
- Students with an interest in the management of nonprofit arts organizations and government agencies may elect this concentration.
- Coursework: At least 12 units of approved courses on nonprofit arts management topics (e.g. Theory and Practice of Institutional Leadership, Art and Cultural Policy, and Fundraising)
Art Museum Management
- Students with an interest the leadership and management of art museums may elect this concentration. This concentration is offered in partnership with the Getty Leadership Institute
- Coursework: At least 10 units of approved courses in museum related topics (e.g. Collections Management, Fundraising, or courses offered in Museum Studies in the School of Arts and Humanities).
Management of Media, Entertainment, and Performing Arts
- Students with an interest in the management of arts-related media, entertainment and performance may elect this concentration.
- Coursework: At least 10 units of approved courses in media topics (e.g. Media Law, The Media Business, and Social and Digital Media).