Arts Management, MA

Arts Management, MA

See the Addendum to this Bulletin for changes to this degree program.

The MA in Arts Management provides students with the tools to create, facilitate, and evaluate work in the visual and performing arts. With applied skills in administration, finance, and programming, graduates of the Arts Management program emerge prepared for fulfilling careers in nonprofits and social enterprise, public agencies and foundations, arts collectives and creative communities.

A partnership between Claremont Graduate University and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, the Arts Management program provides unparalleled access to diverse leaders and institutions in LA’s thriving arts and cultural scene. Faculty from LA’s professional arts community complement the expertise of scholars from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, The School of Arts and Humanities, and The Getty Leadership Institute.

Core courses provide a foundation in business and management skills essential to careers in the creative industries. These are followed by competency courses in art management dynamics, cultural policy, evaluation, marketing and communications, fundraising, and strategic planning. Elective courses and extracurricular programs speak to student passions and career goals. Arts Management students also benefit from access to the full curriculum of the MA in Art Business.

Entrance Requirements

Criteria for admissions include the high probability of the student’s success in graduate study and their potential to thrive in subsequent professional careers following graduation. In keeping with the philosophy of Claremont Graduate University and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, the admission decision is individualized and based on a wide range of information about the applicant, rather than on rigid, pre-selected criteria.

Documentation Requirements & Evaluation

Applications will be evaluated based upon the following:

Quality of previous undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate work. CGU requires applicants to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. The school also requires a minimum standard of a B average in undergraduate coursework (3.0 on a 4.0 scale). Applicants with international credentials must submit academic records in both their original language and literal English translation.
A writing sample. The writing sample helps the Admission Committee understand how a prospective student develops ideas, creates a theme or a position, and communicates and defends their ideas in writing. Please submit one of the following:
- A graded paper of no fewer than 1000 words from an undergraduate or graduate course, completed within the last 5 years. These may be course papers, published articles, professional reports, or other materials that exhibit the candidate’s capacity for written communication. An emphasis on business, performing/visual art, or communications is preferred.
- A 500-word original review of a current performance or visual art exhibition (modeled on a standard newspaper or magazine review). Please address some or all of the following: analysis of the work, information on the artist and his/her career, profile of the organization hosting the piece.
Strength of CV/resume. Candidates are required to submit a resume as part of the application.
Candidate’s personal statement of his or her academic career objectives and their relation to the intended program of study. The personal statement allows the faculty to gauge whether the candidate is a good fit for the chosen program.
Strength of letters of recommendations from individuals competent to judge the candidate’s probable success in graduate coursework. These letters are usually from individuals the candidate knows well including former professors, mentors, supervisors or those who can give an in-depth evaluation of the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses in regard to his or her preparedness for graduate study. All applicants are required to submit two letters of recommendation. A third is recommended, but not required.
Interviews. All applicants that are invited for an interview will be notified via email. Interviews are required for admission.
Other evidence of potential success in graduate studies. Candidates may submit additional materials that they think are relevant to their application to CGU.
A non-refundable application fee of $100 (USD).
TOEFL/IELTS (Only Applicable to International Students) The Institute does require an English language Proficiency Exam for non-native English speakers: A minimum TOEFL score of 75 iBT, or a minimum IELTS score of 6.0, is necessary to be considered for admission to CGU through the International Scholars Program (ISP). A minimum TOEFL score of 95 iBT, or a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 with no sub-score lower than 6.5, is required for direct-entry admission. Admitted students who score below 95 iBT on the TOEFL, or below 7.0 on the IELTS, will be required to successfully complete ISP (earning a grade of B or higher in each required ISP course) prior to beginning their degree programs.

Curriculum

The Arts Management program is a 48-unit, three-semester, full-time MA program that includes a common set of required core courses in general management topics, such as marketing and finance, that have been tailored to the arts and culture industries. The program then deploys a set of competency requirements that prepare students for the professional scenarios that are its target, and it provides students with an array of elective course options for further specialization or broader intellectual sampling.

All Arts Management students are required to take the following courses:

ARMGT 410 Creative Industries Colloquium (0)
ARMGT 383 Economics of Strategy (2)
ARMGT 321A Marketing Management (2)
ARMGT 317 Finance & Accounting for Creative Industries (4)
ARMGT 301 Legal Foundations for Creative Industries (4)
ARMGT 300A/B Intro to Arts Management Dynamics (4)
ARMGT 359 Research and Evaluation for the Arts (4)
ARMGT 310A Principles and Practices of Fundraising I (2)
ARMGT 401A Pre-Practicum (or: SCE or NVC for Start Up Studio) (2)
ARMGT 401B Capstone: Practicum (or Start Up Studio) (4)
ARMGT 308 Art Management On-Site (Field Study Travel) (0)

Students must also take a minimum of six (6) units of the following courses:

ARMGT 351 Cultural Policy (2)
ARMGT 350 Theory & Practice of Leadership (2)
ARMGT 328 Finance & Accounting for Arts Nonprofits (2)
ARMGT 311 Social and Cultural Entrepreneurship (2)
ARMGT 353 Strategic Planning for Arts Organizations (2)
ARMGT 310B Principles and Practices of Fundraising II (2)

And a minimum of four (4) units of the following:

ARMGT 365A Performing Arts Producing & Presenting I (2)
ARMGT 365B Performing Arts Producing & Presenting II (2)
ARMGT 316 Public Art (2)
ARTBUS/ARMGT 377 Curatorial Practice (2)
ARMGT 305 AM Master Class: Cross Sector Solutions for the Arts (2)

The Arts Management program culminates with the Arts Management Practicum, in which students identify, structure, fulfill, and assess a capstone project in an area of their interest. Practicum projects combine direct service to the field through 100 hours of service learning during a summer apprenticeship (or equivalent work with a professional arts and cultural entity) and culminate in public presentations and a critical paper.

Arts Management on Site: All students are required to participate in field study travel in their first two semesters with the program. Past sites have included Mexico City, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Cape Town.