Art Business + Fine Art, MA

A first of its kind program, this innovative MA is designed for a new generation of artists looking for the entrepreneurial acumen that is necessary today to build a sustainable creative practice and professional life in the arts.

This program merges studio practice from the Claremont Graduate University’s Master of Fine Art (MFA) program along with the Center for Business and Management of the Arts (CBMArts) with coursework in the business, markets, history, and theory of art, as well as core courses in finance, accounting, law, and marketing. Students maintain a fine art practice while learning broadly transferable business and management principles and techniques. In contrast to a conventional MFA, candidates for this degree pursue an entrepreneurship sequence, capped by the Startup Studio—a course in which creative initiatives are pitched to panels of artists, arts professionals, business leaders, and entrepreneurs from the Los Angeles community.

Understanding the culture of the studio, and the kind of work, planning, and management required to engage in ambitious artistic projects, either at large scale or over long periods of time, is more necessary today than at any time before.

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 the Center for Business and Management of the Arts, the admission decision is individualized and based on a wide range of information about the applicant, rather than on rigid, pre-selected criteria.

As part of the portfolio required for this degree, a student’s ability as an artist will be considered in the application process.

 

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, communicates and defends the work 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 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, a 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’s research will thrive with the goals of the department and greater University.
• Strength of letters of recommendation 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.
• Portfolio (only applicable to MA Art Business + Fine Art applicants). Applicants must electronically upload a portfolio of representative work for evaluation. Portfolios should consist of 15 images of recent artwork that represent a cohesive body of work. Performance and/or video artists may submit work that is no longer than 3 minutes in length.

• A non-refundable application fee of $80 (USD).

 

• TOEFL/IELTS (Only Applicable to International Students) The Institute does require an English language Proficiency Exam for non-native English speakers. We require the following exam scores for Masters and Certificate programs: 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 Master of Arts in Art Business + Fine Art is a 48-unit MA degree.  The degree is made up of common core courses considered necessary for the CBMArts students, irrespective of their concentration. The remainder of coursework is composed of electives according to the student’s preferred career path.

 

Master’s Project: All students are required to complete a capstone Master’s Project, which is normally the result of 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. 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.

 

Art Business on Site: Travel is an important part of all CBMArts programs. All full-time students will be automatically registered for Art Business on Site in the first two semesters of the program. These study trips offer unparalleled access and exposure to the arts and cultural leadership and infrastructure of cities other than Los Angeles, and as such are considered integral to the CBMArts curriculum.

To resource these trips, every student is required to pay a travel fee in addition to tuition. This fee is not optional, nor is it refundable except in extraordinary circumstances and with an appeal filed with CBMArts administration and the full support of the CBMArts Director.

CBMArts organizes all travel including transportation, lodging, site visits and in some cases meals. Students will be notified of itinerary and travel arrangements as soon as they have been confirmed.

The program cannot make individual arrangements for any student travel. If you need or want to arrange for different flights, trip extensions or any other deviation from the group itinerary, you must do so on your own and at your own expense. There are no exceptions to this policy.