in person

Arts Management

MA in Arts Management

Los Angeles, the Creative Capital of the World, Is Our Laboratory.

The Master of Arts in Arts Management program provides valuable experience and career-launching connections for a wide range of career paths. Our ties to the vibrant and dynamic Southern California arts community offer practical research on real issues and close interaction with experienced faculty. You will have a first-hand opportunity to master the skills and knowledge to shape the future of arts organizations regionally, nationally, and globally.

Turn your passion into your profession. Arts institutions in the for and nonprofit sectors are seeking capable managers with an understanding of the arts, culture, business, and leadership to head museums, manage theatre and dance companies, lead music and arts education organizations, and advocate for the future of the arts. The Arts Management program blends the best of the Drucker School of Management and the School of Arts and Humanities to balance business courses with graduate level courses in the study of culture, history, and the arts.

Program Highlights
  • You can explore all options, encompassing for-profit and nonprofit organizational structures in all disciplines.
  • Complete your degree in three semesters or customize the time it takes to fit your professional and personal commitments.
  • The personalized, seminar-style learning environment includes coursework in arts organization dynamics, legal foundations, fundraising, finance, and other essential topics.
  • Study arts management in an international context through our field travel practicum completed in the spring semester.
  • Take electives throughout the university to tailor your studies to your career goals.
  • Fellowships and federal work-study opportunities are available.

Program At-a-glance

  • 40 units

    required units

  • MA in Arts Management

    degree awarded

  • In Person

    modality

  • Spring, Summer, Fall

    program start

  • 3 semesters | full time*

    estimated completion time

Request info Apply now

Adriana Leake

Assistant Director of Admissions

909-607-3310

Michael Mirabella

Director of Recruitment for the Drucker School of Management

909-607-9049

Gigi Audoma

Director of Recruitment for the School of Arts & Humanities

909-607-0441

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

Faculty

  • David Pagel

    David Pagel

    Professor of Art Theory and History
    Roland Reiss Endowed Chair in Art
    Faculty Coordinator, Center for Business & Management of the Arts

    Research Interests

    Art, Art media, Painting, Contemporary Art, Art Criticism, Museums and Creativity

  • Jay Prag

    Jay Prag

    Clinical Full Professor
    Academic Director
    Faculty Coordinator, Center for Business & Management of the Arts

    Research Interests

    Corporate Finance, Investments, Economics of Strategy, Macroeconomics

  • Portrait of Joshua Goode

    Joshua Goode

    Associate Professor of Cultural Studies and History
    Chair, Cultural Studies (Fall 2022)

    Research Interests

    Modern Spain, 19th- and 20th-century Europe, Genocide and racial thought, Museums and commemoration, Memory

  • Kristine Kawamura

    Kristine Kawamura

    Clinical Professor of Management

    Research Interests

    Responsible management, Care (as a strategic resource), Values-based management systems, Leadership, Organizational strategy and culture, Cross cultural competence, Human performance and resilience

  • Bronwyn Mauldin

    Bronwyn Mauldin

    Director of Research and Evaluation at the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture

  • Portrait of Alma Ruiz

    Alma Ruiz

    Adjunct Professor

    Research Interests

    Contemporary Latin American Art, Exhibition Making & Managing​

  • Robin Sukhadia

    Robin Sukhadia

    Strategist | Organizational Leadership | Major Gifts Fundraising

Curriculum

A typical course of study would be:

Fall – Year 1

  • Introduction to Arts Management (4 units)
  • Legal Foundations of the Arts (4 units)
  • Principles and Practices of Fundraising I (2 units)
  • Marketing Management (2 units)
  • Elective (4 units)

Spring – Year 1

  • Finance & Accounting for the Creative Industries (4 units)
  • Capstone A (4 units)
  • Field Study Practicum (0 units)
  • Electives (4-8 units)

Fall – Year 2

  • Capstone B (4 units)
  • Electives (4-8 units)

Field Study

Field study travel provides behind-the-scenes access to artists, art businesses and organizations, and leaders in the field. The trips are designed to accelerate the formation of international networks and ensure familiarity with the complexity of the international arts landscape. All students are required to go on one field study trip.

View recent itineraries:

Past global destinations include:

  • Beijing, China
  • Cape Town, South Africa
  • Hong Kong
  • Mexico City, Mexico
  • Shanghai, China
  • Seoul, South Korea
  • Singapore
  • Taipei, Taiwan
  • Tokyo, Japan
  • UAE: Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Past domestic destinations include:

  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Marfa, Texas
  • San Francisco, California

Capstone Sequences

Every Arts Management student completes a capstone sequence, which is the culmination of your degree, synthesizing everything that you have learned throughout the program. It is designed as a bridge to your professional life, serving as a powerful demonstration of the skills you’ve developed at CGU as you enter or continue your work in the arts and cultural field. Each capstone sequence comprises both course work and a final project or deliverable that stems from your own intellectual and creative pursuits.

Students in the Arts Management program may complete their degree requirements through any sequence below.

Practicum Sequence

Explore the arts and cultural field with partnering arts organizations such as museums, theaters, presenters, funders, and government agencies.

You might act as a consultant, providing valuable work related to the organization’s articulated needs and goals. Or you might act as a researcher and observer, offering data and insights about the organization’s place and operations within the larger arts ecosystem. Work closely with a partnering organization and faculty to present your work and findings for feedback and assessment. Some organizations offer a stipend; others do not.

Entrepreneurship Sequence

Develop cutting edge business skills to launch a new venture for the arts and cultural sector.

You will study the principles of startups from initial concept through prototyping, market testing, and business plan development. You will study alongside MBAs in the Drucker School of Management and practice working with and speaking to people across disciplines and industries.

Thesis Sequence

Complete your degree requirements with the successful execution of an academic master’s thesis.

This thesis will most likely stem from completed coursework that stimulated your curiosity. Master’s theses are primarily research-driven and draw upon both original research and secondary sources. You will take courses with MA and PhD students in the School of Arts & Humanities and produce a thesis that contributes new knowledge to the arts and culture field.

Electives

A highlight of the Arts Management program is the ability to take a total of 16 units of elective courses. In addition to electives offered by Arts Management program, students may take courses in other departments and programs, such as:

Archival Studies
Art
Cultural Studies
Educational Studies
Entrepreneurship
Evaluation
History
Leadership
Management
Marketing
Museum Studies
Music
Organizational Science
Politics and Policy
Transdisciplinary Studies

Application Guidelines

Requirements Summary

Item Description
Application Fee $80
Official Transcripts Yes
Resume Yes
Interview Yes
Other Requirements Applicant Questionnaire

Spring 2024
Priority Deadline – November 1, 2023
Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2023
Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2023
Classes begin – January 16, 2024

Summer 2024
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2024
Final Deadline (International) – March 1, 2024
Final Deadline (Domestic) – April 1, 2024
Classes begin – May 13, 2024

Fall 2024
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2024
Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2024
Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2024
Classes begin – August 26, 2024

Application Checklist

Cost & Aid

ESTIMATED TUITION (CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, NON-RESIDENTS, INTERNATIONAL)
Program 40 units
Tuition per unit* $2,020

*Based on 2023-2024 tuition rates.

STUDENT FEES (PER SEMESTER)
$245 Student Fee
$150 Technology Fee
International Student Services Fee*: $661 fall semester, $776 spring semester
**Applies to all international students (F-1 visa only) who are registered in coursework, doctoral study, or continuous registration. The fee is assessed each fall and spring semester for annual ISO accident and sickness plans and administrative fees. Subject to change.

For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s Cost of Attendance 2022-2023 .

 

TRAVEL FEES (PER SEMESTER)
$3,400 (Semester 2 only)**

**Arts Management students are required to travel in semester two, which includes visits to arts institutions and events both domestic and international, based on viability and safety of selected destinations These fees allow the programs to buy tickets and make programming reservations in advance. Travel costs for the academic program are calculated and charged during registration for the second semester. Individual courses that include their own field study component may require additional travel fees.

Travel is currently optional and will be dependent on Covid-19 restrictions. The health and safety of students is the priority.

Review General Costs

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