Factors to Consider When Choosing a Graduate School with an Art Management Program
Higher Education Articles February 11, 2016Students in graduate programs in art management will be ready for administrative, managerial, and other leadership positions in visual performing arts settings. Students have to consider various options when choosing art management schools, such as the availability of arts and cultural resources in the campus community and the type of programs available.
Choosing a Graduate School with an Art Management Program
The school of business or management, the school of performing arts, or the school of public policy at a college or university may offer art management graduate programs. In this article, we look at important factors to consider when you choose a graduate school with an art management program.
Types of Programs and Coursework
A university’s visual or performing arts division may provide a program that is customizable for students with strong fine arts background seeking leadership roles in their field. The focus of a policy-based program may strongly stress political issues in the arts and arts advocacy while the emphasis of a management-oriented program may be on arts-related finance, economics, and organizational models.
Location of the School
Students may also consider the location of a school when choosing a graduate art management program. They may prefer a school in the vicinity of arts organizations and cultural resources; this can have a bearing on the number, quality and character of internship opportunities offered. Internships play a key role in graduate programs in art management, facilitating the application of knowledge and skills learned by students in the classroom to a number of art world settings.
Varying by specialty, students may seek enrollment in a program at a location with a major symphony orchestra, a vibrant dance or theater community, or numerous museums and art galleries. Their facilities, including dedicated art spaces, are sponsored by some schools in off-campus cultural districts while partnerships with local arts organizations are available to others.
Study Abroad Chances
Some students, who may want to pursue part of the program in foreign cultural centers, should find out whether such opportunities are available in their program of interest. Exchange programs are enjoyed by some schools, with universities in arts-rich countries, such as Austria, Germany, and Italy, where an entire quarter or semester, or summer courses can be completed by students.
Graduate Certificate in Arts Management
Specialized instruction in an area of the field or general training in arts management is available in a graduate certificate program. Students typically complete these programs within approximately 15 hours of coursework. Core coursework may cover topic areas such as:
•Entrepreneurship
•Public relations
•Fundraising
•Special events management
Master of Arts (M.A.) Programs in Arts Management
Full-time students typically complete these programs within 2-4 years during which they gain the skills necessary for operating galleries, museums, non-profit arts organizations, and studios. Electives offered may often include specialized management courses relating to a specific branch of the performing and visual arts. Students may have to take a comprehensive exam and complete a thesis before they obtain the MA degree.
Various topics related to the arts are addressed, including special event promotion, marketing, fundraising, financial management, and law. Core coursework may also cover topic areas such as:
•Criticism
•Labor relations
•Art theory
•Cultural Policy
