■ Arts Management

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3434 N. Washington Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703-993-8926
Web: artsmanagement.gmu.edu

Faculty

Claire Huschle, Program Director

Nicole Springer, Assistant Program Director

Professor: Reeder

Associate Professors: Marcus, Rosenstein

Assistant Professors: Gao, Huschle (program director)

Adjunct Faculty: Alnouri, Berardelli, Bursten, Case, Corbett, Denhardt-Cissna, Fries, Garfinkle, Herrmann, Hill, Hollins, MacKay, Madden, Miller, Rosenfeld, Smith, Smyers, Springer, Sweet, Thompson

Course Work

The Arts Management Program offers all course work designated AMGT in the Courses section of this catalog.

Undergraduate Program

Arts Management Minor

The field of visual and performing arts offers many career paths that rely on a strong foundation in one or more art forms and require specific knowledge and skills in administration and management. The minor in arts management is open to all CVPA majors as well as art history majors. All other students must complete 9 credits of arts-related course work to be eligible for this minor.

MA in Arts Management

The MA in arts management responds to a growing demand for graduates who can manage and coordinate the arts, bridging the worlds of performing and visual arts with applied managerial skills. The Washington, D.C., region is home to one of the nation’s largest concentrations of arts organizations. The demand for arts managers with skills in financial and budgetary management, strategic management and entrepreneurship, and public relations, including marketing and advertising, has arguably never been more acute. The need for arts managers with skills in philanthropy, fund raising, and ongoing relationship management in the private and public arts sectors also continues to grow at a fast pace.

The MA is a 36-credit program of study that provides a core curriculum in the fundamentals of arts management. Students complete a 24-credit core and then select 6 credits of approved elective courses. Students also take internal and external internships. The internal internship affords an in-depth opportunity to work with professionals in residence at Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, including the Center for the Arts and visual art spaces. The external internship provides the opportunity to work at more than 60 different visual and performing arts venues in Washington, D.C., as well as national and international locations.

Admissions Requirements

The program is geared toward those with a passion for the arts. Diversity among applicants is anticipated and sought, and candidates are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Work experience is strongly preferred. It is anticipated that some students will come from the arts community, with experience and training in music, dance, theater, and visual and technical arts and wish to add the skills of marketing, finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, and management to their repertoire. It is also expected that some students will enter with more developed skills in business and wish to unite these skills with prior experiences in the arts. Completed applications must be received by March 1 for fall and October 1 for spring.

In addition to meeting general requirements for university admission for graduate study, applicants must submit the following items:

Official undergraduate transcripts listing a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.00
Two letters of recommendation from faculty members or individuals who have first-hand knowledge of the applicant’s academic or professional capabilities
A two-page (maximum) statement of intent and goals
Portfolio that demonstrates work experience (optional)
Applicants shall be interviewed by at least one member of the program faculty or Admissions Committee