Arts Administration MS
Major: Arts Administration
Degree Awarded: Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 50.1002
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-4013; 25-4012
About the Program
The Arts Administration program provides academic preparation for leadership positions with creative enterprises, museums, foundations, corporations, and government agencies involved in the arts and culture sector. Students interested in the management of arts and cultural organizations, including museums of all types, will find a curriculum that provides them with a broad foundation of understanding the history and current trends of the sector, as well as opportunities to explore specific areas of practice in more depth.
Arts Administration students will complete several core courses, followed by a capstone sequence, along with electives that they can choose to take within or outside of the program.
Students may enroll in the program on a full- or part-time basis. The program is designed to accommodate working students, so all classes are offered in the evening or online. Students must matriculate in either the campus or online program, but students in either program may take some courses in the other program.
Students should plan to enter the program at the start of the fall term. Full-time students may complete the degree in five consecutive terms when beginning in the fall term, and part-time students typically take seven to eight terms to complete the degree.
Goals and Objectives
Drexel’s Arts Administration program will prepare the cultural workforce of the future to fulfill their missions of stewardship and education. These leaders will develop a knowledge and skill base to steer tomorrow’s museums, cultural organizations, and cultural enterprises.
Graduates of the program will:
- Demonstrate awareness of the changing environment of the sector and use critical thinking skills to identify issues and broad-based policy solutions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the administrative theories and practices of arts and cultural organizations, including corporate structures, business models, governance, leadership, management, planning, capitalization, evaluation, marketing, audience and community engagement, legal issues, and fund development.
- Understand the particular requirements of managing artistic and cultural disciplines and distinguish among the needs and requirements embedded in the management and leadership of various disciplines in the profession.
- Demonstrate capacity for leadership in the cultural community, having an awareness of their own leadership strengths, ethical standards, and ability to motivate and engage others.
- Identify strategies to implement the mission and vision of an organization.
- Work effectively in teams, demonstrating competence in interpersonal communication and collaboration that can be applied in a leadership role or from any position within a team or an organization.
Additional Information
For more information please visit the Westphal College Graduate webpage.
Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the general requirements for admission to graduate studies at Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, applicants should provide:
A resume demonstrating a strong affinity for the field through work, volunteer experiences, education, or special training.
A transcript showing a minimum 3.0 GPA* in their undergraduate work, and for international students whose first language is not English, the minimum TOEFL score is 90/577.
An essay of approximately 500 words explaining your reasons for pursuing a degree from Drexel; your short-term and long-term career plans; and how your background, experience, interest, and/or values, when combined with a Drexel degree, will enable you to pursue these goals successfully.
Two letters of recommendation. To electronically request recommendations, you must list your recommenders and their contact information on your application. We advise that you follow up with your recommenders to ensure they received your recommendation request — they may need to check their junk mail folder. Additionally, it is your responsibility to confirm that your recommenders will submit letters by your application deadline and follow up with recommenders who have not completed their recommendations.
No GRE required.
* Special consideration of GPA requirement will be given for applicants with relevant work experience.
Degree Requirements
| Major Requirements: | ||
| AADM 500 | Foundations of Cultural Practice | 3.0 |
| AADM 600 | Community Cultural Engagement | 3.0 |
| AADM 698 | Capstone Development * | 6.0 |
| AADM 785 | Research Design in the Arts | 3.0 |
| AAML 525 | Legal and Ethical Issues in Arts and Culture | 3.0 |
| AAML 550 | Management Techniques in Arts and Cultural Organizations | 3.0 |
| AAML 560 | Marketing & Engagement in Arts and Cultural Orgs. | 3.0 |
| AAML 575 | Revenue Development in Arts and Cultural Orgs. | 3.0 |
| AAML 610 | Financial Accounting in Arts and Cultural Orgs. | 3.0 |
| AAML 680 | Leadership, Strategy & Planning in Arts and Cult. | 3.0 |
| Electives | ||
| Select four of the following: | 12.0 | |
| Advancing Cultural Policy | ||
| Equitable Cultural Practices | ||
| Arts Entrepreneurship | ||
| Performing Arts Management | ||
| Political Activism in the Arts | ||
| Special Topics in Arts Administration | ||
| Special Topics in Arts Administration | ||
| Museum History and Theory | ||
| Museum Practice | ||
| Exhibitions and Programming | ||
| Culturally Responsive Organizations | ||
| Bricks and Mortar | ||
| Total Credits | 45.0 | |
- *
AADM 698 is taken two times for a total of 6.0 credits.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample Plan of Study - Arts Administration (AADM) - Campus Full-Time
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| AADM 500 | 3.0 | AAML 550 | 3.0 | AADM 600 | 3.0 | AAML 610 | 3.0 |
| AAML 525 | 3.0 | AAML 560 | 3.0 | AADM 785 | 3.0 | AADM 698* | 3.0 |
| Elective | 3.0 | AAML 575 | 3.0 | Elective | 3.0 | Elective | 3.0 |
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | ||||||
| AADM 698* | 3.0 | ||||||
| AAML 680 | 3.0 | ||||||
| Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
| 9 | |||||||
| Total Credits 45 | |||||||
- *
AADM 698 is taken two times for a total of 6.0 credits.
Sample Plan of Study - Arts Administration (AADM) - Online -Part-time **
| First Year (Part-Time) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| AADM 500 | 3.0 | AAML 550 | 3.0 | AADM 785 | 3.0 | AAML 610 | 3.0 |
| AAML 525 | 3.0 | AAML 575 | 3.0 | Elective | 3.0 | Elective | 3.0 |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| Second Year (Part-Time) | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| AAML 680 | 3.0 | AAML 560 | 3.0 | AADM 600 | 3.0 | AADM 698** | 3.0 |
| Elective | 3.0 | Elective | 3.0 | AADM 698* | 3.0 | ||
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | ||||
| Total Credits 45 | |||||||
- *
AADM 698 is taken two times for a total of 6 credits.
- **
Note: Second Year Summer is less than the 4.5-credit minimum required (considered half-time status) of graduate programs to be considered financial aid eligible. As a result, aid will not be disbursed to students this term.
Program Level Outcomes
- Assess and Apply Research. Identify and analyze qualitative and quantitative research. Evaluate research to communicate and support management and leadership decisions in cultural organizations.
- Conduct Primary Research. Conduct qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed methods original research. Produce research of significant quality that expands the knowledge of the cultural sector.
- Demonstrate competence in interpersonal communication.
- Deliver effective written and oral proposals and presentations addressing a range of audiences and concerns relevant to the culture sector.
- Collaborate in teams applying leadership theories in cultural practice. Demonstrate competence in management techniques.
- Integrate multiple modalities of communications and information sharing for organizational effectiveness and program/service delivery.
- Assess the use of technologies to communicate, collaborate, solve problems, make decisions and conduct research, as well as foster creativity and life-long learning.
- Demonstrate awareness of the changing environment of the sector and use critical thinking skills to identify issues and broad-based policy solutions.
- Compare the particular requirements of managing different types of cultural organizations. Demonstrate knowledge of administrative theories and practices.
- Design and complete a self-directed learning experience, for example practicums and theses.
- Design solutions for the cultural sector and generate new ideas based on theory and practice.
- Develop professional skills through high-quality immersive online and on-site experiences in the culture sector.
- Demonstrate capacity for leadership in the cultural community, utilize leadership strengths, ethical standards, and ability to motivate and engage others to create a more just society through culture.
- Collaborate with colleagues of diverse backgrounds to construct inclusive and antiracist communities in the cultural sector.
- Construct cultural experiences for diverse audiences and stakeholders.
- Drive social change and equity within the cultural sector.