Arts Administration and Museum Leadership

Major: Arts Administration and Museum Leadership
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 and Museum Leadership 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.

Students will choose either an Arts Administration or a Museum Leadership concentration to complete their degree. All AAML students will complete several introductory courses appropriate to their concentration, along with seven shared core AAML courses, followed by a thesis sequence for the Arts Administration concentration, and a practicum sequence for Museum Leadership.

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 either the fall or spring 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 and Museum Leadership 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.

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.

Additional Information

For questions, please contact:

Laura-Edythe Coleman, Ph.D.
Program Director, Arts Administration & Museum Leadership, Online and Campus Program
lsc64@drexel.edu

Degree Requirements

*

AADM 798 is taken two times for a total of 6.0 credits.

**

MUSL 750 is taken two times for a total of 6.0 credit hours.

Sample Plan of Study

Sample Plan of Study - Arts Administration (AADM) Concentration

Sample Plan of Study - Museum Leadership (MUSL) Concentration

Arts Administration & Museum Leadership Faculty