Arts Management and Entrepreneurship
The Arts Management and Entrepreneurship Graduate Certificate provides a comprehensive, flexible structure of courses designed to develop the skills needed for careers in arts leadership and entrepreneurship. This includes preparation for careers in leadership positions at large and small arts organizations and multidisciplinary entrepreneurial startups.
The graduate certificate program is based on coursework that emphasizes the skills, frameworks, and mindsets needed to navigate careers in the dynamic arts industry. Students will learn compelling creative process, strategy, negotiations, and problem-solving skills. The practicum courses provide deeply immersive, hands-on experience in a variety of distinguished internships (regional and international) and an Arts Incubation Lab (a boot camp-style lab providing skills in consulting in a fast-paced program bringing creative concepts to market).
Admission Requirements:
Admission to the certificate program will be on a competitive basis. Graduate students in should demonstrate a strong interest in the arts or a career in or adjacent to the arts. Students admitted to the program may be degree-seeking graduate students in good standing, and, at minimum, of equal academic quality of existing graduate programs. Students with demonstrated interest and commitment to the arts, holding a GPA of 3.0 or higher will be highly competitive for admission. Evidence of commitment is evaluated via a combination of graduate or undergraduate coursework in the arts, service or participation in the arts community, good standing with the Graduate College, and a one-page letter of interest to enroll in the program.
Required Course (3 hours):
AMGT 5013 Overview of Arts Management and Administration (3 hours)
In this course explores the basic concepts of arts management, arts administration, and arts entrepreneurship. Topics will include the formal constructs of strategy, negotiations, innovation, basic financial management, and positioning. The class will be a mix of lectures, discussions, presentations, exercises, guest speakers, and experiential learning (through potential site visits).
Any 2 Courses of the Following (4 hours):
ENT 5102 Entrepreneurship & Innovation (2 hours)
In this course, we will explore the basic concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship. The class will be a mix of lectures and discussions, presentations, experiential exercises, and guest speakers. You will need to keep up with the weekly readings and remain aware of any changes in the course or schedule throughout the semester. These will be communicated, primarily, through Canvas.
ENT 5902 Entrepreneurial Process (2 hours)
Successful entrepreneurship requires more than luck and money. It is a process involving creativity, opportunity identification, resource acquisition, planning and management. The Entrepreneurial Process course rigorously explores different phases of an entrepreneurial venture – Opportunity Recognition; Gathering the Resources and Launch; Managing Entrepreneurial Growth; and Harvesting the Rewards. The course also considers the motivations and decision processes underlying entrepreneurial action. It is designed for students who are committed to learning practical tools, analytical skills, and the habits and judgment required for entrepreneurial success. The case analysis approach which is central to the course teaches students to ask good questions, analyze the right numbers, and clearly defend your ideas. The overarching aim of the course is to learn to live a “life of meaning” and make a difference in the world.
MGT 5702 Organizational Behavior (2 hours)
This course examines the human side of business and management. Specifically, the course is designed to provide students with an understanding of individual behavior in organizational settings. We will focus on applying theories of human behavior to solve day-to-day problems of organizational administration. The course consists of three interrelated parts. The first part describes the need for managers to understand behavior in organizations and the many challenges confronting managers now and in the future. We then discuss individual differences, employee motivation, and effective job design. The ways in which organizations should select, evaluate, and reward employees will be addressed as well. Second, we will discuss group dynamics and team management, perception and job attitudes, and effective communication. In this section, too, we will explore the challenges of managing a diverse workforce and creating an effective corporate culture. Third and finally, we will focus on managing conflict, employee stress and work-life balance, and career management issues.
MIT 5602 Management Information Systems (2 hours)
This course provides an overview of how organizations use information technology (IT) to improve performance and of the actions taken by IT workers, managers and business professionals to assure that IT investments and IT-enabled business initiatives prove to be both appropriate and value-adding. The focus of the course is on the targeting and management of organizations’ IT investments and IT-enabled business solutions, not on the engineering of IT. An underlying theme of this course is that effective IT management requires an understanding of the interconnections that exist among technologies, business and technology strategies, work processes, competitive markets, and people. Upon completion of the course, students should have gained an appreciation for the opportunities and challenges presented by organizations’ use of IT and of the strategies, tactics, processes and decisions involved in successful deployments of IT.
LS 5802 Business Ethics (2 hours)
This course emphasizes integrating ethical and legal analysis into business decision-making. The primary goal of the course is to enhance your ability to identify, analyze and manage ethical and legal problems and to communicate your ideas effectively. We will focus on three areas of inquiry and apply those concepts to five diverse ethical/legal topics.
MKT 5402 Marketing Management (2 hours)
This course is concerned with strategic market management and strategic planning. The focus is on strategic decisions (decisions which have a long-term impact on the organization and which are difficult and costly to reverse), which is supported by an internal analysis (an analysis of the organization’s specific characteristics) and an external analysis (an analysis of the organization’s environment). Overall, the course addresses the importance of companies being market-driven and customer-focused.
B AD 5172 Business, Government, and Society (2 hours)
Within the study of business, much emphasis is placed upon market competition while little attention is paid to “non-market” conditions. Examples of non-market issues include: new governmental regulations, legislation, lawsuits, international trade policies, interest group activities, general public pressure, ethical standards, etc. Non-market conditions are often reviewed as external events having limited effect upon the strategies of the firm. This course seeks to integrate these concepts and demonstrate the importance of strategically managing these issues.
SCM 5522 Production and Operations Management (2 hours)
The operations function involves managing the activities and resources necessary to make products and/or create services. It is a basic function that must be performed in all business organizations. This course will cover selected topical areas in operations management, including operations strategy, productivity analysis, process planning, capacity design, location selection, forecasting models, inventory management, decision theory, decision tree and the principles supply chain management. The course will also address the mathematical models frequently used to solve typical operations management problems.
Any 1 Course of the Following (3 hours):
ARTC 5970 Business of Art (School of Visual Arts: Special Topics/Seminar) (3 hours)
This course, team-taught by faculty from art and art history, is an open-ended seminar in which advanced undergraduates, graduate students at the master’s or doctoral level, and the faculty teaching the course form a reading group to explore issues of mutual concern through texts nominated by students and faculty. The aim of the course is for students to gain a deeper grounding in currently relevant theoretical issues as they explore together the interdisciplinary landscapes of contemporary theory and assess their relevance for artistic practice and art-historical research.
ARTC 5930 Special Topics in Theory and Practice (School of Visual Art) (3 hours)
This course is designed for students who plan to enter the field of visual arts as a career objective. Through articulation of their artistic vision, students will learn professional tactics to improve their marketing and visibility as a visual artist. This course will emphasize publicity, self-promotion, effective communication, and presentation skills that will assist with the development of career opportunities. Tactics related to finding exhibition opportunities, managing finances and budgets, and strategies to improve career growth will be covered. Students will be expected to participate in a number of exercises and assignments designed to improve written, verbal and visual abilities vital to providing effective communication about your work and career intentions. Students will also tackle issues related to good gallery practice including managing the new Gallery 113 space and assisting with the Lightwell Gallery as directed.
DANC 5743 Dance History: Early Roots (School of Dance) (3 hours)
To explore the development of dance from pre-historic eras in western civilization through ancient cultures in Egypt, Greece and Rome. Investigations continue through Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods up through the evolution of Romantic ballet in the nineteenth century.
DANC 5753 Dance History: Development (School of Dance) (3 hours)
To explore the development of western theatrical dance from the end of nineteenth century Romanticism to the present day.
DRAM 5990 Special Studies (Theater History) (3 hours)
Acquaints the student with the development of drama, theatre and production procedures from the period of Classical Greece (400 BC) through 1700.
MUSC 5323 History of Opera (School of Music) (3 hours)
Acquaints the student with the development and rich history of opera the 17th century until the present day.
MUSC 5563 Music in the Classical Period (School of Music) (3 hours)
A survey of European instrumental and vocal music from ca. 1760-1825 with an emphasis on Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
MUSC 5573 The Romantic Era (School of Music) (3 hours)
A survey of the music of the Romantic era.
Any 1 Course of the Following (2 hours):
AMGT 5970 Special Topics / Seminar (Arts Incubation Lab) (2 hours)
This course is based on experiential learning and runs concurrently with an external competitive program for early-stage entrepreneurial projects in the arts. Students in this course will have the opportunity to build on the basics of entrepreneurship and management skills acquired within the Arts Management and Entrepreneurship program. Students will have the opportunity to observe the work of early-stage arts organizations and the process of securing network support, funding, and advice. They will witness and learn from the dynamic presented in dialogue with a panel of potential investors and experts in the field. Students will have the opportunity to experience from the events in the room a real market process of 1) funding pitches, 2) business plan and market analysis materials, and 3) objective-based coaching from investor panels. Within the student body of business and fine arts majors, certain student teams may be chosen to support the early-stage projects through a mutual-rating system. These teams will have the opportunity to contribute to the materials and work needed for the early-stage project founders to advance within the incubation lab.
AMGT 5030 Internship In The Arts (2 hours)
An internship is a planned work experience related to your personal and academic goals as pertains to a career in the arts, arts management, or entrepreneurship. Though there are some valuable placement options available within the Arts Management and Entrepreneurship program, the responsibility for the quality and placement of internship rests with the student.
