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Director: Nicole Broughton, MFA
(810) 237-6522
umflint.edu/cas

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Rackham Graduate School

This program is part of the University of Michigan's Rackham Graduate School. To view the Rackham calendar of events click here. Follow Rackham on Social Media.

 

Why UM-Flint

What Sets UM-Flint's Arts Administration (MA) Program Apart?

Today’s expanding world of performance and visual arts requires leadership with vision. Transform your passion for the arts into a rewarding professional career as a manager, collaborator, and leader. Offered through the renowned Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan, this degree allows you to pursue a career in the field that fits your interests. You’ll earn a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from a school that offers a wide range of learning experiences in partnership with the area’s leading arts institutions. You’ll emerge from the program well prepared to assume a leadership role in an array of professional capacities.

FLEXIBLE TO FIT YOUR SCHEDULE

The Arts Administration program can be completed either full or part-time. The full-time degree completion plan is two years, while the part-time degree completion plan is approximately four years. Directed research courses, internships, and frequent evening classes make the program flexible for a variety of schedules and needs. Each student will work with his/her faculty academic advisor to progress at his/her own pace.

REACH YOUR GOALS 

The program offers a choice of two learning paths to suit your career aspirations and interests. The Museum and Visual Arts track prepares students for management roles in a gallery, museum, or other visual arts organizations. The Performance track prepares students to advance as leaders in the fields of dance, music, and theatre.

EXPERT FACULTY

Arts Administration faculty hold terminal degrees in their field and are experienced instructors and advisors with expertise in the diverse disciplines that are relevant to arts professionals. Performing arts faculty are active in their own practice, regularly participating in productions all over the state, while museum-track faculty are accomplished researchers with extensive experience partnering with arts institutions.

community RESOURCES

The city of Flint’s rich and diverse arts community is an invaluable source of inspiration, information, and ideas. UM-Flint’s longstanding relationship with such community partners as the Flint Institute of Arts, Flint Institute of Music, Sloan Museum, and others provides our students with endless opportunities to explore new possibilities. Also, as part of the world renowned University of Michigan system, UM-Flint can tap additional resources, expertise, and contacts at our sister campuses in Dearborn and Ann Arbor to assist our students, their research, and other initiatives.

TANGIBLE RESULTS 

The Master of Arts in Arts Administration program will prepare you for leadership roles in organizations such as arts centers, choruses, government, museums, opera companies, symphony orchestras, private arts agencies, arts councils, community arts programs, and more. The program enables you to develop fiscal, marketing, and management skills, and become a valued and effective leader in your company or organization.

Arts Administration (MA)

Requirements

A. Core Courses (18 credits)

Core courses must be taken in the sequence specified for the program. No more than 6 credits of coursework should be completed in online courses.

  • ADM 501 - Museum, Gallery & Performance Administration (3).
  • ADM 506 - Arts Grant Writing (3).
  • ADM 509 - Marketing, Fund-Raising and Planned Giving (3).
  • ADM 510 - Fundraising and Planned Giving (3).
  • ADM 561 - Theory, History and Criticism of Ways of Seeing (3).
  • ADM 595 - Internship (3).

B. Concentration (12 credits)

One of the following tracks:

Museum and Visual Arts Track

  • ADM 519 - Connoisseurship (3).
  • ADM 579 - Advanced Museum and Gallery Management (3).

  •  

  • One from:

  • ADM 511 - History of Contemporary Art (3).
  • ADM 512 - History of North-American Art (3).

  •  

  • One from:

  • ADM 521 - Introduction to Curatorial and Exhibition Practices (3).
  • ADM 523 - History of Collection and Exhibition Practices (3).

Performance Track

  • ADM 517 - Stage Craft Basics, Terminology and Management (3).
  • ADM 550 - Safety Applications for Arts and Events Management (3).
  • ADM 551 - Patron Services Management (3).
  • ADM 580 - Advanced Production Management (3).

C. Thesis/Thesis Project (6 credits)

  • ADM 600 - Thesis or Master’s Project Research (1-3).

Thesis Requirement

Students must complete a thesis or thesis project within 5 years of having begun the program, and ideally, at the end of 2 years in the program. Students must pass a thesis defense hosted by a thesis committee of at least three program faculty members in order to obtain the degree. (When appropriate, one faculty member may be substituted with a community partner of relevance.)

Thesis Project/Thesis Proposal

Students must pass a proposal presentation of their project/thesis to their thesis committee by the end of the second semester in the program. More information is provided in a proposal guide.

Transfer of Credit

Up to six (6) credit hours of graduate credit completed at an accredited institution may be accepted for transfer. Transfers of credit are subject to the approval of the program director.


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Admission

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in an arts-related field from a regionally accredited institution or experience working within the arts (coupled with a bachelor’s degree)
  • Cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Candidates who do not have an undergraduate degree in an arts or humanities degree related to the program’s subject areas may be considered for admission if they can demonstrate expertise in at least one area related to arts and humanities study.

Applying

To be considered for admission, submit the following to the Office of Graduate Programs, 251 Thompson Library:

Application Deadlines

The program has rolling admissions and reviews completed applications each month.

Application deadlines are as follows:

  • Fall (early deadline*) – May 1
  • Fall (final deadline) – August 1
  • Winter – November 15   

*You must apply for admission by the early deadline to be eligible for scholarships, grants, and research assistantships.

International students are required to apply earlier than the deadlines posted here. The final deadlines for international students are May 1 for the fall semester and September 1 for the winter semester.

View the Arts Administration Brochure

Kevin Starnes, Arts Administration Student

Hometown: Flint, MI

The Arts Administration faculty nurtures quality professionals that are ready to step right into their careers. All of my professors have given me detailed feedback to improve assignments, in order to ensure that I have the tools I need to succeed. I hope to eventually start my own opera company (or help to build one at a university). There is absolutely no way to build a program of the scope I envision without the skills I am building in fundraising and grant writing. I can’t say enough about the small class sizes helping me to get individual attention from professors. There is no confusion when trying to learn a new concept or skill because they have the time to devote to each student.

Nicole Broughton, MFA

Nicole Broughton is the director of the MA in Arts Administration.  Learn more about her education and research interests.

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