University of Kentucky®
Masters (MA) in Arts Administration
Become a leader in art organizations by building your leadership and management skills through this online program. This online program is designed for the working professional who wants to acquire the leadership and management skills for today’s arts organizations. Our program affords the flexibility to balance school, work, and family obligations.
At a Glance
Fall 2024
Spring 2024
Summer 2024
Credits and Tuition Cost (2023-2024)
Format
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Masters in Arts Administration overview
Hear from Program Leaders
What You'll Learn
- Design programs and strategies in order to engage with stakeholders, donors, patrons, and communities
- Solve problems through quantitative and qualitative research and conceptual analysis
- Utilize industry-standard software programs to create compelling messages in a variety of mediums.
- Draw on your new knowledge of the cultural sector to initiate change in the arts
- Transcend traditional modes and mechanisms in order to innovatively collaborate with peer colleagues, industry professionals, and faculty
Course Examples
- AAD 510 Advanced Emotional Intelligence & Professional Communications
- AAD 620 Management and Leadership in the Arts
- AAD 625 Financial Management for Arts Organizations
- AAD 630 Marketing the Arts: Research and Practices
- AAD 640 Principles of Fundraising and Philanthropy
- AAD 650 The Arts and the Law
- AAD 651 Advocacy, Policy, & Activism
- AAD 670 Arts & Equality
- AAD 690 Creating and Evaluating New Arts Programs
- AAD 750 Social Responsibility and Sustainability in the Arts
How to Apply
Application Requirements
Standard graduate application requirements apply.
- Transcripts
- Applicants may submit unofficial transcripts for all university and college degrees earned. Upon acceptance, official transcripts are required.
- Resume
- Please submit a resume (no more than two pages in length) indicating your education, professional and volunteer experience, accomplishments and qualifications for graduate study.
- Statement of Purpose
- A statement of purpose (one page, single-spaced) indicating the reasons for your interest in graduate study in Arts Administration at UK and what they hope to accomplish with their degree. Please also discuss your personal or professional skills that will aid you in successfully completing classes online.
- Writing Sample
- Writing samples (10-15 pages) that preferably would include at least one sample of research writing (college-level or above) but may also include professional writing samples that demonstrate critical and analytical thinking. Professional writing samples may include researched essays, marketing or fundraising materials, planning documents or journalistic work.
- If you do not have an academic or professional writing sample that you wish to submit, you may opt to write a new paper. The research paper should address one of the following topics and should include appropriate citation and references:
- Discuss an issue in the arts or arts administration that you believe is of particular concern locally, regionally, nationally or internationally.
- Select a person who has had a significant influence in an artistic field. Describe and analyze the person's contributions to the arts.
- Write an essay responding to and providing compelling examples of this quote: “Art is a nation’s most precious heritage. For it is in our works of art that we reveal to ourselves and to others the inner vision which guides us as a nation. And where there is no vision, the people perish." –Lyndon Johnson, on signing into existence the National Endowment on the Arts
- Any arts-related topic of your choosing
- Two letters of recommendation addressing the applicant's qualifications for graduate work and proclivity for the field of arts administration.
- Preferably one letter should come from an academic reference and one from a professional reference. (Only an email address is required. Our system will ask them to upload their letter.)
Admissions Criteria
Standard graduate admission requirements apply.
The MA in Arts Administration is open to qualified applicants who have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or abroad. All candidates for admission are selected on the basis of undergraduate transcripts, academic and personal references, and related work experience.
Applicants are expected to have a demonstrable commitment to the arts in at least one art form. This requirement can be satisfied in several ways including an undergraduate degree in an art form or arts-related field; professional experience in the arts; or extra-curricular activity in the arts.
Deadlines
Fall 2024
Spring 2024
Summer 2024
Distance Learning
Licensure & Authorization
Where you live matters when completing distance education activities. If you will live outside of Kentucky while completing your program, please check the Distance Learning Authorization & Licensure page to confirm that the program can be offered in your state or country, and if relevant, that it meets professional licensure requirements in your state. Please note: Admission and enrollment in a fully-online program can NOT lead to the issuance of a J-1 or F-1 student visa.
AUTHORIZATION & LICENSURE INFO
Student Support
Once you become a student, you will have access to a wide variety of academic support services to maximize your success. These services are available completely online to meet the needs of our online students.
Why UK Online
UK degree
Grad tuition cap
Flexible schedule
Testimonial
