MA in Arts Administration
Arts administration is the dynamic study of integrating nonprofit leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship across all types of arts and cultural organizations. At FSU you’ll study it in a proven pioneer program. Among the earliest in the country, we’ve helped shape the field for decades with a curriculum grounded in both theory and practice. We explicitly frame arts administration as socially responsible and culturally responsive, and we build the coursework, projects, and partnerships to match. We educate aspiring cultural leaders to lead with rigor and purpose.
Come join us and change your world with arts administration today!
Admission priority deadline: February 1st
Rolling admission through July 1st
Why study Arts Administration at FSU?
As one of the earliest established programs in the country, we’ve helped shape the field for decades with an innovative curriculum and internationally recognized faculty.
Two Formats: Online and Residential
Students choose either in-person immersion or online flexibility. Both formats deliver the same faculty expertise, the same rigorous coursework, and the same recognized degree.
MA in Arts Administration – Online: A flexible program for working professionals.
MA in Arts Administration – Residential: An immersive program for recent graduates, career changers, and international students.Tailored Study Options
Students can add value to their graduate degree by also completing a graduate certificate, typically without exceeding the master’s credit plan.
This program partners with the following certificate programs:
Affordable Excellence
We are among the most affordable arts administration options, nationwide.
If you live in a participating Academic Common Market state, and your home state lacks a comparable program, you may qualify for in-state tuition.
Global Perspective & Community
Faculty engaged in international research, alumni working across borders, course material, and student community from diverse cultural and arts contexts prepare you to navigate ever-changing arts ecosystems.
Program Overview
The MA in Arts Administration program prepares graduates with the knowledge, tools, and competencies necessary for leadership in managing various types of cultural organizations and sustaining a vibrant creative ecosystem in diverse communities. The program curriculum combines practice and theory with discussion-based courses, community-engaged experiential learning experiences, and highly engaged faculty.
Admissions Requirements
- EXPERIENCE & GPA REQUIREMENTS
- An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited US institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework
- The applicant must be in good standing in the institution of higher education
- An undergraduate major related to the Arts.
- Thirty (30) hours of Arts and/or Art Education coursework or relevant work experience in a cultural organization. (Students may satisfy deficiencies upon acceptance into the program)
- GRE Test Scores
- Students may submit a request to waive the GRE if they have a 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA or a 3.0 in their upper-division undergraduate coursework
- If submitting scores, you should earn a minimum percentile ranking of 55% on the Verbal and 25% on the Quantitative portions of the GRE.
- TOEFL (for International Students only)
- Minimum scores: 80 internet/213 computer
- TRANSCRIPTS
- Official transcripts must be submitted
- For detailed information on this process, visit: Graduate Admissions.
- EXPERIENCE & GPA REQUIREMENTS
Application Materials
- Letters of Recommendation
- Students must submit three letters of recommendation
- The letters of recommendation should be from someone who can describe your ability to meet the graduate level of rigor and expectations in coursework, writing, and speaking skills
- Statement of Purpose
- A 1,000 word biography addressing:
- professional or academic background
- career goals
- rationale for applying to the program
- list of other programs you are applying to
- Advice for writing a statement of purpose can be found at the FSU Career Center Website
- A 1,000 word biography addressing:
- Academic Writing Sample
- Most people submit a paper that they wrote in college, retouching it for content and style.
- If you don’t have a paper that you have already written, you can write one from scratch.
- You’ll want to submit a piece of writing that demonstrates your ability to analyze a topic in the same (or related) field to which you are applying.
- Resume / CV
- Letters of Recommendation
Admissions Deadlines
- The program admits for a fall start.
- International applicants, priority deadline: January 15th.
- Applicants interested in funding consideration: February 1st.
- Rolling admissions open until: July 1st.
- The program admits for a fall start.
Objectives
- Students will be prepared in the practice and theory of socially responsible arts administration.
- Students will have the opportunity to grow their skills through internship, service learning, and engagement with cultural organizations.
- Students will leave the program positioned to make an impact in the field.
Structure
- Minimum 33 credit hours.
- Usually takes 4-5 semesters to complete.
- Arts Administration Graduate Core (15h)
- ARE 5262 Principles of Arts Administration
- ARE 5641 Critical Analysis
- ARE 5665 Leading the Arts Organization
- ARE 5865 Cultural Policy
- ARE 5867 Grant Writing and Development in the Arts
- Financial Management & Legal Issues (6h)
- Choose 1 – Financial Management
- PAD 5208 Budget and Finance in Nonprofit Organizations
- TPA 5425 Fiscal Management and Economics in the Arts
- Choose 1 – Legal Issues
- ARH 5806 Art & Cultural Heritage Law & Policy
- TPA 5408 Business and Legal Issues in the Arts
- Electives (6h)
- Culminating project (6h)
- Track A: Internship (6h)
- Track B: ARE5745 Research Survey (3hrs); ARE5910 Supervised Research (3hrs)
