M.A. in Arts & Cultural Management
Program Overview |
Admission Requirements |
Application Process
Do you yearn to work with major arts and nonprofit organizations such as the Walker Art Center, the Children’s Theater Company, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, or Ordway Center for Performing Arts? Or perhaps you dream of putting your talents to work at the Smithsonian Institution, Arts Midwest, or Minnesota Citizens for the Arts?
Our Master of Arts in Arts and Cultural Management graduates are working in exciting jobs with these and other leading arts organizations.
It could be you.
Whether you are already on staff with an arts organization, or you would like to be, consider the nationally recognized Master of Arts in Arts and Cultural Management program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
In Saint Mary’s Arts and Cultural Management master's degree program, you'll learn from active arts administrators both in the classroom and in the field. The richness of the Twin Cities community provides a nearly unimaginable range of possibilities for your academic study and future career in the arts.
The Master of Arts in Arts and Cultural Management at Saint Mary’s University - It’s the opportunity of a lifetime!
"With its integrated curriculum of classroom and field work, the program provided me with a complete set of skills for taking on the challenges faced by today's arts manager. I've gained essential skills in grant writing, nonprofit accounting, audience development, and artistic program management, and gained confidence as a writer and speaker within my workplace and the community at large."
Justin Christy, Communications Manager
Department of Theatre Arts & Dance
University of Minnesota
"I chose Saint Mary’s because the teachers were working professionals—arts administrators who are in the trenches—not out-of-touch professors. The program at Saint Mary’s puts you in regular contact with arts executives from the smallest to the largest of organizations. Many class assignments pair students with local organizations and mentors—evaluating and solving actual problems that face the arts today. Even now, I am able to call upon the wonderful contacts I made for help or guidance. Thanks to Saint Mary’s, I graduated with a full network of professionals at my fingertips."
Tamar Vartanian, Development Director
A Noise Within
Glendale, CA
Program Overview
- Started in 1994, this is the only master's program specific to arts and culture in the upper Midwest.
- Faculty and classroom speakers work in the field, providing real world experience to complement coursework.
- Courses include a long-term residency during which students gain experience and opportunities for professional development by working in the field.
- Alumni working in nonprofit organizations throughout the Twin Cities.
- Geared to working adults, offering evening/weekend classes and allowing students to progress through the program at their own pace.
- Classes that cover the full spectrum of issues that confront anyone working in the nonprofit field, from fund development to nonprofit law.
- Twin Cities arts community is incredibly rich and offers a range of arts experiences unmatched by a comparably sized urban area.
See the Catalog for specific degree requirements.
Click on the courses below to expand their descriptions.
ACM600 Management of Nonprofit Organizations (3)This course is an overview of management of nonprofits and the human capital that is responsible for the operations of nonprofit organizations, including staff, board of directors, members, and volunteers. Presented are models for board governance and internal and external factors that effect how boards function. Discussion also centers on effective nonprofit management practices, building productive relationships with creative personnel, strategies for collaborative leadership, and founder succession.
ACM610 Cultural Studies (2)This course examines the role of the arts and culture in global societies, how managers facilitate and present artists’ work, and the roles played by various stakeholders in cultural development in diverse communities. The role of arts criticism and how art is assessed in diverse cultures is also discussed.
ACM615 Cultural Policy and Leadership (3)This course presents an overview of the challenges to cultural managers presented by political, economic, and social conditions both nationally and internationally. The evolution of the role of cultural managers and an historical and global overview of organizational and operational models is presented. Other topics include development of public policy, the role of advocacy and political engagement, leadership strategies for effective engagement with institutional and community decision-makers, and current and emerging trends affecting cultural organizations.
ACM625 Cultural Programming & Evaluation (2)This course explores the concept planning, design, decision-making, and evaluation processes during the start-up, implementation, and completion phases of cultural programs and projects. Linkages between an organization’s mission and values, strategic direction, and artistic programming are examined. Artistic and management staffing, marketing and budget planning, community involvement, and evaluation methods appropriate to measure the success of cultural programming are covered.
ACM630 Fund Development (3)This course examines techniques, tools, and strategies needed for the development of contributed revenue in nonprofit organizations. Topics include development and assessment of an organization’s fund development plan; preparation of grant proposals, other type of appeals, and special events; coordination of capital campaigns and planned giving; and examination of how different types of organizations manage fund development needs. Also discussed are the donor’s viewpoint and emerging trends in philanthropy, and the ethics and legalities of fundraising.
ACM635 Ethics and Arts Law (3)The course covers both the ethical frameworks and laws that guide the establishment and operations of cultural organizations, and the creation and oversight of resource assets (artistic, human, and physical). The challenges and conflicts that managers face in interacting with diverse individuals and groups, as well as new and emerging technologies, are examined.
ACM645 Marketing for Nonprofits (2)The course examines practical strategies and trends in marketing for small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations. Topics include the role of marketing in nonprofits, marketing research and planning, marketing’s impact on organizational revenue, relationship between marketing and fund development, types of marketing tools and strategies, audience identification and development, and role of staff and board of directors in nonprofit marketing.
ACM660 Nonprofit Financial Management (3)This course presents generally accepted financial management principles and practices applicable to nonprofit organizations. Financial statements and reports are interpreted and analyzed, and financial analysis tools are applied to describe and evaluate the financial condition of nonprofit organizations. Related topics include budgeting, description of financial systems, and legal reporting requirements for nonprofit organizations.
ACM675 Residency/Capstone Preparation (1)This course prepares students for a successful residency learning experience while providing the tools for completion of the Capstone course. Securing a residency position; development of plan, goals, and agreement; relationship of residency experience to Capstone paper; and requirements and topic development for Capstone paper are the focus.
Runs the full semester prior to the residency
ACM680_681 Residency (4)Students are expected to complete all hours of the Residency working at one cultural organization. The Residency is a culminating program experience of at least 240 hours in a cultural organization that prepares students for employment or advancement in the field of arts and cultural management. Knowledge and skills acquired through coursework are applied and evaluated. Plans for additional personal and professional development are considered. Research on the Capstone topic continues during the course of the Residency.
ACM690 Capstone Seminar (2)This culminating course provides the opportunity for students to synthesize and present the concepts, knowledge, and experiences gained from completion of all coursework and the Residency.
GM600 Management Principles (3 cr)This course provides an overview of key organizational and behavioral concepts, which underlie effective management practice in private and public sector organizations around the world. Comparative management systems are examined in terms of global applications. Special attention is given to defining and interpreting cross-cultural differences and influences. The course emphasizes the approaches of collaboration that especially address the expectations, needs and performances of people in organizations and gives attention to the external, internal and global cultures that influence organizational structure, behavior and change.
ACM660 Nonprofit Financial Management may be taken instead of this course.
GM620 Communication Skills (2)It is recommended that this course be taken in the student's first semester.
The focus of this course is on written and oral communications in professional and academic settings with an emphasis on academic writing. Theories of interpersonal and organizational communication, appropriate writing style based on audience, academic voice and style, literature searches, writing that incorporates sources materials, ethical use of source materials, APA style and effective presentations are examined.
Prerequisite: It is recommended that this course be taken in the student's first semester.
GM645 Marketing Management (2)This course emphasizes a practical and comprehensive application of key marketing concepts as they apply to businesses and organizations. Major marketing principles and strategies are explored from a managerial perspective as they apply to the marketplace domestically and around the world.
ACM645 Marketing for Nonprofits may be taken instead of this course.
GM660 Financial Management (3 cr)This course introduces, discusses and analyzes financial issues facing profit, not-for-profit and governmental organizations in today's domestic and global business environment. The course provides the general manager with an ethical financial manager's perspective by way of examination of various financial areas including: types of organizations; sources of capital; investment in the US and in foreign countries; asset management; time value of money; international payments and foreign exchange rates; trade theory and policy; and financial statement analysis.
ACM660 Nonprofit Financial Management may be taken instead of this course.
GM670 Strategic Management (2)This course examines both the theory and application of strategic management tasks. Among the tasks considered are: developing a mission/vision statement, setting objectives, developing and implementing a strategy, and evaluating performance.