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M.A. in Arts & Cultural Management

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.

Location Admission Contact
Twin Cities Michael Dahl - (612) 728-5198
 Course Information

    See the Catalog for specific degree requirements.

    Click on the courses below to expand their descriptions.

  • ACM600 Management of Nonprofit Organizations (3)
  • ACM610 Cultural Studies (2)
  • ACM615 Cultural Policy and Leadership (3)
  • ACM625 Cultural Programming & Evaluation (2)
  • ACM630 Fund Development (3)
  • ACM635 Ethics and Arts Law (3)
  • ACM645 Marketing for Nonprofits (2)
  • ACM660 Nonprofit Financial Management (3)
  • ACM675 Residency/Capstone Preparation (1)
  • ACM680_681 Residency (4)
  • ACM690 Capstone Seminar (2)
  • GM600 Management Principles (3 cr)
  • GM620 Communication Skills (2)
  • GM645 Marketing Management (2)
  • GM660 Financial Management (3 cr)
  • GM670 Strategic Management (2)
 Elective Courses

    Electives chosen must equal 4 credits.

  • ACM650 Arts Education (2)
  • ACM655 Arts and Community Development (2)
  • HD573 Creative Leadership Development (2)


Program Staff
Program Director, MA in Arts and Cultural Management and Information Technology Management