Degree Program:SMU's Arts Administration dual degree graduate program is based upon the philosophy that a successful career in arts management requires a thorough knowledge of contemporary business practices coupled with a deep appreciation for the arts. The joint degree program combines courses in business and the arts with internships and intensive experience with arts organizations to produce graduates who are well-prepared to hold leadership positions in arts, entertainment, and nonprofit organizations around the world.  Students pursue the two degrees simultaneously and benefit from the dynamic environments of both the Cox School of Business and the Meadows School of the Arts. 

The Importance of Practical Experience

Underlying the program of academic study is an appreciation for the "practical" nature of arts administration. While the end result of management in the arts is clearly the preservation and presentation of quality arts experiences, the actual accomplishment of this is a feat of practical management. Students are required to work in selected arts organizations during their time at SMU. A practicum in one or more Dallas-area art organizations and a summer internship there or elsewhere in the U.S. is a requirement for graduation.

Arts Administration students have gained practicum and internship experience in numerous arts organizations and programs around the country, including the New York City Ballet, The Guthrie Theater, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle's Corporate Council for the Arts, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Arena Stage, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Art Institute of Chicago, the American Association of Museums in Washington, D.C., the New York State Council of the Arts and Walt Disney Theatrical Productions.

For a more complete list of recent internship placements, click here.

The Academic Program in Arts Administration
General Curricular Requirements
Two-thirds of the 75-hour curriculum is devoted to advanced courses in accounting, marketing, finance, economics, statistics, organizational behavior, information technology and global business environments with an emphasis on strategy, analysis and operations management.
The remaining one third of the curriculum involves seminars in non-profit accounting, fundraising, audience development and marketing, public policy, law, technology and internships in the arts.  Several courses will be taken at Bacconi University in Milan, Italy during the fall of the second year of the program.  The internships are tailored to the individual student's background, experience and career goals. 

To view the typical Arts Administration course of study, click here.