Scholarships for Utah high school grads + Utah residents: Apply by Oct. 11‡

Master of Arts in Arts Administration Online

Transform your career with an online master’s degree that prepares you to promote, maintain, enhance and fund nonprofit arts organizations.

Apply by: 1/1/25
Start class: 1/8/25
Apply Now

Program Overview

A quick look at the 100% online M.A. in Arts Administration

Total Tuition: $14,454
Program Duration: As few as 12 months
Credit Hours: 33

Combine your passion for the visual and performing arts with elevated business expertise when you earn your Master of Arts in Arts Administration online from Southern Utah University. Gain the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you need to become a well-rounded arts advocate and administrative leader who helps fulfill the vision of nonprofit arts organizations.

Through SUU’s experience-focused curriculum, you will learn and practice the principles of arts administration, including general arts management, organizational leadership, national and international policy creation, financial management, industry-specific marketing and grant writing. Apply your newly acquired knowledge to case studies, a comprehensive capstone project and your current workplace or volunteer setting with the support of the same world-class faculty who teach on campus.

In the art administration master’s online, you will:

  • Become an empowered arts advocate
  • Apply scholarly theory directly to your professional practice
  • Develop adaptability and critical-thinking skills necessary to work in the arts
  • Cultivate practical and creative approaches to problem-solving
  • Communicate in an effective and persuasive way
In the art administration master’s online, you will:+
  • Become an empowered arts advocate
  • Apply scholarly theory directly to your professional practice
  • Develop adaptability and critical-thinking skills necessary to work in the arts
  • Cultivate practical and creative approaches to problem-solving
  • Communicate in an effective and persuasive way

This online M.A. in Arts Administration prepares you for roles, such as:

  • Museum Education Director
  • Theatre Education Director
  • Executive Leader
  • Fundraising Manager
  • Events Coordinator
  • Financial Manager
  • Marketing Manager
  • Arts Advocate
  • Press and Public Relations Manager
  • Government Relations Manager
  • Box Office Manager
This online M.A. in Arts Administration prepares you for roles, such as:+
  • Museum Education Director
  • Theatre Education Director
  • Executive Leader
  • Fundraising Manager
  • Events Coordinator
  • Financial Manager
  • Marketing Manager
  • Arts Advocate
  • Press and Public Relations Manager
  • Government Relations Manager
  • Box Office Manager

Accreditation

AACSB logo

The Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

Also available online:

SUU offers a variety of online degree programs. Check out all of our online arts and communication programs.

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Need more information?

Call 833-994-0043

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Total Tuition: $14,454
Program Duration: As few as 12 months
Credit Hours: 33
Apply Now

Need more information?

Call 833-994-0043

Call 833-994-0043

Membership

The Arts Administration Program at Southern Utah University is a proud member of the Association of Arts Administration Educators, a professional organization representing the world's leading arts administration programs, all training and equipping students in arts leadership, management, entrepreneurship, cultural policy and more.

Tuition

Reasonable tuition that you can pay as you go

SUU offers students the opportunity to earn their online degree with our affordable, pay-as-you-go tuition, which includes all fees.

Tuition Breakdown

Per Credit Hour: $438
Total Tuition: $14,454*
View additional tuition information+

Program Per Credit Hour Per Course Per Program
M.A. in Arts Administration $438 $1,314 $14,454

Financial Aid

View financial aid information+

Tuition Breakdown

Per Credit Hour: $438
Total Tuition: $14,454

Calendar

Dates and deadlines to keep in mind

The M.A. in Arts Administration is delivered in an online format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year. Choose the start date that's best for you.

Now Enrolling

Next Apply Date: 1/1/25
Next Class Start Date: 1/8/25

View full calendar  + 

TermStart DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineLast Class Day
Fall II10/16/2410/9/2410/9/2410/11/2410/16/2412/3/24
Spring I1/8/251/1/251/1/251/3/251/8/252/23/25
Spring II2/24/252/17/252/17/252/19/252/24/254/20/25
Summer I5/12/255/5/255/5/255/7/255/12/256/29/25
Summer II6/30/256/23/256/23/256/25/256/30/258/17/25
Fall I8/27/258/20/258/20/258/22/258/27/2510/14/25

Now Enrolling

Next Apply Date: 1/1/25
Next Class Start Date: 1/8/25

Need more information about our online programs?

Ready to take on the next steps toward earning your degree?

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Admissions

How to apply to the online master’s in arts administration

At SUU, we’ve streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the M.A. in Arts Administration online program, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them.

Admission Requirements

  • Official transcript
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • No GRE required
View all admission requirements+

For the M.A. in Arts Administration online program, note the following admission requirements to ensure you qualify.

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • Resume including professional reference as well as academic, work and volunteer experience
  • 2.5 GPA
  • No GRE required

Application assessment

The AA Admissions Committee will assess the quality of the applicant based on the areas of leadership, communication and interpersonal skills. Preference is given to applicants who have work and/or volunteer experience in the arts or nonprofit sector or related fields either during or after completion of a bachelor's degree program. The Program Director and the AA Admissions Committee may make exceptions to admission policies on a case-by-case basis.

Transcript

Please submit an official transcript from the college/university in which a bachelor's degree was obtained.

  • Transcript Assist - We can help you obtain your transcript at no cost! Simply give us permission by filling out the Transcript Assist form in your application. Once your application is submitted, we’ll request your transcript and notify you when it arrives. Please note that we only request the transcript for your highest earned degree. We can obtain transcripts from institutions that are part of the Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse networks, which includes most schools. Check their websites to see if your college is a member. If your institution is not affiliated, you’ll need to submit your transcript to SUU yourself.
  • Applicants who have graduated from SUU do not need to submit a transcript
  • International transcripts must include a transcript evaluation from a third-party service such as The Evaluation Company (TEC) or WES showing that the degree is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree

Official transcripts, test scores and other documents should be sent to:

Email address: [email protected]

Mailing address:

Admissions Office
Southern Utah University
PO Box 8008
Cedar City, Utah 84720

Courses

Preview the online arts administration master’s courses

For the Master of Arts in Arts Administration online, you must complete 33 total credit hours.

Expand All

AA 6010 is a fixed-first course.  It can be taken concurrently with another course.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will learn the basic principles of arts administration (including general arts management, organizational leadership, financial management, marketing, development, and strategic planning) and apply those theories into practice through the creation of an imaginary project arts organization. This course will also give students an overview of the importance of arts advocacy, and the role students will play as future creators of cultural policy.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will develop an understanding of arts advocacy and cultural policy at multiple levels, developing strategies to engage with civic, business, state, and federal agencies on behalf of the arts. Students will become empowered advocates for the arts through readings, case studies, discussions, professional practice, and critical analysis of both national and international cultural policy.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will be able to apply the theories and practices required to successfully build capacity for arts and cultural organizations through annual and major gifts, corporate and foundation support, and capital and planned giving campaigns. Class activities will include relationship management, developing an ethical framework for fundraising, managing development staff, writing case statements, creating effective communications with donors and stakeholders, and applying digital strategies to development. Through a case study, students will analyze and report on development initiatives of an arts and cultural organization to identify best practices and recommend areas for improvement.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will develop and apply leadership, management, and organizational theory to help organizations better fulfill their mission and vision through the work of staff, board, and volunteers. Activities include students developing personality profiles and leadership style preferences, as well as applying principles of social and psychological dynamics to create and support an effective workplace. Students will write comprehensive case studies that require the integration of the leadership theories and practices studied, including detailed recommendations on how to address the organizational issues at hand.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will learn basic procedures and concepts for both financial and managerial accounting in arts organizations. These accounting concepts will be applied directly, giving students a foundational understanding of financial statements and internal reports and how to use these reports to make sound financial decisions for any arts organization.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will gain an understanding of essential legislation and legal issues pertaining to professional arts and culture management. Healthcare, contract law, privacy, discrimination, intellectual and cultural property rights, and copyright law will all be discussed through readings, case studies, and critical analysis.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will become familiar with the process of grant research, writing, and compliance. Students will have the opportunity to apply theory into practice as they identify real-world organizations in need of funding, locate potential funding sources (including government, corporate, and foundation grants), write grant proposals, and submit those proposals to the funding organization.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an in-depth study of the role of a Board of Directors and the planning process as it effects the operation of arts and cultural organizations. Specific topics covered include board and staff interaction, board duties and responsibilities, fundraising, governance models, strategic planning, parliamentary procedures for meetings, committee structures, and developing by-laws and policies.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will be able to identify and develop arts audiences and to increase earned income through the study of audience segmentation, market research, branding, special promotions, advertising, public relations, and online marketing. This course is preparatory to AA 6830.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Building upon the marketing concepts learned in AA 6810, students will learn and apply digital terminology for marketing, the importance of creating a high-ranking online presence, and how to reach target audiences through digital channels. Class activities will focus on creating a digital content strategy with assignments that include audience research, content creation and distribution, and digital analytics.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the field through a Capstone project, bringing evidence of increasing skills and applying scholarly theory directly into practice. Students must obtain project approval from the Arts Administration Director and work under the supervision of the AA Graduation Committee.

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