Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Master of Arts in Creative Enterprise and Cultural Leadership is a cross-disciplinary, collaborative program that merges theory and practice in arts management, civic practice, creative placemaking, leadership, and the management of innovation in the expanded creative fields.

Program Description

This program has a particular emphasis on impact and place, looking at how art practice intersects with the social, political, economic, and other structures that shape communities. The program offers classes that mix theory and practice through applied learning in collaboration with a range of community, nonprofit, business, and public sector partners. Local and national leaders engage with students in classes, site visits, and collaborative projects. The program culminates with a capstone applied project that can take the form of research or the launch of a new project.

At a Glance

• College/school: Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
• Location: Tempe
• STEM-OPT extension eligible: No

Accelerated Program Options

This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.

Degree Requirements

• 30 credit hours including the required applied project course (HDA 593)
• Required Core (12 credit hours)
  • GRA 501 Creative Environment and Collaborative Leadership (3)
  • HDA 511 Purpose, Collaboration and Accountability (3)
  • HDA 514 Creativity and Impact, Opportunities for Change (3)
  • IVD 560 Innovation Studio I: Discovery and Insight (3)
• Electives (3 credit hours)
• Focus Area Coursework (9 credit hours)
• Culminating Experience (6 credit hours)
  • HDA 593 Applied Project (6)

Admission Requirements

• General university admission requirements: All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
• Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
• Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a minimum of a bachelor's degree in an arts, design, business, public policy, or a related discipline from a regionally accredited institution.
• Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
• All applicants must submit:
  • graduate admission application and application fee
  • official transcripts
  • letter of intent
  • example of academic or professional work
  • contact information for two references
  • professional resume or CV
  • proof of English proficiency

Tuition Information

When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:

• Evaluate challenges to and opportunities for success in the creative industries emphasizing impact and place, and the intersection of art practice and social, political, economic, and other structures that shape communities
• Apply design thinking to the development of creative enterprises including arts management, civic practice, creative placemaking, leadership, and the management of innovation in the expanded creative fields.
• Foster collaborative relationships that support dynamic co-creation in art and design learning and constructive outcomes in systems creation.

Career Opportunities

Using arts and design-based methods to advance a spectrum of enterprises, graduates are equipped to pursue positions such as:

• arts managers
• civic leaders
• cultural entrepreneurs and business leaders
• cultural producers

Additional Information

The program offers several areas of curricular emphasis including creative placemaking and placekeeping, civic practice, cross-sector work, and new business models. In addition to core classes, students select additional focused coursework to advance their own professional goals and interests. The program culminates with a capstone applied project that can take the form of research or the launch of a new project.