Program Overview

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Arts Management (MA)

Overview

The MA in Arts Management is designed to provide students with advanced understanding of the subject of Arts Management globally, advanced knowledge and understanding of the most up-to-date theories and discourses in Arts Management and how these are influencing practice, knowledge of international trends in cultural policy and how they are affecting, and affected by the practice of Arts Management, essential practical skills relating to Arts Management, particularly strategic planning, financial management, fundraising, business planning and engaging audiences, a sophisticated level of critical and divergent thinking and expression, skills appropriate to self-directed study and independent research, awareness of different research methodologies and their application to the work of arts managers, and further developed wider intellectual and transferable skills, consistent with creative thought and independent learning.

Course Structure

The MA consists of six core compulsory taught modules and an independent research module:

• SCA7001: Engaging Audiences
• SCA7002: Cultural Policy: International Perspectives
• SCA 7003: Contemporary issues in Arts and Cultural Industries Management
• SCA 7004: Essential Skills in Arts and Cultural Industries Management
• SCA7005: Professional Development and Work Placement
• SCA7006: Research in Arts and Cultural Industries Management
• SCA8001: Arts Management Dissertation/Research Project (consultancy research or academic dissertation)

Course Details

This MA is suitable for a range of participants. Early and mid-career arts managers, who wish to develop their practice and understanding of the background, theories and principles of arts and cultural management, will find this degree invaluable. While there is a focus on the publicly subsidised arts sector, the MA serves as a strong and valuable route for graduates who are interested in creating their own cultural ventures for self-employment and who are hoping to work across disciplines in the creative and cultural industries, heritage and other cultural fields. Additionally, it has proven of value for creative practitioners/artists to advance their management and business development skills.

Industry Links

We connect directly with a range of theatre companies, festivals, venues, local and central government bodies and arts development agencies to ensure that students are meeting, hearing from, and working with, professionals and policymakers.

Student Experience

Belfast and Northern Ireland are home to a wide range of arts and cultural organisations leading in areas of community engagement. Guest speakers and industry professionals are a feature of the programme.

World Class Facilities

Queen’s has a fantastic reputation for its study programmes and facilities in drama, film, creative writing and literature, music and sonic arts, and media and broadcast production. Students have access to a packed programme of events, seminars, screenings, as well as state-of-the-art facilities: from the film studio, the Queen’s Film Theatre, the Brian Friel Theatre, the Sonic Arts Research Centre, the Seamus Heaney Centre, and the Naughton Gallery.

Student Testimonials

• I definitely wouldn't have considered doing a PhD, or indeed a career in arts fundraising, without having done this MA. It gave me a great head start in the sector. - Molly
• The MA in Arts Management provides students with the perfect balance of theoretical learning and practical experience in the NI Arts sector; and equips future arts managers with the tools necessary to deliver confident leadership, particularly in areas such as funding, audience development and strategic planning. - Laragh

Entry Requirements

Normally a strong 2.2 Honours degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in Arts, Humanities, Management, Social Sciences or a cognate discipline.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required.

Tuition Fees

• Northern Ireland (NI): £7,300
• Republic of Ireland (ROI): £7,300
• England, Scotland or Wales (GB): £9,250
• EU Other: £21,500
• International: £21,500

Additional Course Costs

There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.

Career Prospects

This MA in Arts Management will be of benefit for careers within the arts sector, in academia and in areas of public policy. It will also provide a strong foundation for individuals looking to start their own cultural initiatives.

Employment after the Course

Former students have secured work in a range of arts and cultural organisations, ranging from theatre companies, venues, to digital publishing companies. In addition, a number have been employed within industry development agencies, local government arts offices or have established/further developed their own independent companies. Students regularly go on to develop PhD studies in Northern Ireland and abroad.

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills.

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at

How to Apply

Apply using our online Queen's Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study.

Modules

Professional Development and Work Placement

• Duration: 24 weeks (10 weeks seminars + tutorials)
• Overview: This module is designed to aid students in developing their own professional practice and supporting their translation of course research and theoretical learning into the contemporary arts and cultural workspace.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Recognise key features and approaches to labour and employment practice in the arts, cultural and creative industries sectors
  • Understand and situate your own practice in relation to different working and professional contexts
  • Develop personal planning and reflexive skills to recognise strengths, skills gaps, ambitions and professional development needs
  • Translate knowledge and learning from the programme into relevant transferable skills and professional development plans
• Skills:
  • Personal & professional development planning
  • Self-care & resilience
  • Practical skills in event, project management
  • Presentation & pitch/proposal skills
  • Personal budgeting
  • Reflective and reflexive thinking

Research in Arts and Cultural Industries Management

• Overview: This module will explore the array of epistemic and methodological considerations and decisions in doing research in the arts and cultural industries.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Engage with, and critique key theories underpinning arts & cultural industries management and cultural policy research
  • Identify and critique a diverse range of research methods and approaches
  • Situate arts & cultural industries management and cultural policy research with the wider epistemological position as a discipline in arts, humanities and social sciences
  • Formulate a research plan or research proposal with understanding of the theoretical, practical and ethical implications
• Skills:
  • Personal effectiveness
  • Project management & proposal development skills
  • Analysis and research skills
  • Capacity to interrogate and select approach methods and analysis according to an individual research project
  • Critical reading and writing
  • Written and spoken communication skills

Essential Skills in Arts and Cultural Industries Management

• Overview: This course is delivered using case studies. Working in groups, students will develop core business and management skills and apply them to real arts and cultural organisations.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Learn to identify problems, solutions and opportunities in contemporary arts and cultural industries management in a creative and analytical way
  • Be equipped with the tools of management - budgeting, fundraising and other means of income generation, planning and evaluation
  • Recognise and discuss decision-making processes and their influences in programming, product development, budgets, income generation and planning processes
  • Recognise and critique how different models and approaches to arts and cultural businesses respond to the context and market
  • Develop critical and reflective thinking skills and apply them to management decisions
• Skills:
  • Personal effectiveness
  • Analysis and research skills
  • Critical and reflective thinking
  • Business planning skills
  • Finance, budget and fundraising skills
  • Group planning and collaboration
  • Communication and presentation skills

Contemporary Issues in Arts and Cultural Industries Management

• Overview: This module is taught in two parts to provide students with an overview of key issues in the contemporary management of the arts and cultural industries and deliver key tools and frameworks to plan and make management decisions.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Identify a range of influences, opportunities and uncertainties in contemporary arts and cultural industries management
  • Understand what is meant by leadership, management, entrepreneurship and ethics in the contemporary arts and cultural industries
  • Identify how planning, leadership and management might be applied in a range of company structures and scales (as a sole trader, within an institution or SME)
  • Understand and utilise a range of tools and frameworks to analyse internal and external factors of creative businesses
  • Develop critical and reflective thinking skills and apply them to management decisions
• Skills:
  • Analysis and research skills
  • Critical and reflective thinking
  • Strategic and business planning
  • Group planning and collaboration
  • Communication and presentation skills

Engaging Audiences

• Overview: This module introduces students to key debates in both theories and practice of how the ‘public’ engage with arts and cultural experiences.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Define and articulate principal issues of contemporary arts and cultural engagement with understanding of key theories and terms
  • Apply critical and reflexive thinking to contemporary concerns of public access, inclusion, participation, cultural rights alongside sustainability
  • Identify and assess the tools and techniques of engaging the public in arts and cultural industries activity, including but not confined to marketing, communications, branding, data analysis and digital engagement
  • Recognise and understand the relationship between strategic arts and cultural management and audience/public engagement in decision-making analysis, planning and evaluation
  • Plan and articulate practice-based responses to the development and engagement of audiences, customers and/or public
• Skills:
  • Personal effectiveness
  • Analysis and research skills
  • Critical and reflective thinking
  • Strategic marketing & communication skills
  • Planning & evaluation skills

Cultural Policy: International Perspectives

• Overview: This module introduces students to theoretical perspectives in cultural policy with attention to its influence on arts and cultural industries management.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Engage with and critique key theories underpinning cultural policy through academic study
  • Articulate the ways policy intersects with, and influences arts and cultural industries management and its political, social, economic and artistic role
  • Engage in clear and informed discussion about the nature of cultural policy and policymaking in a regional, national and international context
  • Identify and discuss contemporary and global issues and tensions within the cultural policy field
• Skills:
  • Personal effectiveness
  • Analysis and research skills
  • Critical reading and writing
  • Critical and reflective thinking
  • Written and spoken communication skills

Arts Management Dissertation/Consultancy Research Project

• Overview: This is an independent study module in which students complete a piece of independent research.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand how to devise, plan and conduct a research project either to a predefined brief or as original empirical research
  • Apply critical and evaluative thinking and demonstrate this in their writing to a suitable standard
  • Define, design and deliver an academically rigorous piece of research to deadline, applying appropriate research methodology
  • Demonstrate effective communication and project management skills; including for consultancy research projects, understanding client relationships and the consulting process
  • Understand and demonstrate how to synthesise, analyse, interpret and critically evaluate information from a variety of different sources
  • Confidently situate their own research in relation to the theories, knowledge and practice of arts & cultural industries management and cultural policy research
  • Formulate and argue credible findings, conclusions and recommendations arising from their research
• Skills:
  • Critical thinking, reading and writing skills
  • Research & analysis skills
  • Independent project management skills, including planning, self-organisation and workload assessment
  • Communication and negotiation, managing relationship skills
  • Skills in applying theory to practice, and theorising from practice; problem-solving & theorising change
  • Specific to topic, a depth of understanding and knowledge of an aspect of arts & cultural industries management
  • Written and verbal communication skills