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UK Arts Administration Graduate Program Course Descriptions

AAD 520 The Arts and Artists in Society
The arts and artists have influenced concepts of love, war, religion, race, ethnicity and gender and helped societies face problems, celebrate accomplishments, mourn losses, beautify environments and drive economies. The course will investigate the intersection of arts and civic life. Through writing research papers, exploring topics including the intrinsic and extrinsic value of the arts, and through analyzing social, economic and political trends, students will learn the role of the arts and artists in historical and contemporary society.

AAD 540 Seminar in Arts Administration
(subtitle required)
A seminar that covers special topics in arts administration. Examples may include the exploration of management issues affecting specific arts institutions such as theatres, museums, orchestras, art centers, operas, and dance companies. Or it may explore a specific topic, such as copyright issues in the arts, public support of the arts, censorship versus freedom of expression in the arts and the impact of new media on the arts.

AAD 600 Arts Administration Technologies
From brochures to websites to video, arts organizations are investing more time and resources in effectively communicating with the public. As such, arts administrators must be skilled in utilizing current technology to convey messages. In this course, students will learn a variety of software applications that will aid in the successful creation of print materials, websites, video and other multi-media presentations. Additionally, the course will introduce concepts of design principles and relevant theories.

AAD 610 Financial Management for Arts Organizations
Financial management is a central function of successful arts management. It is the foundation in which human, physical and financial resources are maintained and monitored. In the nonprofit sector, the relationship of "mission to money" is a key conceptual framework that must be understood by arts managers. Arts managers are the source of financial information to both internal and external stakeholders and successful financial analysis is essential for sound strategic planning and governance. This course guides students through key topics of financial management including accounting practices, interpreting financial statements, creating mission-driven budgets, analyzing cash-flow, developing cost-benefit analyses and managing investments.

AAD 620 Management and Leadership in the Arts
People are the basis of arts organizations. Understanding the factors that determine individual actions and interactions, being able to solve problems, capitalize on new opportunities and reach goals is necessary for being a successful leader in a work environment. As such, this course focuses on the planned, systematic process in which applied organizational theory and behavioral science principles and practices are introduced into organizations, toward the goal of increasing organizational and individual effectiveness. The course prepares students to organize and motivate people within an arts organization, manage social environments, and execute strategic change. Topics explored include organizational design, decision-making, conflict resolution, designing effective reward systems, team building, and organizational dynamics and culture. Additionally, students will focus on reflecting upon their own leadership skills and abilities.

AAD 630 Marketing Research and Planning for Arts Organizations
Arts managers are consistently faced with the challenge of connecting arts offerings with an audience. Understanding the possible markets and developing strategies to reach the desired audience are part of every arts organization's primary administrative activities. Throughout this course, students will explore theories and frameworks crucial to the marketing function including product development, market research, consumer behavior, pricing strategies, brand integration and promotion techniques. Student will utilize the knowledge to analyze marketing strategies, investigate consumer behavior and conduct primary and secondary marketing research for an arts organization. Prerequisite: AAD 600 Arts Administration Technologies

AAD 640 Principles of Fundraising
Most nonprofit organizations earn at least half of their annual revenue from fundraising activities involving contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations and government entities. In this course, the philosophies and theories that underlie the concept of charitable giving will be examined with special emphasis placed on values-based philanthropy. Students will learn the principles and methods of philanthropy, fundraising and development as well as the ethical considerations inherent in the fundraising process. Prerequisite: AAD 600 Arts Administration Technologies and AAD 610 Financial Management for Arts Organizations

AAD 650 The Arts and the Law
How does art interact with law? How does law impact artistic creation? How can arts administrators ensure that their organization legally protects itself? Understanding the legal environment in which arts organizations exist and artists create empowers arts administrators to make sound and reasoned decisions. Throughout this course, students will be exposed to a variety of legal topics related to artistic creation and the managing of arts organizations. The course will provide historical and contemporary introduction to the laws and policies related to intellectual property, First Amendment, cultural property, human resource management, labor relations, immigration and cultural exchange, and contract development and enforcement.

AAD 660 Social and Cultural Entrepreneurialism
Utilizing entrepreneurial concepts, social entrepreneurs use innovative solutions in order to achieve social change. Social entrepreneurialism is a burgeoning field that is garnering attention from investors, philanthropists, foundations and nonprofit leaders in order to achieve meaningful social returns while maintaining financially viable organizations. This course introduces students to the field of social entrepreneurship and explores how to start, grow and maintain successful mission-driven cultural ventures.

AAD 699 Internship in Arts Administration
An internship in arts administration provides students the opportunity to work with an arts organization on contemporary, relevant issues in the field. In the course, students will develop their knowledge in the chosen arts discipline, enhance their skills in working with superiors and colleague and build their professional network.

AAD 730 Marketing Strategies and Applications for Arts Organizations
Effective implementation of a marketing plan and marketing strategies brings an audience and arts organization together. During this course, students will learn the components and construction of a strategic integrated marketing communications plan. The process will allow students to make reasoned and sound marketing decisions for an arts organization based on marketing research conducted in AAD 650: Marketing Research and Planning for Arts Organizations. Additionally, students will utilize their skills in writing, graphic design and communications to create effective marketing messages in a variety of mediums. Prerequisite: AAD 650 Marketing Research and Planning for Arts Organizations

AAD 740 Fundraising Techniques
Building on the theoretical knowledge and plans created in AAD 660: Principles of Fundraising, this course focuses on the implementation of fundraising techniques. The course will focus on the creation of appropriate initiatives and the implementation of techniques that can garner contributed income from individuals, corporations, foundations and government entities. Special emphasis will be placed on key tools for successful implementation including databases, fundraising software, and technology advancements in the field. Prerequisite: AAD 660 Principles of Fundraising

AAD 730 Capstone Course in Arts Administration
As the final course in the graduate program in Arts Administration, students will demonstrate their knowledge of the field through the completion of a significant research project. Students will design an independent study utilizing recognized research methodology under the guidance of their faculty advisor and graduate committee. The research findings, conclusions and recommendations will be presented as both a formal research paper and oral presentation. Must be taken in final semester of coursework.