Arts Administration, BS

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Our Mission Statement

The aim is to give students foundation(s) in the performing and/or visual arts combined with a background in business administration to prepare them for entry-level leadership/management positions in arts related organizations. The Arts Administration program is most appropriate for highly motivated, self-starting, achievement oriented students. As the program focus is on leadership and management, students are expected to maintain a high GPA and must have a minimum of a C grade in all courses required of the major.

Arts Administration is a multi-disciplinary major offering a choice of four (4) separate concentrations leading to the Bachelor of Science degree: a concentration in Art; Music; Theatre; and cross cultural concentration; combined. As Arts Administration is multi-disciplinary it is, in some regards, more complex than many disciplines: Students complete a set of foundations courses in their concentration; complete a series of Business courses; complete Arts Administration professional courses; complete a full-time, semester long internship; in addition to finishing the full range of general education requirements.

Student Perspective

"Arts Administration is essentially a dual major in business and the arts. As a multi-disciplinary major, Arts Administration offers concentrations in Theatre, Art, Music or a combination of these and other artistic areas known as Combined Arts. Because the major is complex and versatile, it requires students to complete a wide span of courses. The courses to be completed in order to receive the Bachelor of Science degree in Arts Administration include; foundation courses in the student’s area of arts concentration, multiple business courses, professional courses in Arts Administration, and a full-time internship. All the course requirements for the major are, of course, in addition to the mandatory general education requirements set by the college. The goal of Arts Administration is to give students training in the visual/performing arts with a background in business administration.

"Ultimately, a degree in Arts Administration prepares students for management positions in the arts world.  It is obvious that Arts Administration is a highly demanding major, thus the Arts Administration student must be organized, dedicated, self-motivated and goal-oriented.  Though most students focus on art, music and/or theatre in their time at Wagner, there are students who wish to focus on fashion, publishing and film and television. Due to the unique full-time internship opportunity students are given (usually in their senior year), they are able to experience working in their field of choice, from film to fashion or art to publishing.  Due to Wagner’s New York location, it is the ideal place to pursue a degree in Arts Administration. Here, students have experienced hands on what it is like to work in and around the very arts organizations that could employ them in the future."

-Cara Scarnati Class of 2012