The Program

Last updated: Spring 2019

The Arts Extension Service, a program of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, offers the Undergraduate Arts Management Certificate to prepare arts and humanities students for meaningful careers in their field by teaching the fundamental skills needed to run a nonprofit (or for-profit) institution such as museums, historic houses, galleries, community arts organizations, music schools, pop-ups, or creative business, including your own. Arts Managers perform the work that is required to bring arts and cultural programs to audiences by organizing programs such as festivals and exhibits, performing arts events, film screenings, and more.

Our courses will:

Introduce students to the “business of the arts”.
Provide an overview of the varied careers that arts managers enjoy.
Introduce current issues and trends affecting arts management professionals.
Teach important skills including budgeting, arts marketing, planning, audience and partnership development, cultural equity, and much more.
Build your arts management portfolio demonstrating completion of semester–long intensive projects such as a 3-Year Fundraising plan for an actual nonprofit arts organization.
Integrate the professional experience of leaders in the field through in-class presentations.
Invite experts including artists/arts managers working on Creative Placemaking, Art for Social Change, or Audience Development projects to join us for online or in-class discussions.

The Undergraduate Arts Management Certificate can help you stand out to potential employers and arts institutions that are looking for a well-rounded graduate. For students interested in art history, art, music, dance, film, writing, or theater, an Undergraduate Arts Management Certificate demonstrates a broader understanding of the behind-the-scenes workings of nonprofit arts organizations.

The Undergraduate Arts Management Certificate requires 15 credits. The following required courses (12 credits) provide an adequate basis for understanding and entering the nonprofit arts field:

ARTS-EXT 500 – Introduction to Arts Management (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 501 – Arts Fundraising (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 502 – Arts Marketing (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 504 – Financial Management in the Arts (3 credits)

Students can then choose from the following courses for their additional elective(s) of three or more credits. The following options allow students to explore their area of interest and develop additional skills:

ARTS-EXT 390P – Arts and Culture Internship Preparation (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 391A – Foundations in Arts Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 503 – Arts Programming (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 509 – Greening Your Nonprofit Arts Organization (3 credits)*

Ready to join us? Simply fill out the form on the bottom of this page and return it to us, or call to schedule an appointment and we can walk you through the process. *Greening will become an optional Service Learning/Community Engagement course (4 credits) in 2019.

Need more options? Online courses are ideal for students studying abroad, completing internships off campus or at the new Newton Campus, or with busy schedules who need the flexibility of an online class. Students may register for online classes via Online Education (also known as Continuing and Professional Education. (Please note that online offerings are included in regular campus tuition for Newton students only.) Online options are available for all of the required classes listed above, as well as the electives.

Additional class offerings include:

ARTS-EXT 390A – Cultural Equity in the Arts (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 390B – Cultural Policy and Advocacy (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 507 – Board Development (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 508 – Creative Economy and Placemaking (3 credits)
ARTS-EXT 510 – Program Evaluation (3 credits)

For more information, visit the Arts Extension Service at www.umass.edu/aes, or contact us at aes@acad.umass.edu or 413-545-2360.