48 Credit Hours
Application Deadline: January 13, 2012
Why Study Arts Management?
Successful arts management is critical to the continued vitality of cultural institutions, community organizations, and arts-based businesses. Columbia's Master of Arts Management (MAM) degree program prepares students who have a passion for the arts to assume leadership roles in these dynamic and wide-ranging fields.
successful arts management is critical to the continued vitality of cultural institutions, community organizations, and arts-based businesses
With a broad base of business courses at its core, Columbia's MAM degree is highly transferable and eminently relevant; students learn to combine business acumen with aesthetic sensibilities as they investigate, analyze, and prepare for the exciting and complex world of arts, entertainment, and media management. With many courses offered in the evenings, the program is also designed to accommodate the busy lives of working professionals.
Business Education Through the Lens of the Arts
The core curriculum provides students with a foundation for career choices in live and performing arts, media, recorded music business, youth arts, and visual arts. Along with the essential study of financial, legal, marketing, organizational, and the strategic concepts that accompany these fields, the curriculum allows students to choose elective courses tailored to their individual interests. The electives focus on specific skills needed to manage digital media enterprises, traditional media businesses, record labels, talent agencies, live entertainment venues, performing arts companies, museums, art galleries, and community-based youth arts organizations. Arts entrepreneurs may also select courses to help them conceive and launch their own business ventures.
students have opportunities to bring together theoretical concepts with real world situations through internships
Experience, Confidence, and Contacts
The program's curriculum reflects the professional experiences of industry leaders and faculty who are, themselves, working artists, performers, and successful arts managers. In addition, students have opportunities to bring together theoretical concepts with real world situations through internships. In cooperation with leading arts, entertainment, and media organizations in the Chicago area, students have the opportunity to acquire professional field experience, confidence, and contacts, which help them gain entry into a competitive job market. Students have recently interned at: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Joffrey Ballet, Illinois Arts Council, Steppenwolf Theatre, Alligator Records, Field Museum of Natural History and the Oprah Winfrey Show.
Why Columbia
Arts, Entertainment & Media Management students at Columbia thrive in the setting of the nation's largest private arts and media school in one of the its most culturally vibrant cities. In addition to a strong curriculum, dedicated professional faculty, and numerous practical learning opportunities, the program offers the experience of an intimate graduate student cohort within a large and diverse college community. As a result, students develop lasting relationships with peers across disciplines and establish meaningful professional networks which accompany them into the field.
the program offers the experience of an intimate graduate student cohort within a large and diverse college community
NOTE: Please make sure to carefully read through the section on this site that outlines the accounting prerequisite that is required for enrollment in the Arts, Entertainment & Media Management (MAM) program.
Visit the AEMM Department Website

