MA Theatre - Arts Management

Department of Theatre and Dance

Arts Management Main

MA Theatre Programs Coordinator: Dr. Jane Peterson; 973-655-4109

MA Theatre/Arts Management: The Big Picture

The Master of Arts (MA) in Theatre, Arts Management Concentration prepares students for careers as arts managers in educational settings, not-for-profit environments, government, commercial industries, presenting organizations, and a range of arts and cultural institutions. A collaborative program between the College of the Arts, Department of Theatre and Dance, the School of Business, and Legal Studies, this is the only program of its kind in New Jersey. 

Our proximity to Manhattan allows us to attract an outstanding full-time faculty and prominent guest artists who work closely with students each semester. With Manhattan just 30 minutes away, you will be able to connect with the city’s cultural riches and numerous internship opportunities. 

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What You Will Study

The 36-credit program’s progressive curriculum covers such areas as:

  • Management principles and practices
  • Negotiation techniques and contracts
  • Legal and ethical issues
  • Fiscal management
  • Institutional development
  • Grant writing and fundraising
  • Artist production and distribution models
  • Research and evaluation methods
  • Strategic planning
  • Social theories
  • Communication management

Whether you enroll as a full- or part-time student, you will enjoy the convenience of night, weekend, and hybrid/online classes. We will help you find internships in the New York/New Jersey area that will connect your academic training with resume-building professional experience.

For complete MA Theatre/Arts Management curriculum requirements, go to:

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Our Faculty

More than 75 permanent faculty members and visiting professionals – including internationally renowned celebrity guest artists and artists-in-residence -- mentor our Arts Management degree candidates each semester. These working professionals share insights and expertise gleaned from their professional experiences. Faculty mentoring can often lead to opportunities beyond the classroom.

Click the links below to learn more:

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Arts Facilities

Montclair State boasts exceptional performance facilities with impressive technical specifications. Our six well-equipped theatres include the state-of-the-art Alexander Kasser Theater; the 946-seat Memorial Auditorium; our 2000-seat amphitheater, and the intimate L. Howard Fox Theatre.

In the visual arts, Montclair State supports the University Art Galleries, including the award-winning George Segal Gallery and our MFA Gallery. These galleries regularly mount vibrant exhibits of professional and academic work.

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Cultural Programming

Students learn by watching as well as doing. In addition to having easy access to Manhattan’s array of arts-related productions, performances, and exhibits, you will be able to attend more than 500 professional events on campus each year, including those presented by the Theatre and Dance Department as well as by Montclair’s Peak Performances program of theatre, dance, and music productions.

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Arts Management Careers

The economic impact of an expanding base of sophisticated cultural organizations has never been greater. According to Dun & Bradstreet, 4.3 percent of all U.S. businesses are arts-related – with more than 81,000 such businesses in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania alone. This growth is reflected in an increased demand for arts managers and administrators*, and emerging career opportunities in areas such as marketing, fundraising, and general management and institutional development consulting. 

Successful arts managers combine their passion for the arts with business expertise in order to support and market artists and art events, raise funds, manage finances, write grant applications and proposals, and develop programming for arts and cultural institutions and organizations. As a graduate, your skills will be marketable in a range of professional settings, including government arts agencies, museums, cultural institutions, non-profit arts organizations, arts centers, and educational institutions. 

*According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Statistics, total employment of all workers is projected to increase by nearly 10% and, in the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry, by nearly 16% by 2018.

Sample Job Titles include:

  • Arts Consultant
  • Arts Council Director
  • Arts Institution Manager, Administrator
  • Arts Librarian
  • Arts Lobbyist
  • Arts Marketing Strategist
  • Arts Policy Analyst, Researcher
  • Arts Program Director
  • Arts School Director
  • Box Office and Ticketing Manager
  • Arts Organization Budget Director
  • Arts Organization Development Officer
  • Director, Non-Profit Organization
  • Event Coordinator
  • Fundraising and Philanthropy Director
  • Regional/Community Theatre Manager
  • Marketing Manager
  • Marketing Researcher
  • Production Manager
  • Special Events Coordinator
  • Volunteer Coordinator

To learn more about Careers in Arts Management, go to:

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Accreditation

Montclair’s MA in Theatre programs meet the rigorous standards of the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) – a distinction that places us among the nation’s most competitive programs.

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Apply Now

To apply to the MA Theatre/Arts Management Program, or to any Department of Theatre and Dance program, please visit Department Admissions.

For additional information about our programs, please visit us to tour the facilities and/or plan to attend one of our Open Houses. 

To learn more about programs and academic-support services available to all Montclair State University master’s degree candidates, please go to:

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