NYU Students at Young Patrons Event at NYC Opera

The New York University Performing Arts Administration Program began in 1971 as a 36-point program and expanded to a 54-point program in 1976. It is a cooperative program of NYU Steinhardt and the Leonard N. Stern School of Business. The program requires a commitment of two academic years. Its mission is to educate arts administrators of the highest caliber to lead performing arts institutions by serving in the areas of general management, marketing, development, programming, long-range planning, board and volunteer development and organizational goal formation. The program’s faculty members counsel and advise students closely in their academic and internship experiences to help them make a smooth transition from the University to the service of the arts.

Degree Requirements

Completion of the now 48-point program, on a full-time basis, takes two academic years.  Students are required to take 18 credits in management studies either at the Leonard N. Stern School of Business or the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.  At the same time, the students must fulfill their major requirements by taking seminars in the Environment of Arts Administration, Principles and Practices of Arts Administration, Development for the Performing Arts, Marketing the Performing Arts, Planning and Finance for the Performing Arts, and Governance, as well as six credits of internship.  In addition, electives are required in Management, Arts Administration, and/or Art with advice of the program director.  Prerequisites to study include a course in microeconomics and statistics or quantitative methods prior to coming into the program.  Alternatively, the economics and statistics requirements may be fulfilled while in the program.  Up to nine credits may be satisfied by taking courses in the Arts Administration Study Abroad Program.

Major Paper Requirement

A major paper, project, or case study is required in the Seminar on Cultural Policy: Issues in Arts Administration.

Internship

Students are required to take six credits of internship. These may be fulfilled in the form of two 20-hours-per-week internships for three credits each or one 35-40-hours-per-week internship for a semester’s credit of six points.

In addition, the program offers a study abroad program in the late spring/early summer, which provides study in comparative issues and practice in arts administration in the United States of America and Europe.

Examples of Positions Held by Some Graduates of the Program