MA in Visual Arts Administration

Program

Established in 1971, the MA program in Visual Arts Administration was the first in the nation to focus specifically on management careers in the visual arts, in both traditional and alternative contexts. Taking into account the cultural and economic impact of the visual arts, nationally and internationally, as well as the challenges facing the arts today, the program prepares students to become leaders in a broad range of arts organizations.

The Visual Arts Administration MA program addresses the whole art ecology, including the cultural environment in which art and arts organizations operate; the role of the artist in society; how artwork is documented, presented and interpreted; the structure and management of organizations that display artwork – both non-profit and for-profit; and the role of art theorists, critics, curators, and collectors.

The program curriculum also considers how education in arts organizations expands knowledge and builds audiences, the increasing role of art in urban development and public spaces, and new approaches and tools for encouraging access and participation. A strong emphasis is placed on acquiring the theoretical and practical tools for fundraising, financial management, marketing, and knowledge of new media and technology in the visual arts. While the program is primarily oriented toward the non-profit segment of the field, it also offers a strong for-profit concentration.

Emphasis is placed on collaboration across the visual arts administration field. The program takes advantage of its position in New York City to utilize the variety of arts organizations and professionals available through case studies, focus groups, site visits, and examples of theory applied to practice. Using the program's extensive internship component and alumni networks allows students access to a wide range of individuals and organizations in the field and increases the depth of their understanding of the complexities of this challenging area.

Since its beginnings, the program has taken an extensive and integrated international outlook. The curriculum fosters a global perspective within course readings and discussions and through several studies abroad options. In London, for example, students analyze the exhibition and display of art in material culture through a dynamic curriculum that blends classroom sessions and site visits. In the Netherlands and Berlin, Performing Arts Administration and Visual Arts Administration students compare and contrast the management of cultural institutions in the U.S. and Europe, with an emphasis on cultural policy, cultural diplomacy, funding mechanisms, globalism and mobility, and cultural identity and diversity.

Visual Arts Administration Alumni

The Alumni Council of the Visual Arts Administration MA Program takes an active interest in the careers of its graduates. It is a group composed of nearly thirty mentors who work in the field and take a special interest in placing students and graduates in internships, giving insider advice through information sessions and counseling, and helping all those who seek their expertise to obtain the jobs where they can succeed.

The Council achieves these goals through educational, professional and social programs and events with awards, scholarships, mentoring and guidance to students and graduates of the Program.

The Alumni Council seeks to promote and further the status and visibility of the Program and its students and alumni and advance the field of visual arts administration. We encourage all our alumni, both here and abroad to remain in touch, keep involved with our ongoing activities and offer new ways to support our continued efforts.

About NYU Steinhardt

NYU Steinhardt's one-of-a-kind integration of education, health, the arts, and media studies puts us at the heart of a movement: education for social change.

Steinhardt students are passionate about helping others.

Our mission is to advance knowledge, creativity, and innovation at the crossroads of culture, education, and human development. We exemplify NYU’s commitment to be of public service.

Our academic programs are ranked among the country's best.

NYU Steinhardt's master's programs in applied psychology, education, health, media, music and performing arts professions, and the arts and arts professions attract recent college graduates, established professionals seeking licensure or certification, and career changers. Our curriculum gives our students the opportunity to study abroad and experience hands-on learning.

Advanced certificate programs allow you to pursue study in specialized areas of applied psychology, education, music and performing arts, and physical therapy.

We also offer PhD programs that prepare graduates for careers in academic research and teaching, as well as professional doctoral programs for advanced practice in education fields, the arts, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.

We're redefining holistic education.

Our students belong to a strong and supportive community of scholars – a warm, nurturing environment that encourages the exploration of new ideas. Our faculty lead in their professional fields and collaborate across academic disciplines: teachers working with psychologists and health professionals, musicians with speech pathologists, educators with visual artists. They work with students to research topics like the effects of immigration on learning, childhood nutrition, and obesity, and how digital media is transforming social relationships. Our research institutes impact scholarship and policies around the globe.

At Steinhardt, learning takes place in and out of the classroom.

For more than a century, we’ve been building partnerships in our community: with local schools, families, community agencies, arts organizations, cultural institutions, and healthcare facilities. A Steinhardt education consists of rigorous classroom study as well as interning at New York City’s top media companies, clinical placements at renowned hospitals, or student teaching in one of the world’s most diverse school systems. It means unrivaled opportunities for professional training and career advancement.

We prepare you to lead in a global society.

Like the city, we call home, our faculty, students, and staff represents an extensive range of backgrounds, viewpoints, and perspectives. And though our roots go deep in New York, our work at home is influencing – and influenced by – our connections abroad. Every day, Steinhardt graduates continue to change the world.

NYU's International Rankings

• #7 – US News & World Report, Best Graduate Schools in Education
• #27 – Times Higher Education World University Rankings
• #29 – Academic Ranking of World Universities
• #52 – QS World University Rankings

School Timeline

Founded in 1890 as the School of Pedagogy, NYU Steinhardt was the first professional school devoted to teacher education to be established at an American university. The School's early mission was to educate school administrators and prepare men and women for work in colleges of teacher education. By 1921, the School was educating teachers at all levels and across all fields, including the arts and health, offering undergraduate through doctoral degrees. As the education field expanded, the School broadened its focus to incorporate new knowledge and scientific developments, and new programs emerged.