Arizona State University (Tempe campus)
Creative Enterprise and Cultural Leadership, MA
Study detals
: Master's degree : Creative Enterprise and Cultural Leadership, MA HICECLMA : Full time : 24 MonthRequirements
- Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
- Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a minimum of a bachelor's degree in an arts, design, business, public policy or a related discipline from a regionally accredited institution.
- Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- letters of recommendation
- letter of intent
- professional resume
- example of academic or professional work
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency (TOEFL 80 (no band below 20) (IELTS 6.5 at least 6.0 in all skills)) regardless of their current residency.
The letter of intent must outline the applicant's reasons for choosing to pursue a Master of Arts in creative enterprise and cultural leadership and outline how their unique background and abilities make them a suitable candidate.
Applicants are required to submit an example of academic or professional work that demonstrates, within a maximum of 30 pages, the ability and potential to be successful in the program. Following are examples of appropriate submissions:
- business plan for a new or existing enterprise
- critical essay from previous academic work
- critical essay for professional audiences
- curatorial materials
- marketing materials designed or written by applicant
- material produced for professional creative practice
- other professional or technical writing relevant to the creative industries
An online interview may be held for applicants who reach the finalist stage of consideration for admission.
Additional information
Creative enterprise and cultural leadership students are changemakers and innovators working toward more just and sustainable futures that connect art and design to society.
The MA program in creative enterprise and cultural leadership has a particular emphasis on impact and place, looking at how art practice intersects with the social, political, economic and other structures that shape communities. This cross-disciplinary, collaborative program merges theory and practice in arts management, civic practice, creative placemaking, leadership and the management of innovation in the expanded creative fields.
The program offers classes that mix theory and practice through applied learning in collaboration with a range of community, nonprofit, business and public sector partners. Local and national leaders engage with students in classes, site visits and collaborative projects. The program culminates with a capstone applied project that can take the form of research or the launch of a new project.
In addition to core classes, students select additional focused coursework to advance their own professional goals and interests. The program offers several areas of curricular emphasis including creative placemaking and placekeeping, civic practice, cross-sector work and new business models.
Accelerated program options
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and master's degree in as little as five years. It is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
- Art (Art History), BA
- Art (Museum Studies), BA
- Arts (BA in the Arts), BA
- Environmental Design, BS
- Film (Film and Media Production), BA
- Film (Filmmaking Practices), BA
- Media Arts and Sciences, BA
- Music, BA
- Theatre, BA
Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:
- Evaluate challenges to and opportunities for success in the creative industries emphasizing impact and place, and the intersection of art practice and social, political, economic, and other structures that shape communities
- Apply design thinking to the development of creative enterprises including arts management, civic practice, creative placemaking, leadership, and the management of innovation in the expanded creative fields.
- Foster collaborative relationships that support dynamic co-creation in art and design learning and constructive outcomes in systems creation.
Using arts and design-based methods to advance a spectrum of enterprises, graduates are equipped to pursue positions such as:
- arts managers
- civic leaders
- cultural entrepreneurs and business leaders
- cultural producers