Opinions from the field: Graduate assessments of the value of master's degrees in arts administration.

Abstract

Respondents generally reported that the degree helped them in their job searches and prepared them well for work in the arts. Open-ended responses, however, allowed them the opportunity to discuss their misgivings with the degree and problems they found in their job searches. Respondents listed a lack of mid-level or higher-paying jobs and a need for more training in fund raising, accounting, and other areas of business management. The most important aspects of their programs were their courses in marketing, fund raising, business applications such as accounting and management, and the application of these topics specifically to the arts and non-profits. They also valued their practical experiences and networking opportunities. The results of this study generally support the value of master's degrees in arts administration and offer recommendations for the improvement of these degree programs.

Some question the value of such a degree, considering that prior studies show that experience is often preferred over formal training. This study was designed to determine the value of the degree by surveying graduates of these programs on their training and their use of the degree in their work in the arts. A web-based survey was administered to 322 master's degree program graduates, of whom 202 were employed in the arts, 100 were employed outside the arts, and 20 were unemployed. Respondents answered a combination of forced-choice and open-ended questions, and basic and advanced statistical procedures were used to analyze the quantitative data.

Although the field of arts administration has been described as a segmented family of professions, master's degree programs have been in place for over 30 years to provide advanced formal training for arts managers. The master's degree in arts administration or arts management was designed to offer a foundation in marketing, fund raising, business, management, accounting, law, and other areas of concern in the field of arts management. Thousands of people have graduated from these programs and now provide much of the management pool for today's arts organizations.