MAAA-MPA Dual Degree

Make the arts policies that matter

At the O’Neill School, you can pursue the unique opportunity of earning a Master of Arts in Arts Administration in combination with a Master of Public Affairs with a concentration in Nonprofit Management.

As an MAAA-MPA dual degree student you will develop skills in quantitative analysis, public sector management, budgeting, and public policy while gaining expertise in arts management, marketing, law, and cultural policy.

96%employment or continuing education rate for grads (2020-21)

Take the first step

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.

Application deadlines

Fall term

  • Priority deadline: January 15 
  • Final deadline: June 1 
  • International: January 15 

The MAAA-MPA Program

2degrees

5semesters

The course requirements for the dual MAAA-MPA can be completed in just five semesters, plus an internship usually carried out during one of the summers in which you’re enrolled in the program. This dual degree provides a combination of skills especially well-suited for you if you have an interest in doing applied research for arts organizations in the commercial, nonprofit, or public sector.

Course offerings vary each semester. View the current schedule of classes at Student Central.

AADM-Y 502 Organizational Behavior and the Arts
AADM-Y 530 Audience Development and Marketing the Arts
AADM-Y 562 Legal Issues in the Arts

Performing Arts Management Course (3 credits)

Choose one:
AADM-Y 511 Performing Arts Center Management or
AADM-Y 508 Performing Arts Organization Management or
AADM-Y 505 Programming the Performing Arts

Visual Arts Management Course (3 credits)

Choose one:
AADM-Y 525 Museum Management or
AADM-Y 506 Curating for Museums and Galleries

Arts And Cultural Policy Course (3 credits)

Choose one:
AADM-Y 551 Cultural Planning and Urban Development or
AADM-Y 559 Public Policy in the Arts

  • Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making (V 506)
  • Public Finance and Budgeting (F 560)
  • Public Policy Process (V 512) OR Comparative and International Policy Process (V 538)
  • Public Management Economics (V 517)
  • Social Equity and Justice (V 532)
  • Rights and Responsibilities: How Law Shapes Public Affairs (V 536)
  • Designing and Managing Complex Projects (V 537)
  • Evidence-Based Decision-Making (V 550)

  • SPEA–N 521 The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector
  • SPEA–Y 558 Fund Development for Nonprofits

Choose one of the following:

  • SPEA–F 526 Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations
  • AADM–Y 515 Financial Management for the Arts

Choose one of the following combinations:

  • SPEA–V 600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs
  • SPEA–N 525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector

-- OR --

  • AADM–Y 650 Seminar in Arts Administration
  • AADM–Y 504 Arts Administration in the Public and Private Sectors

As part of the MAAA-MPA program, you will complete 9 credit hours of elective course. Elective courses must be graduate level (500+) and can be taken through any academic program on campus. Elective course offerings vary each semester, so be sure to view the current schedule of classes at the Office of the Registrar.

From curating to human resources, stage management to graphic design, IU offers students a variety of elective course options. Many Arts Administration students take electives in Arts Administration at O’Neill; the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance; Jacobs School of Music; the School of Art and Design; and the Media School.

  • In the Master of Arts in Arts Administration program, you’re required to complete a 280-hour internship. You may register for internship credit (AADM Y750) at any time within the program.

Get more details

  • Tessitura Network
  • City of Bloomington Economic and Arts District
  • San Francisco Symphony
  • Connor Prairie Interactive History Park
  • The Kennedy Center
  • Missouri Art Council
  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
  • City of Hillsboro, Oregon
  • Smithsonian Institute
  • Seattle University
  • Indiana Arts Commission
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana
  • Wonder Lab Museum of Science, Health and Technology

Learn more at the Career Hub

“The MAAA program is the place where you will learn to think critically about the opportunities and challenges facing artists and arts organizations. The pandemic has forced a significant ‘reset’ on the field, which, while difficult, also provides the ability for administrators to experiment, innovate, and drive positive change. By studying with our extraordinary faculty, by learning from and working with arts leaders from around the nation, and by building a network that will support you throughout your career, you will finish this degree prepared to help reshape our cultural landscape for the better.” 

—Karen Gahl-Mills, Director, Arts Administration Program

See all Arts Administration faculty

 

Gain real-world experience while still in school

You can join professional student organizations that offer networking and current information on events in the industry.

Get involved

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Katie Skayhan, MAAA-MPA’18

“School transformed my worldview. My mentors helped me grow as a more thoughtful leader, strategic thinker, and advocate for cultural equality. My peers inspired me to keep dreaming and lead for the greater good.”

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Kiotta Marshall, MAAA-MPA’18

“O’Neill afforded me so many opportunities, both in and out of the classroom. Not only have my courses armed me with the knowledge to successfully enter the nonprofit sector, but my experiential learning offered even more valuable lessons in inplementing this knowledge.”