This is a three-course, nine-credit credential that prepares you for a career in arts administration in a variety of different areas: Leadership, strategic planning, communications, organizational management, presenting in the performing arts and budgeting forecasting and fundraising ... to name just some of the opportunities in the realm of arts administration.
- An undergraduate degree in an arts, humanities or related discipline.
- A bachelor’s degree in any other discipline plus at least three years’ professional experience working in an arts organization.
See the application page for a full description of requirements.
Graduate students already enrolled in the College of Music can elect any of the certificate courses and are eligible to earn the certificate. The cost of tuition is determined by all university policies currently in place for degree-earning students.
Undergraduate College of Music students may be admitted to any one of these courses, but only with the permission of the instructor; as with graduate students, tuition rates will apply, just as they do for any electives taken.
The GRE is not required.
The cost of tuition for non-degree students is $750 per credit hour for Colorado state residents and $1,800 per credit hour for non-residents.
Tuition and fees are just one part of the overall cost to attend CU Boulder. The full cost of attendance for an academic year could include expenses such as on-campus housing and food, books and supplies, and items that are not billed by the university, such as personal expenses, transportation and medical insurance. View the full cost of attendance.
The deadline to apply is June 30. Learn more on our Certificate in Arts Administration application page.
The certificate program is comprised of three, three-credit courses, nine credit hours in all. The goal of the certificate program is to serve as a useful platform for building the skillsets essential for a successful career in arts administration. A typical master’s degree, on the other hand, requires 30 to 45 hours to complete, usually including a robust set of business and finance courses.
All three classes are synchronous and offered in hybrid format (in-person and remote). On-campus graduate students are expected to attend in person.
The College of Music expects to create space for every enrolled certificate student. The intent is to maintain small class sizes (up to 20 students).
The City of Boulder Arts Council offers scholarships for those already working in an arts organization located within Boulder city limits. This can include current CU Boulder employees working in such areas as CU Presents, the CU Arts Museum, Shakespeare Festival, etc. Anyone admitted to this program can apply to the Arts Council for scholarship funding. No other form of merit aid is available through the university.
MUSC 5978 (Introduction to Arts Administration) is offered in Fall semesters on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:40-5:55 p.m. MT. This course is intended to be a prerequisite for the other two courses.
MUSC 5948 (Sustainable Arts Organizations) is offered in Spring semesters on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-6:15 p.m. MT.
MUSC 5938 (Management and Leadership in the Arts) is offered in Spring semesters on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-6:15 p.m. MT.
The College of Music is particularly proud of the experiential background, accomplishments and dedication of its instructors:
Marilyn Brock, lecturer and interim director of the Entrepreneurship Center for Music, is a PhD candidate studying business administration at the University of Denver. She holds an MBA, an MA in musicology and a BM in voice. Her research in leadership and organizational behavior addresses questions about how organizations can promote and support individual well-being and equity in the workplace. In addition to her current role at CU Boulder, Brock is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business where she created and has taught a new course on arts entrepreneurship. Brock draws on her experience in performance and for- and nonprofit management to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of arts leadership and business development. In spring 2024, she is teaching MUSC 4968/5938: Management and Leadership in the Arts.
Andrew Metzroth (he/him), Operations Director for CU Presents, leads CU Boulder’s performing arts box office and oversees the CU Boulder implementation of Tessitura ticketing software. Additionally, he manages procurement, logistics and performance operations for many CU Boulder arts events. Outside of CU Presents, Metzroth has worked professionally in theatre and performing arts since 2005. His theatrical design and production work has been seen in over 150 productions across the United States, including at CU Boulder, the Denver Center Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory, Single Carrot Theatre, Arvada Center, Stories on Stage and Butterfly Effect Theatre of Colorado (BETC).
Andrew Todd, assistant dean for advancement, has had a varied career as a nonprofit executive, fundraiser, consultant and performer. He holds degrees from Northwestern University, Mannes College of Music and a DMA in piano performance from CU Boulder. As a nonprofit executive, he has led organizations like Aspen Public Radio and Grand Teton Music Festival. Todd continues to be active as a pianist and organist. In spring 2024, he is teaching MUSC 5948: Sustainable Arts Organizations.
The expectation is that students will complete the certificate program in one academic year by taking Introduction to Arts Administration in the fall semester and the remaining two courses in the spring semester.
Students must earn at least a grade of “B” in each of the three courses to be awarded the certificate.
The College of Music, one of the highest ranked music programs in the country, will provide the successful certificate holders a credential that will prepare them for success in arts administration. Arts organizations will benefit from the insights and understanding of the field that our program graduates will have achieved. In turn, program graduates will access more opportunities from which to choose and the greater likelihood of a satisfying career in the arts.
The faculty advisor is Associate Dean for Graduate Studies Margaret Berg, Margaret.Berg@colorado.edu.