CURRICULUM

Degree Requirements - Arts Leadership
The MFA in Arts Leadership requires 54 credits total. Students share many course requirements with students participating in two related graduate programs: Nonprofit Leadership and Public Administration. The Graduate Management Practicum experience continues each quarter allowing the student to apply their academic work in local arts organizations. This experience culminates in the Summary Project, synthesizing the work that each student has done in their focus area, visual or performing arts, with the work they have produced in their community practicum experiences.

I. Required Courses:
Forty-eight credits, including:

• PUBM 586 Fundamentals of the Non-Profit Sector (3 credits)
• NPLR 525 Leadership & Interpersonal Behavior for Nonprofit Executives (6 credits)
• NPLR 536 Management Analysis and Control (3 credits)
• NPLR 537 Boards and Volunteers (3 credits)
• NPLR 541 Public Policy, Advocacy and Collaboration (3 credits)
• NPLR 543 Resource Development for Nonprofit Organizations (6 credits)
• NPLR 544 Persuasive Communication for Nonprofit Executives (3 credits)
• ARTL 540 Marketing the Arts (3 credits)
• ARTL 595 Graduate Management Practicum (9 credits)
• ARTL 599 Summary Project (3 credits)

Choose one of the following courses: (3 credits)

• PUBM 521 Management and Human Relations
• PUBM 522 Human Resource Management

Choose one of the following courses: (3 credits)

• PUBM 581 Labor Law and Collective Bargaining
• ARTL 580 Law and the Arts
  

II. Program Electives:
Six credits, from the following:

• ARTL 591 Special Topics
• ARTL 592 Special Topics
• ARTL 593 Special Topics
• PUBM 583 Mediation and Negotiation Skills
• PUBM 585 Leadership, Learning and Change Management

MINIMUM CREDITS REQUIRED FOR DEGREE = 54

Course Descriptions:
PUBM 586 Fundamentals of the Nonprofit Sector 3
The roles played by various types of nonprofit organizations in American communities, and the traditions, laws, regulations, and customs which influence their operations. Considers the public policy environment that influences the character and operation of nonprofits, as well as the roles of nonprofits in influencing public policy.

NPLR 525 Leadership and Interpersonal Behavior for Nonprofit Executives 6
Theoretical and applied knowledge about concepts of leadership, leadership styles and situations, communication skills, techniques of inspiration, motivation, conflict resolution, negotiating and building consensus, coping with change, and fostering innovation. This class meets in the first August intercession and includes a number of weekdays of full time study.

NPLR 536 Management Analysis and Control 3
Planning, reporting and controlling of fiscal resources and overall management control systems, budgeting, terminology and principles of financial accounting and program evaluation, analysis of financial statements, responsibility and program structure, internal controls and audit responsibility, managerial financial controls and pricing.

NPLR 537 Boards and Volunteers 3
Organizing and leading volunteers to provide governance and other assistance, board and staff relations, systems and tactics of volunteer motivation, recruitment, development, utilization and retention, strategies and best practices for creating an effective, diverse and committed organizational leadership team.

NPLR 541 Public Policy, Advocacy and Collaboration 3
Understanding how nonprofit organizations can work productively with governments and businesses to develop and maintain sound public policies that serve the interests of the organization and their customers, framing public problems and developing policy proposals, building effective partnerships, constituencies and advocacy campaigns, and complying with lobbying regulations.

NPLR 543 Resource Development For Nonprofit Organizations 6
Specific skills, knowledge and understanding required of executives to lead and manage the resource development and fundraising functions, integrating fundraising and stewardship throughout the organization, organizational readiness measures, materials and tools of resource development, best practices for involving volunteers, boards and staff in researching and soliciting contributions, methodologies for creating and using an effective, diversified and comprehensive resource development plan.

NPLR 544 Persuasive Communication for Nonprofit Executives 3
Principles and practices of speaking effectively to persuade an audience, methods of assessing audience communication preferences, preparing for formal and informal speaking opportunities expected of nonprofit executives including radio and television presentations, assessing your communication strengths and opportunities for improvement. This class will emphasize practice and feedback.

PUBM 521 Management and Human Relations Skills 3
Study and practice of management/human relations skills for successful leadership in public and nonprofit organizations. Topics include self-awareness, team-building, stress management, communications, empowerment, power and influence, and conflict management. Emphasis on experiential learning.

PUBM 522 Human Resource Management 3
Analyzes effective human resource management in public and nonprofit organizations. Addresses topics of human resource planning, equal employment opportunity laws and programs, recruitment, selection, and compensation of personnel, performance appraisal, organizational development initiatives such as TQM and re-engineering, and selected contemporary topics.

PUBM 581 Labor Law and Collective Bargaining 3
Examines the legal foundations and organizational and behavioral relationships in the field of labor law and collective bargaining. Explores the history, legislation, and court intervention in labor relations. Students will engage in research and undertake other practical applications of the course concepts.

PUBM 583 Mediation and Negotiation Skills 3
Discusses conflict resolution and the principles, methods, and dynamics of negotiation and mediation processes. Students develop awareness and personal skills to become more effective in negotiating and resolving conflicts, especially in public service work environments. A large portion of class time is devoted to experiential learning situations including bargaining and mediation simulations.

PUBM 585 Leadership, Learning and Change Management 3
The practice of leadership, learning, and change management in relation to self, others, teams, and organizations. A conceptual and experiential exploration of contemporary theories of leadership, personal and organizational learning, and the related dynamics of personal and organizational change. Emphasis on application to public and non-profit organizations.

MFAL 540 Marketing the Arts 3
Students will develop specific skills of audience development to be applied in performing and visual arts organizations. This includes developing an organization’s brand and image and translating it into media messages that accurately communicate the organization’s mission. Topics include developing and implementing a public relations strategy, working with the media, developing print materials, and managing marketing budgets.

MFAL 580 Law and the Arts 3
Examines the legal foundations of artistic creation including copyright, freedom of expression, ownership of ideas, and public domain laws. Students will also learn about the fundamentals of contract negotiation and creation and develop an understanding of the collective bargaining process. Topics include conflict resolution and the principles, methods and dynamics of negotiation and mediation processes.

MFAL 591-593 Special Topics 3
Topics vary.

MFAL 595 Graduate Management Practicum 1-3
Integrates and applies the arts management theories being learned in the coursework with the realities of the workplace. Participants can select to work in one organization during the entire duration of the MFA program or they can elect to work in a variety of arts management areas in different organizations. This practicum provides students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in resource development, arts marketing, audience development and general management to actual positions within Puget Sound arts organizations.

MFAL 599 Summary Project 3
Integrates the practicum and academic experiences of the program into one comprehensive project. This project recommends a solution or solutions to an existing problem in an arts organization. Students are expected to utilize current research and publications, advisors, academic resources, and their own experience to address the identified problem or challenge. This project is intended to integrate a wide variety of leadership management skills and the knowledge learned throughout the program. The course requires completion of a written report and an oral presentation.