Graduate Management Practicum

David Rue (MFA '17) at his practicum at the Seattle Art Museum.

A key aspect of the MFA Arts Leadership program is development of a portfolio of practice in the field. The Graduate Management Practicum integrates and applies the arts management theories being learned in the classroom with the realities of the workplace. The practicum provides the opportunity to apply knowledge in resource development, arts marketing, audience development, planning and management to actual positions within Puget Sound arts organizations. You will build on your classroom learning, gain valuable practical experience, and develop lifelong relationships with the arts community. Practicums are real opportunities with real organizations meant to help build a career through hands on experience.

You will complete practicum work each quarter of the program. The first quarter practicum is structured as a 1-credit seminar course, which covers the requirements for successful practicum work including preparing a professional resume/cover letter, navigating the interview process, and developing a process for academic research/writing. Each subsequent quarter includes a 1-credit practicum within an arts organization, which includes a total of 40-50 hours of work and a variety of reflective writing. During the final quarter, the practicum expands to 3 credits and forms half of the summary project experience.

The following is a sampling of the organizations our students have worked with, from major institutions to grassroots, experimental, and community-based entities.

If your organization is interested in hosting one of our MFA Arts Leadership graduate students, please contact Kevin Maifeld, Arts Leadership Program Director.