- Combine key knowledge and skills in arts management and cultural policy with specialist options.
- Benefit from more than 50 active partnerships with arts, cultural and policy organisations, offering opportunities for practice-based research, expert teaching and placements.
- Join our growing international network of current and future arts leaders, made up of alumni, arts, museum and heritage professionals and current students from all over the world.
MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice
University Rank:#35
Duration1 year(s)
Tuition FeeGBP 40,039 / Year
Next IntakeSeptember 1, 2026
MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice
About
Our interdisciplinary MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice course covers the wide range of expertise associated with running arts organisations and coordinating arts and cultural programmes and events, as well as the strategic development of art forms, cultural leadership practices and local cultural management.
You will draw on broad literatures and sources, covering areas from the creative arts, drama, music, art history, critical theory and cultural economics, to business studies, organisational studies and critical cultural policy studies.
This course brings together theory and practice in diverse areas including:
- production and programming
- policymaking
- strategic management and leadership
- finance and resource development
- marketing
- audience development
- engagement
- participation
- education
- research
- evaluation
You will develop your knowledge and understanding of the history, theory and practice of arts management to gain an insight into the range of professional opportunities in the creative and cultural sector, and to acquire direct experience of many areas of arts management.
You will benefit from a strong practical, hands-on element while also receiving a solid theoretical grounding that explores cultural policy in its historical context and encourages critical engagement with the philosophical, political, social and economic imperatives informing contemporary practice.
Disciplines
MA
Requirements
Entry Requirements
We normally expect students to have a First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent in a humanities-based subject area.
English Requirements
- IELTSMin 5.5
- TOEFLMin 72
English Program Requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries that equate to a UK 2.1. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country .
If English is not your first language, please provide us with evidence of:
- an overall grade 7.0 (with a minimum writing score of 7) in IELTS; or
- 100+ in the IBT Internet-based TOEFL).
The other language tests we accept can be found here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/new-approved-english-tests.pdf
Exceptions to needing a language test (if English is NOT your first language) are:
if you have successfully completed an academic qualification deemed by UK NARIC as equivalent to at least a UK Bachelors Degree or higher from one of the following countries:Antigua & Barbuda; Australia; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Ireland; Jamaica; New Zealand; St Kitts and Nevis; St Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; UK; USA.
Career
Career opportunities
Everyone working in this industry will let you know that networking is crucial to make it, without this degree I would never have been able to meet and enrich my network to its current level.
I’d highly recommend this degree to anyone interested in entering the cultural industries from a business perspective or understanding how wider politics shape the arts & culture industry.
Viktoria Barillova / MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice Graduate
As well as going into further research, our postgraduates pursue successful careers as managers, administrators, policymakers or practitioners in various branches of the arts, cultural and creative industries.
Opportunities exist in:
- the public, private, and voluntary sectors;
- theatres, opera houses, concert halls, arts centres, festival management, museums and galleries;
- orchestras, theatre companies and dance companies;
- the Arts Council, British Council, local authorities, tourist boards and various funding bodies.
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability.
Fee Information
Tuition Fee
40,039 / year
MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice
The University of Manchester
United Kingdom, Manchester