Business: Arts Administration MBA at University of Wisconsin Madison

Admissions to the Business: Arts Administration MBA will be suspended as of fall 2022 and will be discontinued as of fall 2024. If you have any questions, please contact the department.

Founded in 1900, the School of Business established one of the first five business programs in the nation. That entrepreneurial spirit remains strong.

As a student in the School of Business, you will find yourself inspired by peers, staff, alumni, business leaders, and world-renowned faculty who are focused, collaborative, and engaged in every aspect of the student experience. You will join a highly ranked program that equips you to meet both academic and career challenges. Employers value School of Business graduates because of the comprehensive preparation this learning environment provides. Graduates possess highly sought-after general management and specialized expertise in business.

Joining collaborative, inspiring, trustworthy, and progressive Wisconsin School of Business alumni, Business Badgers graduate prepared to lead their organizations to success and transform the world of business. Together Forward!

For more than four decades, the MBA in Business: Arts Administration has been the graduate degree program of choice for high-potential arts and cultural managers seeking intensive training in business, an immersion in strategic and innovative thinking, and a broad and dynamic knowledge of nonprofit cultural management. The degree has delivered on that promise through its world-class business curriculum, continual interaction with leading practitioners, and hands-on work experiences for every student. See the program website for more information.

1. Apply foundational knowledge in arts and core business topics to arts and/or nonprofit contexts that include evidence-based analysis, cultural sensitivity, artistic integrity, and appreciation for the research foundations of their work.
2. Create, communicate, and execute a strategic plan with mission-based outcomes that relies on research-based evidence, a historical context to forecast future trends, and stakeholder engagement.
3. Adaptively develop and manage the necessary resources in a mission-based organizational context to create sustainable systems that meet the needs of diverse stakeholders and honors the culture of the communities served.
4. Successfully articulate their ideas to a diverse set of constituents and stakeholders via multiple methods so as to be informative, persuasive and inspiring.
5. Make significant contributions to the thought leadership, and industry insight that strengthens and provides service to the field, lifelong learning, and career development.
6. Develop self-awareness and leadership skills necessary to: a. utilize creativity and art to articulate a clear vision; b. engage/inspire a diverse group of colleagues; c. evaluate the immediate and long-term ethical impacts of one's actions on stakeholders; d. and influence and promote progress in a variety of professional roles and contexts.
7. Engage and sustain a strong cross-functional network of professionals.