The MA program in Visual Arts Administration prepares students to become leaders in a broad range of arts organizations. The program explores the whole art ecology, including the cultural and economic contexts in which arts organizations operate, the role of the artist in society, the stewardship and display of works of art, and the role of art theorists, critics, curators, collectors, dealers, and publics in the global arts ecosystem. Students learn foundational skills and concepts through required coursework in law, accounting, strategic planning, marketing, and digital strategy. Program electives (including the option to pursue internships) provide opportunities to delve deeper into specific nonprofit and for-profit arts contexts. The curriculum instills the creative, analytic and practical skills necessary for cultural leadership.
Special Opportunities
Internships provide opportunities to develop relationships with art organizations in New York City through which students gain invaluable professional experience that lays the foundation for their careers. The VAA Program maintains an ongoing listing of internship opportunities in collaboration with the program advisor and Department of Art and Art Professions.
Nurturing a global perspective is a focus across the curriculum through readings, case studies, guest speakers, and experiential learning. Students benefit from access to New York City’s galleries, alternative spaces, museums, auction rooms, and more. The program also offers an international study abroad seminar course that provides graduate students with an opportunity to experience cultural expression and policies in European venues.
Career Opportunities
Graduates hold positions in a broad cross section of museums, cultural institutions, foundations, galleries, auction houses, and advisory services throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Through opportunities from alumni and internship programs, students work at institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Asia Society, Sotheby's, Christie's, and a wide range of galleries.
The course sequence is determined by advisement and tailored to the needs of each individual student. Courses are offered on a rotating basis so that part-time students can finish the program in three years.
Students take entry-level business courses at the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business and the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and fulfill at least 3 credits of internships with a range of sponsors, including galleries, museums, and other arts organizations.
In addition to business and internship requirements, students in both areas of the program must complete a substantial, well-researched master’s thesis. Research focuses on a particular interest or issue in the visual arts administration field; this is a two-semester sequence that begins with an interactive seminar. Students complete the thesis during their last semester in the program.
The program offers two international study abroad opportunities: Visual Arts and Performing Arts Administration in Paris and Berlin and Exhibition and Display of Art and Material Culture in London.
Non-Credited, Independent Work Related to the Final Project
Credits
9
Total Credits
39
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:
Demonstrate an understanding of the global art system, from art businesses to art museums, tracking the economic, social, and cultural processes.
Evaluate how artwork is valued, interpreted, presented, documented and maintained for posterity.
Apply an expansive and inclusive world view that values different perspectives, identities, concerns and goals.
Analyze the economic, legal, ethical and policy issues in the arts sector.
Critique and compare international art operations and management of organizations on various scales and contexts.
Produce strategies for marketing, public outreach and community collaboration in the arts.
Synthesize business skills with theories of art management, cutting-edge strategies of communications, and new technologies aligned with professional ethics as a foundation for a meaningful career in the arts.
Policies
Program Policies
Visual Arts Administration (VAA) students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to remain in good academic standing. Any student whose minimum cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be reviewed by the Committee on Student Progress (COSP) for Notice of Academic Alert or Notice of Academic Concern.
Effective Fall 2026, students must obtain a C+ or higher in any required ARVA-GE courses to count toward their degree progress. These courses can be attempted a maximum of two times. Attempts include final grades of C or lower in required ARVA-GE courses as well as course withdrawals; term withdrawals/leaves of absence do not factor into the number of attempts.
Students who obtain a C or lower in required ARVA-GE courses will be reviewed by COSP for Notice of Academic Alert or Notice of Academic Concern. Students who are not able to complete and pass required ARVA-GE courses with at least a C+ grade after two attempts will be reviewed by the Committee on Student Progress for Notice of Academic Concern or dismissal.
VAA students are not permitted to take required courses pass/fail. Elective courses may be taken pass/fail with program approval.
Internship Policies
The Visual Arts Administration (VAA) MA program prepares students for leadership roles in museums, auction houses, galleries, and other art endeavors. Through the elective course ARVA-GE 2302 Internship in Visual Arts Administration, students have the opportunity to explore the arts workplace and learn from practitioners the day-to-day operations of a successful art business or nonprofit.
During the internship course, students work closely with the Internship Coordinator to assess their progress and define learning and career goals. Internships must be approved by the Internship Coordinator in advance and students must register by the add/drop deadline. We recommend that students secure an internship offer letter two weeks prior to the start of their internships to ensure that all paperwork is processed before their official start date. Importantly, the course ARVA-GE 2302 Internship in Visual Arts Administration can be repeated twice for a maximum of 6 credits.
Internship hours must align with the number of credits students are enrolled in. Hourly commitments are estimated given a standard 14-week semester:
1 credit: 75 hours of fieldwork (~6 hours/week)
2 credits: 150 hours of fieldwork (~11 hours/week)
3 credits: 225 hours of fieldwork (~16 hours/week)
In order to receive work authorization and receive any form of payment (including hourly wage, travel reimbursement, and stipends), international students must apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) via the NYU Office of Global Services (OGS).