Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management)
2022 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2022 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) |
| Course Map | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2022. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2022. |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online |
| Cloud Campus | Yes |
| Duration | Depending on your professional experience and previous qualifications, the Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) is typically 1 or 1.5 years duration:
Deakin courses can also be studied part time over a longer period. |
| Deakin course code | M785 |
| Approval status | This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9. |
Please note that this course is not offered in Trimester 3. For students who commenced before Trimester 2 2020 please refer to previous version of M785 Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) | |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Alternative exits
- Fees and charges
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Specialisations
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Other learning experiences
- Research and research-related study
Course overview
The Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) prepares you for leadership roles within the arts and creative industries, while connecting you with like-minded arts professionals who share your passion. Combine business expertise with the practical skills employers are looking for, and learn from industry-active academics with lived experience of what it takes to forge a successful career.
Ready to thrive, adapt and lead in a rapidly evolving arts industry?
The Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) is the only course of its kind in Australia delivered by a business school. This gives our graduates a significant advantage by ensuring they have the practical business experience employers are seeking more than ever. It prepares managers ready for work in both not-for-profit and commercial organisations. Better still, Deakin’s business school is ranked in the top 1% globally and has a reputation for teaching excellence backed by AACSB and EQUIS accreditation. Whether you’re a creative practitioner, working at the grassroots level of the industry, or looking to move into a more senior management role the course will give you the tools and training to confidently transition into leadership and management roles.
The course is responsive to trends within the sector, better preparing you for your future role. For example, you might learn how to coordinate a virtual event (an emerging growth area in the industry) in a COVID-19 affected landscape or prepare a business plan for a creative industries startup. Through tasks like this, you can apply the fundamentals of business – including management, marketing, finance, human resources and project management – in arts and cultural management contexts.
In addition to core units of study, you can tailor your degree to your career goals by choosing up to four elective units from any Faculty of Business specialisation. Some of your options include:
- Creating Your Arts Business
- Managing Innovation
- Marketing Management
- Business Strategy and Analysis
- Consumer Behaviour.
The curriculum's connectedness to the sector comes as a result of course content that’s shaped by an advisory board and delivered by industry experts. Working alongside employers and board members within the industry, our academics develop assessments, projects and content that reflect the challenges of the field. Not only are our academics well-connected, they’re also highly credentialed and experienced. From arts managers influencing arts and cultural policies for government, to Presidents of the Green Room Awards, you’ll be learning from the very best.
Practical experience enhances your employability and grows your professional networks. Some examples of the hands-on learning you can look forward to include:
- a community-based arts project documented in the form of a grant application to the Australia Council – a past student was awarded a $35,000 grant for their submission
- industry placements – past students have secured placements with the Arts Centre Melbourne and other prominent arts organisations
- research projects that train you in valuable critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills.
As competition for our eyes and ears increases, so too does the demand for arts-literate, industry-savvy leaders who can engage interest, secure support and grow audiences. With a sought-after qualification from a leader in arts management education, you’ll be ready to take advantage of this demand and reach your full potential.
Indicative student workload
As a student in the Faculty of Business and Law, you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Professional recognition
Deakin Business School is in the top 1% of business schools globally and holds both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement and innovation in their courses, ensuring graduates are employable worldwide.
Career opportunities
The course’s strong reputation in the industry leads to great career outcomes. Your qualification, in combination with your extensive industry experience, will prepare you for leadership and senior management roles across a range of settings including:
- performing and visual arts
- festivals
- community arts and cultural development
- publishing houses
- arts and cultural venues
- touring companies
- screen industries
- museums and galleries.
Many leaders within the industry are graduates from this course and have gone on to work in high-profile organisations such as:
- Australian Ballet
- Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
- Regional Arts Victoria
- Creative Partnerships Australia
- Arts Centre Melbourne
- Opera Australia
- Melbourne Fringe Festival
- Museum Victoria
- National Gallery of Australia.
This degree will also put you in a strong position to explore some of the high-demand areas within the industry, including audience development, relationship management, festival programming, policy development, production and tour management, fundraising and development, digital content and social media marketing.
Participation requirements
Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.
Placement can occur at any time, including during the standard holiday breaks listed here: https://www.deakin.edu.au/courses/key-dates.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.
Mandatory student checks
Units which contain work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Certificate of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) (M519) | |
| Graduate Diploma of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) (M665) |
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as photocopying or travel.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Learning Outcome | Course Learning Outcome |
| Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities | Assess a broad range of specialised management approaches and their application to arts organisations, while contributing to new discipline knowledge and extending current arts management practice |
| Communication | Determine appropriate communication strategies and techniques in the practice of arts management |
| Digital literacy | Apply the use of digital technologies in relation to arts the practice of arts management |
| Critical thinking | Appraise and synthesise information in order to understand and apply theories of arts management and extend current practice |
| Problem solving | Determine solutions to a diverse range of current and emerging arts management challenges and issues |
| Self-management | Personalise reflections on arts management practice and plan professional careers |
| Teamwork | Participate and collaborate with arts management practitioners |
| Global citizenship | Incorporate arts management theory and practice from a range of cultural and international contexts and address the requirements of ethical practice |
Course rules
The Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) is typically 8 or 12 credit points. The exact number of credit points you study depends on how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) - your professional experience and previous qualifications - which can save you time and money.
For students undertaking 12 credit points, you study 8 credit points of core units and 4 credit points of elective units, plus completion of the compulsory 0-credit point module, MAI010 Academic Integrity Module. Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point.
Students are introduced to research tools and techniques in core units of the course where they learn analytic skills and the practical application of those skills in professional contexts. They must also complete advanced level units and a capstone unit that require them to integrate the skills learnt over their course of study and produce applied pieces of research with reference to prevailing literature.
Specialisations
Faculty-wide specialisations (optional)
Refer to the details of each specialisation for availability.
- Academic Research
- Accounting
- Artificial Intelligence for Business
- Business Analytics
- Business Law
- Cyberlaw
- Digital Transformation
- Digital Finance – NEW
- Event Management
- Finance
- Financial Planning
- Human Resource Management
- Information Systems
- International Trade and Business
- Leadership
- Management Consulting
- Marketing
- Marketing Technology - NEW from 2023
- Project Management
- Property and Real Estate
- Public Sector Studies
- Supply Chain Management
Course structure
Compulsory 0-credit point unit
To be completed in the first trimester of study:-
| MAI010 | Academic Integrity Module |
Core units
| MMK792 | Arts Marketing |
| MMM790 | Arts Management |
| MPA702 | Financial Interpretation |
| MPM722 | Human Resource Management |
| MMM793 | Managing Events |
| MMM799 | Arts Fundraising and Sponsorship |
| MMM796 | Managing Arts in Community Settings |
| MMM707 | Creative Industries |
Elective units
The remaining 4 credit points may be selected from:
- Recommended electives^
- a faculty-wide specialisation
- postgraduate units offered by the University (subject to eligibility)
^Recommended electives
| ACA715 | Creating Your Arts Business |
| MPT712/MPM712 | Managing Innovation ^ |
| MPK732 | Marketing Management |
| MPM703 | Business Strategy and Analysis |
| AIP773 | Governance and Accountability |
| MPK713 | Consumer Behaviour |
| MPP701 | Research Project 1A |
MWL Units:
| MWL705 | Business for Social Impact |
| MWL716 | Consultancy Experience |
| MWL717 | Entrepreneurship Experience |
| MWL718 | Internship |
^ MPT code denotes study tour version of the unit
Work experience
This course provides students the opportunity to complete one or more elective work integrated learning units.
More information: WIL Programs
Other course information
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Other learning experiences
This course includes the option of other learning experiences including residential and study tour units.
Research and research-related study
Principles of academic and research integrity are embedded within the core units undertaken for this course