Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management)
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) |
| Deakin course code | M785 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Business and Law |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online |
| Online | 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. |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| 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
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Specialisations
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Other learning experiences
- Research and research-related study
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Prepare for a leadership role within the arts and creative industries and learn directly from industry-active academics who have forged successful careers in this exciting industry. Deakin’s Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) allows you to build business expertise along with the hands-on skills employers are seeking.
Ready to thrive, adapt and lead in a rapidly evolving arts industry?
Gain a competitive advantage by studying the only course of its kind in Australia delivered by a business school. Build connections with like-minded professionals and develop a whole suite of business skills, as well as a solid context around the creative industries and its specific management challenges.
Whether you’re a creative practitioner working at the grassroots level of the industry or looking to move into a more senior position, this course gives you the tools and training to confidently transition into a leadership role within a not-for-profit or commercial organisation.
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) or prepare a business plan for a creative industries start up. 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:
- Business Strategy and Analysis
- Consumer Behaviour
- Creating Your Arts Business
- Managing Innovation
- Marketing Management.
Students with an interest in events and festivals are encouraged to consider the event management specialisation where skills obtained are not only sought out by employers, they are directly transferable to a range of arts manager roles, such as in visual and performing arts and local government organisations.
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 will be learning from the very best.
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 will be ready to take advantage of this demand and reach your full potential.
Indicative student workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, online interactions, or professional experiences for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units. 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 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:
- arts and cultural venues
- community arts and cultural development
- festivals
- performing and visual arts
- museums and galleries
- publishing houses
- screen industries
- touring companies.
Many leaders within the industry are graduates from this course and have gone on to work in high-profile organisations such as:
- Arts Centre Melbourne
- Australian Ballet
- Creative Partnerships Australia
- Federal, state and local government arts departments
- Melbourne Fringe Festival
- Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
- Museum Victoria
- National Gallery of Australia
- Opera Australia
- Regional Arts Australia
- Theatre Network 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 standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
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) |
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| 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
To complete the Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) students must pass 12 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- 8 credit points of core units
- 4 credit points of open elective units
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Specialisations
Faculty-wide specialisations (optional)
Refer to the details of each specialisation for availability.
- Applied Research*
- Accounting
- Artificial Intelligence for Business
- Business Analytics
- Business Law*
- Cyberlaw*
- Digital Transformation
- Digital Finance
- Event Management
- Finance
- Financial Planning
- Human Resource Management
- Information Systems
- International Trade and Business
- Leadership
- Management Consulting
- Marketing
- Marketing Technology
- Professional Practice
- 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:-
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin |
Core units
| MMK792 | Arts Marketing |
| MMM790 | Arts Management |
| MAA702 | Financial Interpretation |
| MPM722 | Human Resource Management |
| MMM799 | Arts Fundraising and Sponsorship |
| MMM796 | Managing Arts in Community Settings |
| MMM707 | Creative Industries |
| MMM793 | Managing Events (Capstone) |
Open 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)
- Deakin stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials)
^Recommended electives
| ACA715 | Creating Your Arts Business |
| MPT712/MPM712 | Managing Innovation ^ |
| MMK732 | Marketing Management |
| MPM703 | Business Strategy and Analysis |
| AIP773 | Governance and Accountability in Turbulent Times |
| MPK713 | Unit description is currently unavailable |
| MPP822 | Research in Practice |
MWL Units:
| MWL705 | Business for Social Impact |
| MWL716 | Consultancy Experience |
| MWL717 | Entrepreneurship Experience |
| MWL718 | Internship |
^ MPT code denotes study tour version of the unit
Stackable short courses
Mix and match Deakin stackable short courses (0.5 credit point microcredentials) to earn up to 1 credit point of open electives, subject to eligibility. Any stacking must add up to a whole number to be used for credit. For more information, visit the Deakin stackable short course options.
Work experience
This course provides students the opportunity to complete one or more elective work integrated learning units.
Explore Business and Law WIL opportunities.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing 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
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
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 mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.