Joint Degree in Public Administration and Curatorial Studies
The Master of Public Administration/Master of Arts in Art (Creative) and Art History (Concentration in Critical and Curatorial Studies) joint degree program takes advantage of overlapping interests and synergies that can arise from mutual interests in nonprofit management and curatorial studies. Students in the Critical and Curatorial Studies track of the MA program will benefit from the broad managerial focus of the MPA program, while students in the MPA program can enhance their expertise in an important area of nonprofit endeavor.
Taken separately, the two programs require a total of 73 semester hours of work, while the joint program requires a total of 55 hours. Completion of both programs should improve the initial job prospects and opportunity for professional advancement of students with interests in arts-related nonprofit management.
Curriculum
The MPA/MA joint degree program requires a total of 55 credit hours of courses that satisfy MPA and MA core and elective requirements as shown below. The degree plan consists of 28 credit hours in core requirements for both programs, 12 credit hours in the MPA Concentration in Nonprofit Management, and 15 credit hours in the MA Concentration in Critical and Curatorial Studies.
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PADM 600 | Foundations of Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 601 | Research Methods for Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 642 | Human Resources Management | 3 |
| ARTH 600 | Graduate Seminar | 1 |
| Varies | 500- or 600-level Art History elective | 3 |
| Varies | 500- or 600-level ARTH elective outside Fine Arts | 3 |
| Varies | 500- or 600-level ARTH elective outside C/CS concentration | 3 |
| Varies | 600-level Arts Management elective | 3 |
Core Courses | 22
| |
| PADM 609 | Management of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| PADM 611 | Nonprofit Financial Management | 3 |
| PADM 612 | Nonprofit Grantsmanship and Fundraising | 3 |
| PADM 615 | Leadership and Community Engagement | 3 |
Courses in MPA Concentration in Nonprofit Administration | 12
| |
| ARTH 541 | Modern Perspectives in the Visual Arts | 3 |
| ART 542 | Approaches to Critical Inquiry | 3 |
| ARTH 547/647 | Museum Methods I | 3 |
| ARTH 548/648 | Museum Methods II | 3 |
| ARTH 649 | Curatorial Internship | 3 |
Courses in MA Concentration in Critical and Curatorial Studies | 15
| |
Thesis Credit Hours (PADM 695 and ARTH 645/646) | 6
| |
Total Credit Hours | 55
| |
Thesis
Each student is required to complete a 6 credit hour thesis, consisting of 3 hours of PADM 695 and 3 hours of ARTH 645/646. The thesis is expected to bridge the fields of nonprofit administration and curatorial studies. The thesis committee will consist of three faculty members, including at least one member from the MPA faculty and one member from the Fine Arts faculty. The student also has the option to participate in a 200 hour public administration internship in place of the PADM 695 portion of the thesis requirement
Admissions
A student who wishes to pursue both degrees must submit a separate application and must be admitted to both the Master of Public Administration program and the MA in Art (Creative) and Art History: Concentration in Critical and Curatorial Studies program. Applicants should be aware that separate admissions tests may be required, and that separate admissions criteria will be applied.
Tuition/Financial Aid
Current tuition rates for University of Louisville students are here .
Tuition for Kentucky residents for academic year 2020-2021 is $7,530 per semester for full-time (9 or more credit hours) or $837 per credit hour. Tuition for out-of-state residents is $14,587 per semester for full-time or $1,621 per credit hour.
The University also offers financial support for graduate students. Interested students should check the
Graduate School Financial Support
website regularly for financial aid opportunities.
Contact
Aaron Rollins, Ph.D., MPA Program Director
Phone: (502) 852-7955
Email: aaron.rollins@louisville.edu
Chris Reitz, Ph.D., Program Head, Critical and Curatorial Studies
Hite Art Institute
Phone: (502) 852-0441
Email: chris.reitz@louisville.edu