Master of Arts in Arts & Nonprofit Leadership/MBA Curriculum

The joint degree of Master of Arts in Arts & Nonprofit Leadership/MBA serves our students who are interested in combining creative passions alongside business acumen.

This refined curriculum - and partnership between the Meadows School of the Arts and the Cox School of Business - serves the student who aims to step into Non-profit or the Arts with the education to lift others and organizations beyond the imagined scope.

Year 1

Year 1 - Fall Term - 24 Credit Hours

Module A Courses

  • Foundations of Arts and Nonprofit Leadership
  • Financial Accounting I
  • Managerial Economics
  • Managerial Finance
  • Data Analytics
  • First-Year Foundations
  • Managing Your Career
  • Organizational Behavior

Module B Courses

  • Nonprofit and Financial Management and Accountability
  • Financial Accounting II or Managerial Accounting
  • Management Decision Analysis
  • Data Analytics (continued)
  • Marketing Management
  • First-Year Foundations (continued)
  • Managing Your Career (continued)
  • Business Communications

Note:

  • Students select the second accounting course based on their interest and anticipated concentration: either Financial Accounting II or Strategic Cost Analysis.
  • First-Year Foundations is a requirement of the M.A./MBA program. The successful completion of this degree requirement earns a grade of P (pass). Students participate in various required activities to enhance professional development.

Year 1 - Spring Term - 18-24 Credit Hours

  • Practicum (10 hours per week over BOTH Modules A and B)

Module A Courses

  • Resource Development for Nonprofit Leaders
  • Operations Management
  • Strategic Management
  • The Unbridled Venture Project
  • Elective - one or two courses (2-4 credit hours)

Module B Courses

  • Earned Revenue and Program Development
  • Macroeconomics or Financial Markets and Monetary Policy
  • Global Leadership Program
  • Leading Teams and Organizations
  • Elective - one or two courses (2-4 credit hours)

Notes: 

  • Students concentrating in Finance should enroll in Financial Markets and Monetary Policy instead of Macroeconomics.

Year 1 - Summer Term - 3 Credit Hours

  • Arts Administration Internship
  • Leadership Intensive 

Year 2

Year 2 - Fall Term - 18 Credit Hours

International Study - Optional
Courses at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy -- student can opt to study abroad or not

  • Arts and nonprofit leadership electives at Meadows: four courses (12 credit hours)
  • Business electives at Cox: 2 courses (4 credit hours)

Year 2 - Spring Term - 18-20 Credit Hours

  • Practicum (10 hours per week over BOTH Modules A and B)

Module A Course

  • Strategic Internal and External Communication 

Module B Course

  • Nonprofit Strategic Planning and Change Management
  • Nonprofit Marketing Strategy (offered every other year)

Module A and B Courses

  • Business electives: seven or eight courses (14-16 credit hours)

Cox Credit Hours Summary for M.A./Full-Time MBA Program

  • 34 credit hours of required Cox courses
  • 18 credit hours of elective Cox courses

52 credit hours total from Cox toward M.A./MBA degree

Note: For the 18 credit hours of elective courses, students complete one concentration. Each concentration requires 12–16 specific credit hours.

Credit Hours Summary by School

Year Meadows School of the Arts Cox School of Business
 1  11 34
 2 16 18
 Total 27 52