Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

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  • MET AH 315: History of Photography
    The primary goal of this course is to promote critical thinking about photographic images, their meaning and impact on society. This course offers an introduction to the study of photography from it's invention in 1839 to the present. We will engage the following questions: how does photography function as an art form? a social document? and a powerful tool for communication and exploration? Photographic images deeply influence our experiences, decisions, and memories. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness.
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Historical Consciousness
  • MET AH 372: Modern Art
    Analysis of the work and thought of major masters of twentieth-century painting, sculpture, architecture, and photography, including the School of Paris and the New York School.
  • MET AH 380: Special Topics in Art History
    Program faculty selects seminar topics of current interest, usually with a singular focus, in the field.
  • MET AH 517: Seminar: The Art World
    An examination of the arts institutions, issues, and forces that shape the contemporary art world. Topics include government cultural policy, National Endowment for the Arts, museums, symphonies, curators, critics, artists' rights, public art, corporate support, censorship, feminism and multiculturalism. See also Arts Administration. Stamped approval required.
  • MET AN 101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
    This course is an introduction to the field of cultural anthropology. Cultural anthropology seeks to understand the variety of ways that humans organize their experience and live in the world, including different configurations of kinship, sex, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, politics, and economics. This course introduces students to some of that variety by examining how societies in different regions of the world differ and how both global and local social processes transform them. The course also explores the ways that anthropologists frame their inquiries and how over time they developed new approaches to these issues and to core concepts like culture and society. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
    • Social Inquiry I
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Research and Information Literacy
  • MET AN 102: Human Biology, Behavior, and Evolution
    Introduces principles of evolutionary biology, primate social behavior and adaptions, human origins, genetic/hormonal/neural bases of behavior, human socioecology, sexuality and aggression. Utilizes lectures, laboratory exercises, and discussions, to examine recent discoveries about human fossils, living primates, and human biology. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Scientific Inquiry I
    • Social Inquiry I
    • Critical Thinking
  • MET AR 510: Arts Leaders Forum
    The "Arts Leaders Forum" consists of a series of conversations with arts leaders, including entrepreneurs, community leaders and established industry experts. Each week guests will share their experiences with the class. In addition to guest speakers, students will focus on leadership skills and exercises through readings and cases. The goal of this course is to give students insight into the pressing issues of managing arts organizations, to gain leadership skills and to provide insight into career options.
  • MET AR 550: Raising Funds and Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations
    An examination of ways to raise funds from government, foundation, corporate, and individual sources. The following topics will be addressed through lectures and case analysis: the history of philanthropy, the planning and research process, proposal and grant preparation, program evaluation, and the role of the board and staff in developing effective fundraising strategies.
  • MET AR 577: Comparative Cultural Policy and Administration
    Drawing on the resources of Boston University and its partner institutions in Boston, London, and Paris, this course examines the nature of cultural policy in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and the European Union. Through class discussions and readings (drawn from public policy and economics), lectures by leading arts administration practitioners and policy makers in Paris and London, and visits to important international cultural venues, this course will examine the impact of cultural and national differences on the cultural policy making process.
  • MET AR 587: The Arts in Barcelona
    This course will look at the ways in which the arts have played a key role in the history of Barcelona and by extension, Catalonia. To understand the city and its inhabitants and their sensibility one needs to have some knowledge of history -- particularly 20th century history. To the Catalonian, Spain is to some degree an intellectual and political construct. With its own language, culture traditions and cuisine the Catalonian sees himself as distinct from the Castilian Spanish speaking population of Spain. As a culture that experienced considerable oppression -- especially during the Franco regime, Catalonians are eager to celebrate and preserve their distinct customs and traditions. This has become particularly important in recent years as the movement for Catalan independence has gained momentum. The course will meet several times on the Charles River Campus before travel to Barcelona.
  • MET AR 690: The Art World
    An examination of the arts institutions, issues, and forces that shape the contemporary art world. Surveys the institutions and actors that comprise the ecology of the art world, and examines significant recent trends within a model of four interrelated spheres: 1) Individuals; 2) Government; 3) the Nonprofit Sector; and 4) the Private Sector. Explores how stakeholders connect and interact with each other while engaging with significant institutions and the public to affect the cultural history of our time. This is the gateway course in the Arts Administration Program, and is usually taken in the first semester. Non-Arts Administration students contact the Arts Administration Program, 1010 Commonwealth Ave.
  • MET AR 711: Capital Campaigns
    This course is designed to broaden the student?s understanding of capital campaign fundraising. Topics include: feasibility studies; strategic planning and budgeting; private and public phases; ethical responsibilities; staff, donor, volunteer, board, and trustee management; major gift solicitation; campaign communications; trend analysis; and evaluation. The course curriculum will include readings, case studies, guest speakers, and analysis of current capital campaign projects.
  • MET AR 720: Marketing and Audience Development for the Arts
    This course is designed to provide fundamental background in the theory and principles of arts marketing and audience development used by nonprofit performing and visual arts organizations. Case analysis will be employed to review strategies and practices currently used in the cultural sector. Students will be expected to develop their own marketing plans for an arts organization.
  • MET AR 722: Educational Programming in Cultural Institutions
    This course will review the history, theory, and practice of educational programming and audience engagement in both museums and performing arts organizations. Emphasis will be on analysis of program design, implementation, and evaluation, teacher training, and creation of youth and adult learning programs.
  • MET AR 723: Individual Fundraising
    This course will address the full range of issues related to attracting financial support from individuals. Topics will include: raising dollars annually for operations, raising funds through special events (fundraisers), cultivating and soliciting major gifts, and the basics of bequests and estate planning as well as ethical issues and working effectively with donors and volunteers. Course work will include readings, case studies, and guest speakers.
  • MET AR 730: Political and Public Advocacy for the Arts
    This course will address the politics of arts and culture through seminars with political and cultural leaders, class discussion, readings, and research. Students will develop advocacy campaign plans and analyze how cultural organizations interact with all levels of government.
  • MET AR 740: Technology and Arts Administration
    The ever-evolving nature of computer technology presents opportunities and challenges in the work of arts administrators. This course will examine a range of technologies employed by arts organizations to improve their practice and extend their reach, including customer relations management, fundraising, collaboration management, ticketing, project management, and social media management. Students will examine emerging products and trends, interact with technology providers, engage in hands-on trials, and develop technology plans for specific organization scenarios.
  • MET AR 749: Research and Program Evaluation in Arts Administration
    This course is designed to equip students with the tools and critical thinking skills to identify and apply appropriate methodologies to support the work of their organizations as practitioners and consumers of research. We will review the major approaches to social science research, including a range of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies, and consider the relevance of each research framework to specific questions in the arts. The course will consider the role of arts research in domains such as audience development and marketing; program evaluation and assessment; social and economic impact; decision-making and reflective practice; collaboration and creation; case making and communication with the public.
  • MET AR 750: Financial Management for Nonprofits
    Analyzes issues of accounting, finance, and economics in the context of the nonprofit organization. Stresses understanding financial statements, budget planning and control, cash flow analysis, and long term planning.
  • MET AR 751: Commercial Production: The Broadway Model
    This course will examine the process of developing commercial Broadway productions from "page to stage." Students will examine the selection process that producers follow to identify a piece or property. We will examine the entire production process, from securing the rights and options, to legal processes including investor relations and collective bargaining, to assembling a creative and production team. Students will have the opportunity to meet with several Broadway producers as guest speakers. Other topics covered may include securing a theater, residual and subsidiary income as well as domestic and international touring. The leadership role of the producer will be discussed at every stage of the journey.

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