Courses

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

• 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.
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  • Aesthetic Exploration
  • Historical Consciousness
• MET AH 572: Modern to Contemporary Art
  This class explores and analyzes the series of historical art movements that encompass the term "Modern Art." By examining the works and thoughts of twentieth- century masters of painting, sculpture, architecture, and photography, this class will explore and discuss the progression of art starting in 1860 and how it culminates in the current art world.
• MET AN 101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  Introduction to cultural anthropology, which 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 includes surveying different cultural groups and thinking about why they vary and what they have in common. The course also explores how anthropologists frame their inquiries, with special attention to globalization, and how we better understand our own lives, values, behavior, and worldview through studying other cultures. 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.
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  • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Social Inquiry I
• 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.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Scientific Inquiry I
  • Social Inquiry I
• MET AR 525: International Arts Practice and Policy
  This course is designed to help students in the MS in Arts and Cultural Management expand their awareness of global arts management practices and policies, and further develop skills in critical thinking and analysis.  The course involves on-campus reading and preparation and travel to one or more countries outside of the U.S. for an intensive 7-to-9-day visit.  The countries visited will vary from semester to semester.  Countries visited in the past have included England, Ireland, France, Belgium, Spain, Cuba, and Thailand.
• MET AR 530: Managing Performing Arts Organizations
  A review of topics essential for successful management of performing arts organizations. Examination of both facilities management and company management. Studies include organizational structure, trustee/staff relations, marketing, audience building, fundraising, tour management, box office management, budgeting, mailing list and membership management, human resource management and contract negotiation, performance measurement, and strategic planning.
• MET AR 535: Managing Visual Arts Organizations
  A review of topics essential for successful management of visual arts organizations. Emphasizes museums, but also includes a review of alternative spaces, commercial galleries, and auction houses. Topics include the changing role of the museum, exhibition planning, fund-raising, crisis management, audience development, and strategic planning.
• 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 640: Technology in Arts and Cultural Management
  The ever-evolving nature of digital technology presents opportunities and challenges in the work of arts administrators. In this course, you 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. You will also explore emerging products and trends, interact with practitioners to learn how they are using these tools, and engage in hands-on challenges to build competency in using emerging technologies such as interactive communication and Generative AI tools.
• MET AR 650: Public Art Project Management
  A hands on project-based collaborative class that will conceptualize, plan, and execute a public art project during the semester. Students will develop an understanding of the various challenges administrators face in all phases of a project, especially from the creative vantage of the artist. We will explore project funding, case study analysis of public art management, artist selection, and the unforeseen.
• MET AR 660: Curating in Multidisciplinary Contexts
  This course addresses the conceptual and practical aspects of curating in visual, performing, and/or interdisciplinary arts through the development and installation of a public curatorial project at one or more locations in Boston. Students will examine current curatorial discourse through readings, guest speakers/site visits, conversations, critical writing, research, and presentations. Students will discuss and enact ideas about concept development, venue selection and context, artist research and selection, exhibition design and layout, season or program development, audience engagement, timelines and budgets, and effective partnerships and collaborations.
• MET AR 670: Creative Startups: The Entrepreneurial Process
  This course explores the field of creative innovation and entrepreneurship. The first part of the course is dedicated to deepening students' understanding of creativity and ideation as building blocks to innovation, creative placemaking, the creative economy, and business models. During the second part of the course students work in teams to develop entrepreneurial projects at the intersection of Arts and Culture; Business and Technology; and Social Impact, while gaining practical entrepreneurial skills, including business models, customer identification, budgeting, pitching, personas, business plans, and delving into design, communication, marketing and networking.
• 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) Individual Artists; 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 at artsad@bu.edu. MET AR 690 is a pre-requisite for MET AR778, MET AR771, MET AR774, and MET AR720]
• MET AR 700: Leadership in the Arts
  This course provides students with an understanding of issues and practices of people in leadership positions in the arts world. Regardless of what functional area a student is aiming for ¿ artistic, development, marketing, finance ¿ eventually they are going to have to demonstrate leadership of a department, a team, or an entire organization. Through a combination of case analysis, class discussion, written assignments, and the insights of the two instructors and guest speakers from the arts community, we will focus on the most effective qualities of leaders. Topics include distinguishing between leadership and management; recruiting, cultivating, and evaluating leaders; specific challenges of leading highly creative people; teamwork and leadership; promoting DEI in the leadership of an organization; co-leadership, shared leadership, and other models; understanding and developing your own leadership style.
• 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. [4 credits] [Required course for Fundraising Management Graduate Certificate]
• 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 721: Advanced Arts Marketing Analytics
  Prerequisite: MET AR 720 - This course provides students with advanced training in the methods and best practices of data analytics for arts marketing. Through course exercises and assignments, students gain detailed knowledge of approaches to employing data analytics techniques for marketing and expanding audiences. Topics covered include use of customer surveys and demographics, working with CRMS and databases, building a data-driven organizational mindset, email marketing, social media analytics, attribution models, new-to-file audiences, customer retention, and data visualization.
• MET AR 723: Individual Fundraising
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET AR550 - 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. [4 credits] [Required course for Fundraising Management Graduate Certificate; Pre-requisite MET AR 550]
• MET AR 725: Educational Programming in Cultural Institutions
  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 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. [4 credits]