Starting in Fall 2019, the Performing Arts Leadership and Management (PALM) master’s degree will be a fully online curriculum, giving you the opportunity to complete the program from anywhere around the globe.
The new online program takes advantage of the latest strategies in distance education to create vibrant and engaged student learning using a robust online platform.
- Asynchronous courses with no fixed days and times to be in class
- No pre-recorded lectures
- Opportunities for personal contact via weekly teleconference time with your course instructors that you schedule at your convenience
What is the Performing Arts Leadership And Management Program?
PALM graduates are prepared to find a professional career in the field of performing arts management, artistic leadership, and arts entrepreneurship.
The PALM program provides online classroom training in:
- arts leadership, marketing
- fundraising
- financial management
- entrepreneurship and governance
- program/project planning
The 36-credit program can be completed in as little as two years, taking 9 credits per semester or may be completed at a slower pace.
Experiential learning through arts management internships, participation in local and/or national activities such as Americans for the Arts’ Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. and optional enrollment in the annual 10-day Arts Leadership Institute in Athens, Greece are embedded in the curriculum.
Who Can Complete the Program?
The program is intended for students who hold a baccalaureate degree in music, theatre, dance or related fields, emerging leaders who hold an entry-level arts position and are seeking to advance their career, and those seeking to change career to arts leadership and management.
PALM Student-in-Residence Option
PALM students who are local to the Winchester area, or wish to relocate to Winchester, can supplement their online coursework by taking advantage of all that Shenandoah Conservatory has to offer:
- Take studio and technique classes in your artistic discipline
- Perform in ensembles, concerts and productions
- Attend hundreds of Conservatory performances free of charge
- Experience and take part in the only student performance week in this hemisphere – ShenCoLAB
- Explore our superb campus facilities and activities
In addition, PALM students in residence will form study groups to further enhance learning, engagement, and a sense of community.
Regardless of your location, you will benefit from study at an institution with a long and storied history, a distinguished faculty that cares about you and your success, and a program in the arts with a proven track-record of launching students into rewarding careers in the field of arts leadership and management.
Performing Arts Leadership And Management (4+1) Accelerated Program
The accelerated Performing Arts Leadership and Management program is available for current Shenandoah Conservatory undergraduates who, upon completion of their undergraduate degree, wish to obtain a Master of Science in Performing Arts Leadership and Management in just one year. Students who are accepted into the accelerated program will begin to take PALM required courses during their undergraduate studies, participate in the annual Summer Arts Leadership Institute in Athens, Greece (GEL course) and register for an internship course during the summer between senior year and their one year of graduate study.
The Performing Arts Leadership and Management Application is open.
The Master of Science in Performing Arts Leadership and Management curriculum prepared me to be a leader in this field. I was positioned for success through experience-based instruction that challenged me as a professional and encouraged critical thinking. The internships I secured as a part of the program provided both high-level connections and the necessary experience to enter the workforce. Even prior to graduation, I found myself in high demand in the field, equipped with all of the skills I would need to excel.”
Colleen Cook ’13 | Performing Arts Leadership and Management
Director of Operations at Vinyl Marketing, Mansfield, OH
If you have any questions, please email Graduate Admissions at SUgradadmissions@su.edu, or call 540-665-4581.