Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management)
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) |
| Deakin course code | M785 |
| Course Credit Points | 12 |
| Course version | 2 |
| Faculty | |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2020 onwards |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online |
| Duration | Depending on your professional experience and previous qualifications, the Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) is typically 1 or 1.5 years duration:
Deakin courses can also be studied part-time over a longer period. |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2026 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
| Supplementary Information | Please note that this course is not offered in Trimester 3. For students who commenced before Trimester 2 2020 please refer to previous version of M785 Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Alternative exits
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Other learning experiences
- Research and research-related study
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Prepare for a leadership role within the arts and creative industries and learn directly from industry-active academics who have forged successful careers in this dynamic and ever-evolving sector. Deakin’s Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) equips you with the business expertise and practical skills needed to thrive across a broad range of roles and organisations.
As the only course of its kind in Australia delivered by a business school, it offers a unique blend of business acumen and creative industry insight. You will build your leadership potential and connect with like-minded professionals, while developing a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities that shape the arts and cultural sector today. Whether you’re a creative practitioner, looking to step into management or looking to move into a more senior position, this course will help you transition with confidence into a leadership role within a not-for-profit or commercial organisation.
The course is designed in response to emerging trends in the sector, equipping you with practical skills for your future role. You might explore how to develop a audience-centric strategy to broaden engagement or create a business plan for a creative industries start-up. These practical tasks allow you to apply core business principles, including management, marketing, finance, human resources and project management – within arts and cultural management contexts.
Ready to thrive, adapt and lead in a rapidly evolving arts industry?
In addition to core units of study, you can tailor your degree to your career goals by choosing up to four elective units from any Faculty of Business specialisation. Some of your options include:
- Business Strategy and Analysis
- Consumer Behaviour
- Creating Your Arts Business
- Managing Innovation
- Marketing Management.
Students with an interest in events and festivals are encouraged to consider the event management specialisation. The skills you will gain are highly transferable to roles in the visual and performing arts, local government and cultural organisations. The curriculum's connectedness to the sector comes as a result of course content that’s shaped by an advisory board and delivered by industry experts. Working alongside employers and board members within the industry, our academics develop assessments, projects and content that reflect the challenges of the field. Not only are our academics well-connected, they’re also highly credentialed and experienced. From arts managers influencing arts and cultural policies for government, to Presidents of the Green Room Awards, you will be learning from the very best.
As competition for attention grows, so too does the demand for arts-literate, industry-savvy professionals who can lead with purpose and build meaningful engagement. With Deakin’s long-standing reputation in arts management education and a qualification grounded in business, you will graduate ready to lead and ready to make an impact.
Indicative student workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, online interactions, or professional experiences for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Professional recognition
Deakin Business School holds both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement and innovation in their courses, ensuring graduates are employable worldwide.
Career opportunities
The course’s strong reputation in the industry leads to great career outcomes. Your qualification, in combination with your extensive industry experience, will prepare you for leadership and senior management roles across a range of settings including:
- arts and cultural venues
- community arts and cultural development
- festivals
- performing and visual arts
- museums and galleries
- publishing houses
- screen industries
- touring companies.
Many leaders within the industry are graduates from this course and have gone on to work in high-profile organisations such as:
- Arts Centre Melbourne
- Australian Ballet
- Creative Partnerships Australia
- Federal, state and local government arts departments
- Melbourne Fringe Festival
- Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
- Museum Victoria
- National Gallery of Australia
- Opera Australia
- Regional Arts Australia
- Theatre Network Australia.
This degree will also put you in a strong position to explore some of the high-demand areas within the industry, including audience development, relationship management, festival programming, policy development, production and tour management, fundraising and development, digital content and social media marketing.
Participation requirements
Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.
Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Mandatory student checks
Units which contain work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Certificate of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) (M519) | |
| Graduate Diploma of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) (M665) |
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Assess a broad range of specialised management approaches and their application to arts organisations, while contributing to new discipline knowledge and extending current arts management practice |
| Communication | Determine appropriate communication strategies and techniques in the practice of arts management |
| Digital literacy | Apply the use of digital technologies in relation to arts the practice of arts management |
| Critical thinking | Appraise and synthesise information in order to understand and apply theories of arts management and extend current practice |
| Problem solving | Determine solutions to a diverse range of current and emerging arts management challenges and issues |
| Self-management | Personalise reflections on arts management practice and plan professional careers |
| Teamwork | Participate and collaborate with arts management practitioners |
| Global citizenship | Incorporate arts management theory and practice from a range of cultural and international contexts and address the requirements of ethical practice |
Course rules
To complete the Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) you must pass 8 or 12 credit points. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.
A 12-credit point Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 8 credit points of core units
- 4 credit points of open elective units.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Compulsory 0-credit point module
To be completed in the first trimester of study:-
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin |
Core units
| MMK792 | Arts Marketing |
| MMM790 | Arts Management |
| MAA702 | Accounts, Accountability and Governance |
| MPM722 | Human Resource Management |
| MMM799 | Arts Fundraising and Sponsorship |
| MMM796 | Managing Arts in Community Settings |
| MMM707 | Creative Industries |
| MMM793 | Managing Events (Capstone) |
Open electives
The remaining 4 credit points may be selected from:
Recommended electives^
a postgraduate business specialisation* or any business units not previously studied
postgraduate units offered by the University (subject to eligibility)
Deakin stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials)
^Recommended electives
| MPT712/MPM712 | Managing Innovation # |
| MMK732 | Marketing Management * |
| MPM703 | Business Strategy and Analysis |
| AIP773 | Governance and Accountability in Turbulent Times |
| MMK713 | Consumer Behaviour |
| MPP822 | Research in Practice |
MWL Units:
| MWL705 | Business for Social Impact |
| MWL716 | Consultancy Experience |
| MWL717 | Entrepreneurship Experience |
| MWL718 | Internship |
*previously coded MPK713
*Recommended specialisations:
# MPT code denotes study tour version of the unit
Stackable short courses
Mix and match Deakin stackable short courses (0.5 credit point microcredentials) to earn up to 1 credit point of open electives, subject to eligibility. Any stacking must add up to a whole number to be used for credit. For more information, visit the Deakin stackable short course options.
Work experience
This course provides students the opportunity to complete one or more elective work integrated learning units.
Explore Business and Law WIL opportunities.
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Other learning experiences
This course includes the option of other learning experiences including residential and study tour units.
Research and research-related study
Principles of academic and research integrity are embedded within the core units undertaken for this course
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.