Arts Administration, PhD

The field of arts administration is largely considered to have been formally developed in the United States in the 1960s. The institutionalization of the field has continued to solidify and expand well into the 21st century.

What was once considered a niche industry, the arts and cultural sector, is one of the largest exports of products of the US (and one of the only with a trade surplus), supports over 4.9 million jobs, and contributes $730 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). By contributing 4.2 percent to the US GDP, arts and cultural production is a larger economic sector than agriculture, travel and tourism, transportation and warehousing, and construction.

As the field has expanded so has the necessity for appropriately trained researchers. The PhD in Arts Administration at the University of Kentucky allows committed and engaged arts scholars the opportunity to study in a rigorous, online degree program focused on field competencies and research methodologies regardless of residential location. 

Admission Requirements

The program is designed to provide research specialization in arts and culture beyond the master’s level. All students are expected to have at least minimal training in the common body of knowledge in the functional areas of arts administration.

In order to apply to the PhD in Arts Administration, students must have an earned graduate degree in arts administration or a related discipline. Field practitioners in the arts and cultural sectors with graduate degrees in related disciplines may be considered for admission; however, would likely be assigned foundational course work which would not apply to the required 46-credit hours for the PhD.

Students will only be admitted in the fall semester.

Students interested in the PhD in Arts Administration will be required to submit an application for the degree utilizing the system as designated by the UK Graduate School. Students will be required to submit the following items:

1. Current Resume or CV. The resume/CV should include the applicant’s contact information; work experience including relevant arts and culture-based work and/or volunteer experience; education; research and teaching experience, if applicable; publications, papers, and research presentations, if applicable; and any special skills or qualifications relevant to a pursuit of a doctoral degree.
2. Statement of Purpose. The statement of purpose should include the rationale and purpose of the applicant’s desire to pursue a PhD in Arts Administration at UK as well as preliminary research interests, and career goals after achieving the PhD. What is it about arts administration that makes you desire to spend the next four years of your life studying it, researching it, and writing about it in a dissertation? Your statement of purpose must be a serious explanation of your interests.
3. Portfolio of Writing Samples. The written portfolio must consist of one or more academic writing samples. It could, if relevant, include professional writing samples. The written portfolio should be at least 20 pages in length with a minimum of one research writing sample being 12-15 pages. Applicants should submit no more than 50 pages for review. Before selecting your writing portfolio pieces, we recommend you read, Graduate School Writing Samples by Bernard Nickel. Remember, a doctoral student’s primary activities are reading and writing. The committee needs to see the strongest writing sample(s) possible. Often this means that you will need to write a new sample or expand on a piece of writing you have previously completed.  Acceptable examples include but are not limited to:
   1. A previously published article or conference paper with references.
   2. A recent graduate level essay on a related arts and culture topic with references.
   3. A newly drafted paper that addresses a key issue or question within the arts and cultural field.
4. Transcripts. Applicants may submit unofficial transcripts for all university and college degrees earned. Upon acceptance, official transcripts are required.
5. Three letters of recommendation. A combination of professional and academic references is preferred. Letters should be able to speak to a candidate’s ability to successfully complete graduate level course work, research aptitude, and advanced writing skills.

The Arts Administration Graduate Admissions Faculty will review the PhD applications in order to select the finalists. Finalists will be interviewed via video conference in order to determine the student’s:

• Rationale for pursuing a PhD;
• Proclivity to online education and aptitude for rigorous research expectations;
• Area of research interest; and
• Systems in place to support the student through doctoral studies.

Accepted Applicants to the PhD in Arts Administration will be provided instructions on how to apply for the Graduate Certificate in Research Methods in Education. There is no need to apply for the certificate prior to acceptance.

Program Website: https://finearts.uky.edu/arts-administration/degrees/arts-administration-phd.

Degree Requirements

The minimum course work required is 46 hours. Up to 9 credit hours may be transferred into the program for students who have taken courses above the requirements of a master’s degree with the advice of the student’s advisory committee, Director of Graduate Studies, and Graduate School approval.