California College of the Arts (cca.edu) enrolls nearly 2,000 students per year on campuses in San Francisco and Oakland. The school offers nearly 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, all related to the arts, including a master of business administration (M.B.A.) in design strategy for students interested in the business and management side of the art industry. Courses focus on managerial economics, brand strategy, management, business law and negotiation. Students also complete individual research projects and a studio course.
California State University -- Long Beach (csulb.edu) offers a graduate theater arts management degree program that results in a master of business administration/master of fine arts in theater management degree. The three-year program is designed to provide students with an understanding of the business interactions of a theater or performing arts group. Core business courses include marketing, finance, accounting and strategic operations; specialized ones include leadership in the arts, theater management, producing, entertainment law and nonprofit theater production.
Claremont Graduate University (cgu.edu) offers a master of arts management program that combines business courses from the university's Drucker School of Management with cultural studies courses. It is designed to prepare graduates to become managers of theater companies, museums, galleries, artists and cultural centers. Students learn about finance, marketing and organizational behavior while also studying arts and cultural policy.
While there are only three schools in California that offer degree programs related directly to arts management, students might also consider majoring in fine arts or theater and declaring a minor in business administration, sales, management or marketing. Other California universities and colleges offer both liberal arts and business-related courses that can provide students with the well-rounded education necessary to find a position in the field of arts management.