PAA Course Descriptions
DANC 545 Arts Administration Seminar
1 credit hour
To be taken in conjunction with PADM 641 Administering Arts Organizations. The seminar will offer the student an opportunity through readings and discussions to focus on those administrative issues specific to the student’s art discipline.
DANC 589 Season Planning and Production
2 credit hours
This course will address two components. The Season Planning component will cover the programming of an entire season of live performances focusing on program concepts, choices of facilities, scheduling, budgeting, and marketing. The Production component will address planning, schedules, touring, front-of-house management, contracting, technical production, stage management, rehearsals, and performances.
MUS 645 Arts: Aesthetics and Criticism
3 credit hours
This course will focus on addressing the “common threads” in the performing arts utilizing theories of aesthetics and criticism as well as the elements that are unique to each discipline. Extensive readings in aesthetics and critical theory will be required, as well as the study of historical aspects of the discipline. Students will be expected to attend a number of arts performances/ events in dance, music and theatre disciplines, and reflect their understanding of readings and discussions through written assignments.
MUS 712 Professional Field Experience
2-12 credit hours
Designed for graduate students nearing completion of their degree who wish to pursue internships or apprenticeships. Effective internships relate to the student’s professional goals, require the student to function within the standard procedures of the setting, and require the student to assume increased specified professional activities. Because the work for a 712 is ordinarily a culminating experience, students may enroll for 712 only when the departmental graduate advisor or director deems that they have completed all appropriate course work and any other requirements that should precede the field experience. Permission to elect 712 can be granted only when the student’s graduate advisor or committee deems that the project is integral to the student’s program of study and approves a prospectus outlining goals, rationale, activities, and methods of evaluation of the proposed field experience. 712 should not supplant required or expected courses in the graduate program. If a graduate program has a required internship or field experience, approved by the university curricular review process, a maximum of 12 credit hours of 712 may be applied to the graduate degree. In other programs, which allow an internship or field experience but do not require one, no more than six credit hours of 712 may be applied to the degree. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.
PADM 580 Nonprofit Board/Staff Relations
1 credit hour
This course examines the unique relationship between the governing board and staff of nonprofit organizations. Special attention is given to the relationship between the board and the chief executive officer (CEO) along with strategies for the CEO to build an effective working relationship with the governing board. The role of the governing board with respect to staff in the organization is also examined.
1 credit hour
Strategic planning in nonprofit organizations should be a leadership activity that is proactive, comprehensive, and long-range. This course examines the theory and practice involved in strategic work and provides real world practice through the creative development and discussion cases. The discussion includes an introduction to the skills needed to determine the guiding values of the organization in its environmental context, and to develop a corresponding mission, goals, and strategies to achieve these value-grounded ends.
PADM 582 Volunteer Recruitment and Retention
1 credit hour
This course will draw on empirical research on volunteers, practice-oriented experiences, and case studies to examine central issues in the recruitment, retention, and development of effective volunteers.
PADM 583 Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations
2 credit hours
This course takes students through a proactive grant proposal writing process. The course is conducted in a workshop format with emphasis on writing a grant proposal and on logical relationships between sections of a proposal.
PADM 584 Promoting Nonprofit Organizations
2 credit hours
A practical course in the application of marketing principles to nonprofit organizations. Emphasis will be placed on techniques for defining and identifying the organization’s commitment to quality and measurement of market satisfaction will also be covered. Participants will develop marketing strategies to meet the needs of identified markets. These strategies will include the identification of market offers, communication messages and methods, location issues, and the development of market budgets.
PADM 586 Budget Development for Nonprofit Organizations
2 credit hours
This course will examine procedures for projecting revenues, the extent to which tax policies affect private contributions to nonprofits, and the process for developing budgets. Line item and alternative budget formats will also be considered. An ability to use spreadsheets (e.g., Excel or Lotus) is strongly recommended.
PADM 587 Fund Raising for Nonprofit Organizations
2 credit hours
A practical course for those who wish to develop their fund raising skills. Emphasis is on understanding the various forms of fund raising, such as the annual fund, special events, deferred giving, major gifts, special project campaigns, corporate/foundation gifts, and direct mail. Students will learn to assess their own organizations’ fund raising readiness and develop fund raising plans unique to their organizations.
PADM 588 Endowment Development/Investments
2 credit hours
This course will provide students with the working knowledge of permanent endowment funds. The course will address the appropriate rationale for creating an endowment, endowment management, investment strategy, and utilization of earning in the nonprofit environment.
PADM 589 Accounting and Financial Reporting by Nonprofit Organizations
3 credit hours
A study of the accounting and financial reporting standards applicable to nonprofit organizations. Primary topics in the course include an overview of the fund structure used by different types of nonprofit organizations, basic fund accounting entries, and a review of financial reporting models for nonprofit organizations. Additional topics to be studied include budgeting and financial analysis techniques, applicable internal controls components, as well as the organization’s relationship with internal and external auditors.
PADM 606 Applied Research Methods
3 credit hours
This course focuses on effective writing for research; the formulation of applied research questions; design and utilization of various research methods and techniques; the essential distinctions between qualitative and quantitative methods; the collection, manipulation, interpretation, and presentation of data gathered; and the use of information thus obtained in the solution of policy problems confronting professional administrators.
PADM 641 Administering Arts Organizations
2 credit hours
This is a course in arts administration, including a brief review of the implementation of the major areas of administration, i.e., management, planning, and program development; marketing and public relations; funding development, etc. The focus of the course will include both performing and visual arts. The performing arts component will highlight applications of managerial skills to music, dance, and theater, including audience development, union relations, front of house management, concert management techniques, and study of physical facilities. The visual arts component will feature application of management skills to museums, commercial and cooperative galleries, artists’ space, and corporate and individual collections. For students seeking a concentration or certificate in the Nonprofit Leadership and Administration program, this serves as the capstone course. Prerequisite: Completion of 12 credit hours of Nonprofit Leadership and Administration course work.
PADM 644 Human Resources for Nonprofit Organizations
2 credit hours
This course provides an overview of the functions of human resources activities as they relate to the broad objectives of the whole organization. Emphasis will be on fundamentals of job design, employment techniques, performance appraisals, pay practices, benefits options, employee relations, and termination practices.
PADM 680 Project Paper Seminar
3 credit hours
It is in this seminar that MPA candidates write their project paper (thesis) proposing a solution to a major problem or issue facing the agency by which in-career candidates are employed, or to which pre-career candidates have been assigned as interns (field experience). Except with the express prior approval of the MPA Academic Advisor, only candidates who have completed at least 30 semester credit hours of the MPA degree may enroll in PADM 680.
2 credit hours
This course will focus on the goals, functions, and means of audience development, with special attention to audience education in the arts. Topics will include the use of quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques to determine bases for creating programs to reach targeted, potential audiences based on demographics; developing master classes, residencies, special presentation, instructional material and post-performance experiences for targeted groups; and methods of evaluating the results of specific programs developed for a specific purpose.
THEA 561 Facility and Ticket Office Operations
2 credit hours
This course will address issues in facility management for presenting and producing performances and special events (e.g., handling food service for premieres and openings of shows, fundraisers, rentals, etc.) with consideration for the size of the performance space including an overview of the physical operations of such a facility, and the use of auxiliary spaces (e.g., Miller Auditorium, Gilmore Theatre Complex, Dalton Center Recital Hall, Multi-Media Room, Dance Studio B, etc.). The course will also include basics of setting up and running a ticket office for both manual and computerized systems, as well as special sales, audit requirements and artist payments based on percentages. Personnel requirements will be included in relation to the variable above.
THEA 612 Practicum in Arts Administration
3-9 credit hours
Students in the M.F.A. in Performing Arts Administration will be placed with area arts organizations and at some campus sites (e.g., Miller Auditorium) in situations where they will work along side professionals in various aspects of arts administration. These experiences may take place during various times of the academic year and are offered for variable credit to allow for the greatest flexibility.
ENGL 633 Professional Writing: Form and Technique
3 credit hours
A course in writing in the various formats needed by large institutions, whether academic, corporate, or public. Particular emphasis will be placed on the use of the interview to gather information, on preparing speeches, brochures, newsletters, and other publications, and on the techniques of non-personal prose.
1-4 credit hours
Specialized studies requiring integration of theory and practice with application of topics studied provided through site practices, (e.g., personnel evaluation, use of personnel assessment techniques, evaluation of curriculum and instruction). May be repeated. May not be applied to degree programs in educational leadership. Total credits not to exceed six credit hours.
SWRK 623 Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations
2 credit hours
This course addresses knowledge, skills, and attitudes in building leadership for developing, supporting, and maintaining effective service delivery in nonprofit organizations. The course focuses on such topics as leadership styles, power, motivation and conflict, task-group skills, supervision, women and other minorities in management, and ethics and values in leading nonprofit organizations.
SWRK 627 Planning in Nonprofit Organizations
2 credit hours
The course focuses on planning program changes and new programs in
nonprofit organizations.
Program planning is viewed as a creative, dynamic process carried
out by a team. The stages and tasks of program planning are studied
from analytical, technical, and interactional perspectives.
LAW 681 Legal and Ethical Issues for Nonprofit Organizations
2 credit hours
This course will provide students with the basic understanding and practical applications of the legal framework pertaining to the establishment, operation, and funding of nonprofit organizations. It will also examine ethical behavior in the nonprofit world, provide examples of questionable conduct and unethical behavior, and offer solutions to ethical dilemmas. Not available for credit toward graduate business programs.
SOC 674 The Nonprofit Sector in Society
3 credit hours
This course will provide an overview of the nonprofit or third sector of society and will explore its interrelations with other sectors in society. While the focus will be on nonprofits in American society, cross-cultural comparisons will also be provided. The socio-economic, organizational, and political roles of nonprofits will be examined for a wide range of different organizations. Special attention will be devoted to the changing role of nonprofit and voluntary organizations in society.
