Dual Degree: MA/MBA or MFA/MBA

The Department of Art and Art History supports the statement from the Graduate School acknowledging the disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand the challenges students have been facing, and are dedicated to recruiting and supporting diverse, talented students, employing holistic application review processes and supporting students when they arrive on campus. If you have any questions regarding your personal circumstances, please reach out to us at art.grad@colorado.edu

To support the university's mission of advancing knowledge across disciplines, and in recognition that business education and training has relevance to many academic fields, the Leeds School of Business and Department of Art and Art History endorse a dual degree program in which both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Fine Arts (or Master of Arts in art history) is awarded to those students who satisfy the requirements outlined below. This three-year program offers students the opportunity to earn both degrees together in less time than if the degrees were earned sequentially.

Â鶹ÒùÔº must apply to and meet the application requirements for each program separately. Admitted students spend their first year in one of the two programs, the second year in the other program and the third year is a combination of the two. MFA students are required to complete 43 credits of MBA coursework and 45 credits of AAH coursework. MA (art history) students are required to complete 43 credits of MBA coursework and 30 credits of art history coursework. Both degrees must be awarded simultaneously.

NOTE: Residents of Western states, including Alaska and Hawaii, may be eligible for in-state tuition for this dual degree program. For more information, visit the "Western Regional Graduate Program" section on the Office of the Registrar's webpage.

1. In preparation for the quantitative nature of the MBA program, AAH students are strongly advised to enroll in the following courses:

  • Math 1001 and Math 1300; or Econ 1078 and Econ 1088
  • For preparation in statistics—BCOR 2010, or Econ 38182.

2. If a dual degree student starts in the Department of Art & Art History, he or she will enroll in a full load of AAH courses during his or her first year in the program, as described below.
 

A studio arts student will take 18 – 24 AAH hours as follows:

  • One art history course and/or one Topic in Contemporary Art course
  • One visiting artist seminar
  • Two courses in his or her area of specialization in studio arts
  • A graduate seminar in AAH
     

An art history student will enroll in the following courses:

  • Theories of Art History (ARTH 6929)
  • Two seminars in art history on art history course at the 6000 level
  • One 3000-level or above course outside the AAH department
  • Visiting scholar seminar

3. Dual degree students who start in the Department of Art & Art History will enroll in the following 31 credits of MBA courses during the second year in the program

4. If a dual degree student starts his or her first year in the business school, the above two steps are reversed.

5. A dual degree student will enroll in a combination of AAH and MBA courses during the third year in the dual degree program, as described below:

  • MBA requirements to be taken during the 2nd and/or 3rd year (12 credits)
  • Organizational Management requirement (3 credits). Choice of Managing Organizational Change, Negotiation & Conflict Management, or Executive Leadership.
  • Three Business electives to complete a total of 43 MBA hours.

6. All remaining coursework required for MFA or MA degree will be taken during the third year.

  • Dual degree students in studio arts will be required to complete 43 hours of MBA coursework and 45 hours of AAH coursework.
  • Dual degree students in art history will be required to complete 43 hours of MBA coursework and 30 hours of art history coursework.
  • Both degrees must be awarded simultaneously.
  • Dual degree students must maintain the academic and ethical standards required of both schools. Â鶹ÒùÔº in good standing in one school, but not the other, may be allowed to continue in the school in which they are in good standing.
  • Â鶹ÒùÔº who do not complete the dual degree program requirements (i.e., who withdraw for any reason from one of the two programs) will be required to meet the full requirements of the remaining program in which they are enrolled.
MA/MBA or MFA/MBA Contact

For Questions About The Application:
Graduate Program, Department of Art & Art History, art.grad@colorado.edu

For Questions About The Program Plan:
Graduate Program Coordinator, Art History, Department of Art & Art History

Andrea Young, Assistant Director of Admissions for MBA & MS Programs, Leeds School of Business

If you would like to talk with one of our MBA admissions advisors, please call 303.492.8397 or email us at leedsmba@colorado.edu to make an appointment.