Masters Degrees in Culture

I am so thankful for my experience at Instituto Franklin-UAH. I graduated with a master's degree in ESL and Bilingual education in 2025. I would like to highlight a very special person, Iulia, who not only helped me succeed in the program as a young single mom, but who also helped me navigate some very difficult circumstances while far away from home. She did not hesitate to become an important part of our support system. I truly do not know where we would be today without her!

Having entered the art world with an undergraduate degree in economics and no background in art, MA Contemporary Art program provided me with an understanding of the fundamentals of art business. From understanding how social and political factors inform artists and art movements, to developing the skills necessary to engage with art in its variety of mediums, my studies have allowed me to speak intelligently about art, and most importantly, to learn how to respect what artists are trying to convey. This experience has taught me to look at art through a more informed lens.

I applied to Sotheby’s Institute of Art to learn more about the commercial art market and the business of art. I received a Master in Arts in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute, and my courses included Art Law, International Art Markets, and Art Advisory and Collection Building. I also developed a Curatorial Thesis focused on Black Speculative Art theory, Afrosurrealism, and Afrofuturism. The MA Art Business program gave me a greater understanding of the different forces at play in the art market and how they work together for an artist and their career. It also made me more knowledgeable about the different art-related career opportunities available. Hearing from industry guest speakers, from Amy Cappellazzo to Jerry Saltz, exposed me and my fellow students to the different impacts professionals can make in the industry. It was empowering to be surrounded by professionals with various career experiences through our faculty, like Judith Prowda and Claude Grunitzky. We had a unique experience learning about art not only from a cultural and historical perspective, but also from a legal, financial, and market perspective.

I was impressed with how easily the program and professors switched to online delivery during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak. The administration team were supportive throughout an extended period of uncertainty, and I would happily recommend the program to anyone wanting to broaden their knowledge within the education realm.

An incredible experience to learn about arts and cultural management while being immersed in many cultural experiences. What other program allows you to compare experiences from so many different perspectives? A truly unique offering!

HEC Montreal responded to this reviewNovember 01, 2022

Many thanks Robert for your review! It is true that experiencing how arts are managed in many countries and contexts gives you many points of view and possibly new ideas.

The Master in International Art Management gave me a worldwide perspective on the cultural sector and how to navigate and manage its oportunities and challenges, in addition to providing an introduction to cultural sites, theory, and field studies. Its multidisciplinary approach also provided me the tools to articulate and manage different specialties and perspectives.

HEC Montreal responded to this reviewNovember 02, 2022

Thanks a lot Elizabeth for your review. It is true that we don't train people to manage a specific art form. Our graduate can manage many types of arts organizations, and even work for culture ministries!

Many graduate and undergraduate programs had trouble adjusting to international education during the pandemic. This program definitely falls into that category but they did an incredible job making sure we got the most out of the experience by providing alternatives for us to explore. We spent our first semester (Fall 2020) completely online with the hopes that we could be in the classroom together in the spring. The world started to open up for us in January so many of us quickly applied for our visas and quarantined in Montréal so that we could all meet in person at HEC Montréal. Now, we had no idea if we could visit any of the other locations so we did our best to be present there in Canada and have hope that we would be able to (at the very least) travel to Milano. Most of us applied for our Italian visas and found out just days before our flight that we would be studying in the classroom at SDA Bocconi. It was such an extra special experience joining the Bocconi MAMA group for lectures, group projects, consultations, and best of all, their Grand Tour of southern Italy. This final trip that we took was a replacement for our cohort that missed visiting the three other countries we were meant to visit (Colombia, India, China) and while it wasn't an equal trade in terms of international experiential learning, we had a wonderful time and experienced places and organizations I wouldn't have ever been able to visit on my own. Bocconi was an incredible host and I remain very grateful for these people and these adventures! With all of that being said, I will like to say that while I understand the difficulty of navigating ever-changing international safety protocols, I know that many of us craved better communication from our administrators. Being left "in the dark" created some unnecessary stress to our day to day decision making in this program, and I maintain the opinion that transparency is key to running a successful program of study. I additionally understand that many of our professors and lecturers were also navigating their jobs in the arts field during those unprecedented times, and many of them were successful in balancing their day to day lives as well as being present for us and our learning. But there were a couple of professors that truly left us stranded with questions and curiosities left unanswered. These things did not ruin the experience for me, they were simply a disappointing aspect of the program that I hope will continuously evolve for their betterment. I always felt as though I could speak up and give feedback that would be heard by the directors and administrators, I felt very respected for my opinions and my voice and that is the reason why I am able to leave this overall positive review. Nothing about our Masters studies was ideal, all of us had to be flexible and optimistic about the future, but we made it happen and we supported one another! I made lifelong friendships along the way and memories that will always be completely unique to us. I'm very grateful I took this risk and spent my time during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic getting my Masters in International Arts Management. I miss each of the people pictured here every single day and hope we may all be able to reunite in the near future!

HEC Montreal responded to this reviewNovember 01, 2022

Thank you Bailey for your review. We welcome your opinion and acknowledge your criticism. Your cohort was struck the hardest by the pandemic, as you had to study in an everchanging context: borders that opened, closed, then opened again, plans that changed often… I am sorry that you felt that you were left “in the dark”, as we were doing all we could to give our students an information as accurate as possible. We can always improve so we will. Fortunately, you kept good memories of your program. Thank you for posting those awesome pictures! I hope that you and the other MMIAM 8 will be able to join any of the future cohorts on their international trips so that you can experience the parts of the program that you missed.

I really had one of the best years of my life studying in this masters. Not only did I learned a lot in the course of one year, but I also made friends for life and had the chance to discover many great places around the world. It was great to meet many art professionals in every city that we visited and to be immersed in the local culture like we did.

HEC Montreal responded to this reviewNovember 01, 2022

Thank you so much Marion for your comment. I'm sure your cohort stayed in touch with the arts managers you met in the cities you visited as this is a great way to develop your international professional network.

I did the MMIAM program in 2017 - 2018. The structure of the program has changed since then (they've added more countries). In my time, we did one semester at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, one semester at HEC in Montreal, Quebec, three weeks at Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia, and one semester at SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy. In each country we had great field trips to artistic organizations and events, met with cultural leaders, and had time to explore, travel, and dive in! It was life changing on so many levels, and my classmates and I are all still good friends. The academic expectations and rigor vary from school to school. This isn't a pass/fail semester abroad - it's a masters' degree from some of the top schools. Overall it was very enriching and I quickly got a leadership role in arts organizations after graduating - though this isn't the case with everyone. The program is pricey and moving every semester poses some challenges in terms of finding affordable accommodations that are suitable for grad students. Overall, it was totally worth it.

HEC Montreal responded to this reviewNovember 01, 2022

Thank you very much Anne-Sophie for your review. It is true, the program helps students grow faster in their career but this depends on the student's work experience before the program and his/her personality and talent. You clearly had what it took, congratulations!

It was a very enlightening experience. I highly recommend the program not only for its unique structure, but also for its internationality and genuinely caring atmosphere. I had the opportunity to learn about art from all angles: artists, administrators and patrons. I am very fortunate to have been able to travel to many countries in Europe, North/South America and speak with some of the most renowned individuals in the arts world. My cohort was amazing - extremely diverse and fascinating people. The leading professor Francois was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. The curriculum was well established, not perfect but definitely a good learning path.

HEC Montreal responded to this reviewNovember 01, 2022

Thank you very much Diandian for your comment. Feel free to tell us what you would change in the curriculum. We are always open to improvement.

The MMIAM Program is a completely unique masters program. On the MMIAM you are one of an intimate cohort of intelligent, diverse, and dynamic students from all over the world. Your fellow cohort members will bring a richness of experience and perspectives that are incomparable to any other degree program. Your cohort of 7-15 becomes your family as your travel around the world to study at different prestigious universities and undertake consulting projects in the US, Canada, Colombia, Italy, and India. There is nothing like it in the world, and the amount of real world experience and dynamism gained from this program is something that can hardly be explained. Attend one of their info sessions and you will quickly know this is where you belong.

HEC Montreal responded to this reviewNovember 01, 2022

Thank you John for your comment and for mentioning the MMIAM family. You are right, attending an information session is a very good way to know if there is a fit between the program and a prospective student.

The combination of small cohort size, immersion in six countries, and the pairing of both theoretical and practical learning applications is unparalleled in an Arts Management Master's program. If considering the program, reach out to the administration, and they can connect you with alumni to share their experiences and answer questions - that is what convinced me the program was the right fit for me.

HEC Montreal responded to this reviewNovember 01, 2022

Thank you Hayley for your comment and for pointing out that we can put prospective students in contact with alums. We sure can! :-)

Excellent program! Very manageable coursework with a teaching element included that allows you to earn some money and utilize the information you’ve learned in class while living abroad. Such a great experience!

Instituto Franklin - UAH responded to this reviewJuly 18, 2022

Hi Kimberly: Thank you for the review! We are so glad you had a wonderful experience in the program. As an alumnus, know that our doors are always open to you. Un abrazo!

The Teach and Learn in Spain program granted me the freedom to travel, practice Spanish, and earn a Master's Degree in my desired field of study for an extremely low cost and high reward. This degree gave me the ability to teach Spanish at a notable private school in upstate New York. It has also taken me to China where I teach bilingual STEM and Science courses each summer. Most recently, it was my academic achievements at UAH that transferred to NYU where I will be continuing my studies in Speech-Langauge Pathology this coming semester. Although UAH handed us some, admittedly annoying, challenges, such as working out communication and travel flaws between the university and our school placements and finding accommodation, I wouldn't trade it for the world- in hind-sight. Also, be advised that the diploma and transcripts do take several months to receive! I give this program an overall 9/10 because the faculty are some of the most enjoyable, helpful, and understanding people you will meet. Your fellow classmates will become life-long friends. It is guaranteed that your experience living, working, and teaching in Spain will be at the top of your most rewarding career choices you will make.

Instituto Franklin offered various options to make tuition cost feasible, offered a major in the field I was interested in and the opportunity to continue teaching English while still studying. The staff was also very responsive and made the application process run smoothly. Yet, like any program some courses are more interesting/challenging than others but overall completing the Master’s program was pivotal towards my decision in making the transition out of the classroom to the area of international education. It reassured me that working with international students and/or students’ wanting to go abroad was what I wanted to do. Also, I feel it was a good addition to my resume, after moving back to California from Spain I was able to land a job shortly after.

I enjoyed my time at Westminster University. I studied in the post-graduate course Media, Campaigning and Social Change. This course exceeded my expectations. It covered everything listed on the information site plus so much more. University of Westminster is very diverse and I always met so many people from all over, studying various and interesting topics. The academic staff are very professional and know their topics well. The foundation of learning at UW is based in critical thinking. I loved how I was allowed to express my own opinions, hear others and learn from them and also and analyse an idea from all angles. I would recommend this university and this course.