Masters Degrees in Marketing, Advertising, & PR

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 completed the MA in Contemporary Art in London. My time at Sotheby’s gave me both an entry point into and an understanding of the global art world. During my Master’s studies, I not only gained an incredible amount of academic knowledge, but was also introduced to the London art world and began building my career. In my work, I look at artworks all the time, and having the ability to critically assess and understand them is very important. The skill of visual analysis, as well as developing an eye, was a major focus during my studies, and I am glad that the tutors paid so much attention to it. We were constantly looking at different works and were expected to discuss them. We were also encouraged to go to exhibitions. You learn this skill as a student and then continue to refine it during your professional life.

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 had been wanting to study art history at Sotheby’s Institute for a long time and had always been drawn to the Institute’s MA Contemporary Art. I eventually started with a short course, which gave me a solid base and the chance to delve into a subject I’d always been passionate about. I instantly loved the Institute’s teaching approach—placing students in front of artworks, encouraging dialogue, and connecting theory with real experience. After my initial course. I truly believe I could not have received a better education. I constantly recommend the program to others! The MA not only provided me with in-depth knowledge of contemporary art, but it also strengthened my critical thinking, offered a clear structure of how the art world functions, and introduced me to the wide range of professional paths within it.

I did the MA Art Business at the London campus because of its course reputation, faculty, and the depth and breadth of the program. I was looking for a course that would give me a broad but thorough introduction to the commercial art world. The MA Art Business program at Sotheby’s Institute inspired me to explore contemporary art, dream big, and nurture my confidence in international cross-cultural networking, which gave me the encouragement to find my path in the art business world. I would recommend this program to those with an interest in working in the commercial art world and collaborating with art industry players or to those who have an interest in collecting art.

My time at Sotheby’s Institute was deeply enriching, and a big part of that was thanks to the incredible professors. Their expertise, support, and ability to connect theory with real-world examples made the learning experience truly engaging and inspiring. I loved how the MA Luxury Business program covered a wide range of luxury sectors—from hospitality and jewelry to fashion and art—and explored the evolving definition of luxury across cultures and time periods. Being in London really enhanced the experience, as the city itself is a global hub for art, fashion, and luxury. I especially appreciated the immersive learning. We had the opportunity to visit incredible places like the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London, Rathfinny Wine Estate in Sussex, Van Cleef & Arpels School in Paris, and Mandarin Oriental in Milan. These experiences offered invaluable insight into how luxury is created, curated, and communicated in different contexts. In addition to the site visits, we were also joined by a range of guest speakers from across the luxury sectors, including areas like jewelry and hospitality, who shared valuable insights into their careers, challenges, and lessons learned—adding a real-world dimension that made the learning feel even more relevant and inspiring. I also really enjoyed taking electives from other programs—my course on art forgery, for example, was especially eye-opening and gave me a new lens through which to view authenticity in the luxury space.

My time in Rome was not just a visit; it was an immersion into a living testament of human achievement and endurance. The city's timeless allure left me enriched, and I carry the echoes of its beauty, history, and vibrancy with me. Spread the word: Rome is not just a destination; it's an odyssey of the senses, an experience that transcends travel and becomes a cherished chapter in the book of life.

I have had an amazing time in Rome and enjoyed all the culture and food. John Cabot has given me the chance to make connections from all over the world and still feel like I'm at home. I have loved my marketing classes where I compare Italian and american ads.

As a transfer from a U.S. university I had a smooth transition as all my credits were transferred and I was already used to the US system. They offered a wide range of classes to pick from and the clubs and extracurricular enriched my career.

The opportunities, the experience and memories made at this university is something not many have the privilege to have in their lives. Beginning with the city, the culture, people and food it makes you feel at home. Not only the safe atmosphere, the professors and students develop a sense of family that I do not think I can find anywhere else.

i loved my time here the city is amazing the people are great and the language is super easy to understand. i recommend that everyone will do a semester abroad in rome the cause it changed my life y it will change yours.

I learned different cultures while having people with similar interest in school but they were not really interested in it but they didn't have a lot to say to them in north africa and i miei idoli e non mangiano la pizza e tu non

JCU is truly a transforming experience… As an art history major, I’ve never thrived more in my entire life !! I’ve met so many people and been to so many places, I feel more confident in myself every day at JCU.

I love this school and I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to be here. It is in a cool location and the professors are also great. I also think that Trastevere is the best place to be in Rome because there is so much to see and do.

JCU has been an an amazing experience for me so far! I love going to school here and am proud to be a member of the community. I came to JCU right out of high school and moving to a new country at 18 can be intimidating, but the school does a great job of helping new students.

JCU screams multiculturalism. I’ve met so many people from so many different cultures, countries, and backgrounds. It is honestly a great place that cultivates a diverse and global experience for its students.

I loved it here in Rome, I'm a sophomore and I fell in love with JCU! I would definitely do it again. The professors were amazing and the people were so welcoming. I didn't have problems making friends and I will never forget them. Rome is the best city to stay for Uni! I fell in love

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.