Bachelor of Arts - Arts Administration - History

The Bachelor of Arts Administration program at Bishop’s University provides students with opportunities to pursue their passions in the Arts while gaining the practical knowledge and skills needed to work in cultural industries. By combining Arts Administration courses, Business courses, and one of the available Arts and Heritage concentrations, the program ensures that graduates develop a solid understanding of the operations and organization of cultural institutions, supported by both in-class learning and two required practica completed before graduation.

In the first year of the program, students are introduced to fundamental business practices as well as the internal and external operations of arts organizations. They also typically take one or two courses from their chosen Arts concentration—Drama, Fine Arts, Film Studies, or Music—or from Public History and Heritage. As they progress, students deepen their knowledge of their concentration while expanding their understanding of Arts Administration and Business operations. At this stage, they have the opportunity to explore topics such as Crisis Management, Entrepreneurialism, and Fundraising.

It is common for students in their second year to enroll in the internal practicum course, which places them within organizations operating on the Bishop’s campus. These may include the Arts Administration–run Artsfest, Musique Chez Nous, the Bishop’s University Film Festival, or the Eastern Townships Resource Centre and Archives.

In the final year of study, students focus more intensively on their concentration courses while still having opportunities to take additional Business and Arts Administration classes. This is also typically the year when they complete their external practicum—an extensive internship with an Arts or Heritage organization beyond the Bishop’s campus. Arranged collaboratively between the Arts Administration program, the student, and the external organization, this practicum may be completed anywhere in the world.