Primary instrument/specialism
- General Arts Management
Course summary
This MA programme will empower you to elevate your skills in leadership, management and sustainable business practices. Join us from anywhere in the world – the programme can be completed entirely online or combined with in-person residency intensives. You also have the option to take accredited short courses to add to your learning experience and enrich your personalised journey. The programme is delivered in modules, where you’ll be supported by RCS lecturers and industry experts to critically engage with your practice and to refine your identity as thinker, maker and leader. Core to the programme is the exploration and critical thinking around contemporary leadership and management theory, enabling you to upskill, reskill or take your career forward as a change-maker in the arts. You will be part of a thriving and collaborative learning community with opportunities to share thinking, challenge assumptions and develop your distinctive competencies within a supported framework. We welcome applications from a range of creative disciplines and backgrounds. You’ll have strong technical skills in your specialist practice but will work in RCS’s multidisciplinary environment, opening up the potential for cross-collaboration that reflects the nature of the creative industries. Enjoy being part of a dynamic international community at RCS, a global leader in performing and production arts education, where you’ll build a professional network to develop your career. Why Study Arts Leadership and Fundraising at RCS? *Are you an entrepreneurial thinker, looking to launch your own start-up and see your innovative ideas take flight? Maybe you’re working in the arts and ready to upskill or take your career to the next level. *If you are creative, curious and seeking a new challenge – the MA Arts Leadership and Fundraising programme is for you. The blended Master of Arts focuses on contemporary arts practice to prepare you for a sustainable career in the performing and production arts. *You’ll position your practice in relation to emerging industry contexts, policy environments and ethical and wellbeing responsibilities as a leader, maker, manager or producer. *Develop specialist skills and knowledge to thrive in your professional life – confident and resilient, inspired in your practice, and people-centred in your approach. This programme is subject to validation for Academic Year 26-27
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Main specialism
Only one specialism is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
Modules
Please see our course webpage for more information about the programme.
Assessment method
Please see our course webpage for more information about the programme.
How to apply
This course is not open to application until the 10th July 2025.
*If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
15Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Currently around 20% of our students come from outside the UK. Between them, they represent over 55 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire.
Entry requirements
As the second cycle of higher education, postgraduate study represents a continuation of learning, training and/or experience rather than a beginning. As such, many of our applicants will have a degree qualification either in an arts subject, or in business or management. However, we recognise that traditional application processes, which show a bias towards prior learning and achievement, can perpetuate existing societal inequities, favouring those who already benefit. For this reason, we embrace the principles of widening access and participation and, whilst prior qualifications and experience may be taken into account, our application process places emphasis on students’ values, potential and readiness for Master’s level study. This is in accordance with the RCS Admissions Policy (including the Contextualised Admissions Policy). Accreditation of Prior and Experiential Learning (APEL): In some cases, applicants to the programme may already have achieved academic credit on another programme of study and are seeking to reduce the number of modules they will need to study on the programme. Applications for APEL will normally be decided prior to the applicant’s admission to the Royal Conservatoire.
Additional entry requirements
Interview
The interview is designed to provide the programme team with an insight into your level of suitability for study on the programme. This will likely take place online. The interview will comprise of two parts consisting of a short presentation and an interview: Short presentation (no more than 10 min) Your programme will culminate in a module which enables you to design and undertake a substantial project, synthesising your arts leadership and/or fundraising enquiry into one cohesive piece of work. You are invited to share some initial ideas for how you might use this project to deepen your chosen field of enquiry. For example, you may choose to focus on investigating: • Opportunities within your specialist area that you would benefit from a deeper understanding • The practical application of arts leadership and/or fundraising in a professional context • Defined areas of arts leadership and/or fundraising/policy that you believe would benefit from further research or exploration • Ways in which you might use this final module to address gaps in your own development You will be requested to provide some evidence to support your initial proposals, drawing on published journal articles, books or other key sources and to be prepared to provide some critical analysis of these in light of your project ideas. We will explore this with you and support your ideas development as part of the interview process. Following your presentation, there will be a 20-min discussion about your presentation and application with the Head of Programme and a member of the delivery team. This will be used to explore your educational background, experience, opportunities and aspirations and you will be invited to address the following questions: • What has led you to apply for this programme? • How do you see this programme contributing to your professional development? • What opportunities, if any, will you have to apply your learning in a professional context whilst on the programme?
Other
All applicants are required to create an Acceptd profile regardless of where you are auditioning. More information on this can be found on our website. The panel will take account of all aspects of the applicants’ profiles. This will include: • Performance at interview • Commitment to the programme • Potential to benefit from the programme • Readiness for masters level study • Academic qualifications • Personal statement • References (2 references from appropriately qualified persons) • Contextualised data The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland may require an applicant to provide additional material in support of their application prior to, or following, their interview.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7 | 7.0 with a minimum score of 7.0 in speaking and no component below 6.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 94 | Overall score of 94, with minimum component scores of: Reading – 19, Listening – 20, Speaking – 23, Writing – 24 |
| PTE Academic | 66 | Overall score of 66 with a minimum of 66 in speaking and no component below 62 |
More information about our language requirements can be found at the weblink.
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online | No fee charged | |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Not available at this location | |
Additional information
All applicants need to complete an Acceptd account and application, this is part of the audition process. Once we receive your UCAS and Acceptd application we will email you with details of your interview. For further information on what to prepare, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/ma-arts-leadership-fundraising/
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| EU | £14700* | Whole course |
| International | £14700* | Whole course |
| England | £14700* | Whole course |
| Northern Ireland | £14700* | Whole course |
| Scotland | £14700* | Whole course |
| Wales | £14700* | Whole course |
| Channel Islands | £14700* | Whole course |
| Republic of Ireland | £14700* | Whole course |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Please note, all new students are required to pay associated programme cost related fees at the start of their studies.
For more information on fees, funding and scholarship, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/fees/
Sponsorship information
There are currently no internal scholarships available for this programme. Please visit our website for more information about funding options: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/
Provider information
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB