Combining the strengths of the Bayes Business School and Urdang, you will explore the performing arts industry and business management and discover your next career move.

 

Key information:

 

Start date:

September 2025

(This course is subject to approval)

Duration:

Full time: 1 year

Institution:

City, University of London

School and Department:

Locations:

  • Northampton Square
  • The Old Finsbury Town Hall

Who is this course for?

If you’re looking to work in the performing arts as a creative practitioner, this course will help you understand the wider picture of contemporary performing arts and understand your next move.

This could be in the field of choreography, direction, musical direction, opening your own dance school or performing arts business or even running a performance venue.

What is unique about this course?

  • Expertise from Bayes, a world renowned Business School combined with over 45 years of experience in arts management teaching.
  • ​Performing Arts practice and industry insight from Urdang​.

Applications for 2025 entry are not yet open.

Course overview

Amidst the vibrant landscape of Central London, renowned for its rich tapestry of performing arts creativity, you will undergo comprehensive training to emerge as an innovative, pioneering, and forward-thinking leader within the performing arts sector.

You will learn how to become a self-sufficient creative practitioner capable of sustaining a long and varied career, both as a leader and manager. You will acquire the skills to think strategically and plan effectively, create and analyse business plans, interpret financial and accounting documents, and develop your creative ideas and projects from inception to finished products.

Leaning on a 50-year legacy with Urdang that continues to grow at City, this programme is distinct through:

  • Industry networking opportunities and teaching expertise from a leading Performing Arts Department and a world
  • An integrated approach to becoming leaders, managers and creative thinkers who can work within both large organisations and as individual practitioners.
  • Access to a diverse network of  performing arts industry professionals, facilitating opportunities for networking and cultivating mutually beneficial relationships.
  • The opportunity to develop and create original work alongside fellow creatives with guidance from experienced professionals.

Teaching and learning

Your learning will be practical, hands-on and directly influenced by your own interests.

Through your elective module choices you can deepen your knowledge of areas such as marketing and audience analytics.

You will also complete an Independent Project under the supervision of an expert, who will help you mould your specific interests in the professional field of performing arts management into the shape of an applied research project or a practice-based portfolio.

Alongside our in-house experts, guest speakers from the professional industry regularly teach classes on modules or offer programme-wide workshops. Lectures and seminars are interactive, involving simulations and role plays.

Module assessments are authentic and based on real-world case studies or industry briefs, providing you with hands-on experience.

Your career

This programme is designed to empower graduates to undertake a variety of management and leadership positions within the performing arts industry, including roles as producers, directors, choreographers, musical directors, event managers, theatre school owners, and agents.

Moreover, it will cultivate skills essential for graduates to effectively manage and sustain self-employment as freelance creatives or as managers within creative organisations.

Professional placement

We have an elective work placement module that we encourage you to undertake. A placement can give you an important step up the career ladder.

How to apply

UK entry requirements

First or second class honours degree (or international equivalent) in any subject.

We also welcome applicants with industry experience in the performing arts including theatre, music, performance and choreography.

International entry requirements

To be confirmed.

English language requirements

If you are an applicant whose first language is not English, the following qualifications are required:

  • IELTS: Overall score 6.5 and a minimum of 5.5 in each subset
  • TOEFL 92 (with a minimum of 24 in Writing)

For information about the various English Language tests City accepts please see the English language requirements.

English language programmes

Don’t meet the English language requirements? INTO City, University of London offers English language programmes to help prepare you for study at university.

These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to degree courses.

Fees and funding
Fees

Fees for academic year 2025/26 are to be confirmed.

Where applicable, tuition fees for City’s programmes will be subject to inflationary increases in each year of study.

Our policy for these increases is set out in our terms and conditions of study.

Funding options

Explore up-to-date information about funding options, available financial support and typical living costs.

Additional expenses

Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees. Find out more about additional expenses.