About

Picture of woman smiling at camera in front of water

From the Chair’s Desk 

Welcome to the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy website! This department has been my academic home since 2005, and in that time we have gone through many significant changes. The department name changed in 2012, moved to the renovated Sullivant Hall in 2013, supported the opening of the Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise in 2013, and shifted college homes twice under a restructuring of the College of Arts and Sciences.

We now find ourselves in a unique position to affect, study, and teach about the impact of the arts on society across our disciplines of Art Education, Arts Administration, Cultural Policy, and Museum Education.

Our department is defined by the breadth and depth of our thriving programs of study:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management, in cooperation with the Fischer College of Business;
  • Bachelor of Art Education;
  • Master of Arts in Art Education;
  • Master of Arts in Art Education (Online)
  • Master of Arts in Arts Policy and Administration, a collaborative program with the John Glenn College of Public Affairs;
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Arts Administration, Education and Policy;
  • Graduate Specializations in Art Education, Cultural Policy and Arts Management, and Museum Education;
  • Undergraduate Minor in Arts Entrepreneurship; and
  • Proposed (under review) Graduate Minor in Arts Management.

The Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy is a robust, innovative, and welcoming community that prepares educators, researchers, administrators, and policymakers in the fields of arts education, arts management, museum education, and cultural policy. We leverage the arts to prepare leaders and critically engaged citizens who generate creative responses to the social and cultural needs of a broad range of stakeholders. AAEP understands that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are essential foundations of our excellence.

The core goals of the Department of Arts Administration, Education & Policy are:

  • To empower students to function as critically engaged citizens with and through the arts, in ways that improve the well-being of our local, state, national, and global communities
  • To prepare leaders for research and practice in arts education and all aspects of the creative economy through integrated, multifaceted programs as well as collaborations within and outside of the University
  • To serve as a local, national, and international leader in advancing public interest regarding education, cultural policy, and social justice in the arts
  • To foster social change and uphold equal rights through collaborative efforts in the areas of research, teaching, and service through the arts and the creative economy

Our department continues to uphold the reputation of a tier one research institution, with our distinguished faculty at the forefront of scholarship for Art Education and Arts Policy and Administration. This clearly puts Ohio State on the global map as one of the top places to study the role of the arts in society. And let us not forget what we have in common—we represent a diverse community of scholars who share an unwavering commitment to the arts, challenging societal norms, disrupting traditional narratives, embracing creativity and innovation, thinking critically about and engaging with the world through the arts and ultimately engaging in rigorous teaching and scholarship about the arts and society. 

Sincerely,

Joni Acuff signature

Joni Acuff, PhD
Professor and Department Chair