AMGT 504
Professional Development in Arts Management
Syllabus
Professional Development Arts Management
Dean William Reeder (Arlington, Founders Hall)
DATES August 27 – December 3, 2014
DAY: Wednesdays: 8/27, 9/24, 10/22, 11/12, 12/3
TIME: 4:30 – 7:10 pm, unless otherwise specified
Contact Hours for Professor Reeder
College Hall: C-200
703-993-8624 (w); 202-257-2851 (c)
wreeder@gmu.edu; cbresnah@gmu.edu
Appointments are available by arrangement through his assistant, Carol
Bresnahan at 703-993-8624. Times are flexible, but generally need to be
scheduled one to two weeks in advance. All email communications with Dean
Reeder should be copied to Mrs. Bresnahan.
Text: order on-line or whatever best/least expensive way
Please self select a book on professional or personal growth, which you will share with
the class.
Additional recommended readings: (not mandatory, available used on Amazon)
Blanchard, Kenneth, Spencer Johnson. The One Minute Manager. New York: William
Morrow & Company, 1981.
Blanchard, Kenneth, William Oncken, Jr., and Hal Burrows. The One Minute Manager
Meets the Monkey. New York: William Morrow & Company, 1987.
Covey, Stephen. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Executives. New York: Simon &
Schuster, 1990.
Covey, Stephen. First Things First. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994
Drucker, Peter F. The Effective Executive. New York: HarperCollins, 1967.
Rackham, Neil. Spin Selling. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1988
Oncken, William, Jr. Managing Management Time. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1984.
Course Overview:
Through peer exchange, guest lectures, field trips and personal development exercises,
this one credit course will provide practical skills in the transition between academic
training and the workplace. In addition, students will develop a personal strategy for
career advancement and will be introduced to the issues surrounding hiring, mentoring,
training, working, and maximizing competitive advantage. Techniques for “getting the
job,” vocational and managerial time management, and social style management will be
introduced.
As the purpose of this course is to assist in a personal career plan, there are no graded
exams. Grades will be based on attendance, participation and the final presentation of a
personal strategy career plan. Students who miss more than 2 unexcused sessions or who
fail to develop and present a career plan will not be eligible for an A grade. Special makeup sessions can be arranged through the Dean’s office, however the career plan must be
presented to the entire class during a regular session.
Course Objectives:
To manage the transition between the academic and workplace setting;
To provide ongoing skills and strategies in developing one’s career pathway;
To learn better ways to analyze new workplace settings; define job descriptions and
manage the work place proactively;
To advance effective resume building skills;
To advance communication skills, both oral and written;
To improve general presentation skills designed toward managing meetings with your
boss, your colleagues and your team members;
To develop a personal career “road map.”
GRADING
Grades will be based on participation. There is no formal written assignment and no
formal exam. However, each student’s professional job strategy will be evaluated as
reflections of student effort and insight. Students who miss two classes or more
(unexcused) will not earn an A. Failure to present a professional project will result in a
failing grade.
Topic Areas
WEEK ONE – August 27
Introductions, beginning discussions of management careers and personal goal setting
Personal strategy project development discussion
Social Style training and exercises
Peter Drucker Discussion
WEEK TWO – September 24
Social strategies for developing influence
The lessons of William Oncken
Managing your career – moving from the vocational into the managerial
What every “boss” is looking for
How to succeed within the organization
How to manage your staff/team
WEEK THREE – October 22
Internships, first jobs, a “bigger/better” job, presenting oneself, networking
Guest Lecture
Personal Strategy Presentations discussion
Develop a resume
October 23 (cancelled – rescheduled for December 4th)
WEEK FOUR – November 12
The lessons of Neil Rackham's SPIN selling
Successful selling – how to negotiate
Personal strategy projects
WEEK FIVE – December 3
Wrap up and final Presentations
GMU Add/Drop Policy: The last day to drop this class with no tuition liability is
9/2/2014. The last day to drop this class without Dean’s permission is 9/26/2014, by 5pm.
The elective withdrawal period for this class is from 9/29/2014 to 10/24/2014. It is the
student’s responsibility to check to verify that they are properly enrolled as no credit will
be awarded to students who are not.
Honor Code, Copyright, & Computing Policies: To promote a stronger sense of
mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George
Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personal
achievement, we, the student members of the university community, have set forth this
honor code: Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to
cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work.
You are expected to adhere to all University policies and guidelines during your
participation in this course. All work must be your own. Inappropriate use of the work of
others is a George Mason University Honor Code violation. Please review the
University’s website for information on the following: Honor Code and Judicial
Procedures; Copyright/Fair Use; and Responsible Use of Computing.
If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations please
see me and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 703.993.2474. All academic
accommodations must be arranged through that office. Students must inform the
instructor at the beginning of the semester, and the specific accommodation will be
arranged through the Disability Resource Center.
It is not possible to receive an incomplete grade in this class. If you anticipate
difficulty in completing this course see your instructor immediately to discuss your
options.
University Catalog: http://catalog.gmu.edu/
University Policies: http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/
EMERGENCY ALERT: You are encouraged to sign up for the Mason Alert System
by visiting the website https://alert.gmu.edu. An emergency poster exists in each
classroom explaining what to do in the event of crises and that further information about
emergency procedures exists on http://www.gmu.edu/service/cert.