The master in Entertainment Leadership and Management program will now accept applications for its inaugural class until May 31.
LMU will offer a new graduate program, the master in Entertainment Leadership and Management (MELM), beginning in the fall 2024 semester. MELM is a collaboration between the College of Business Administration (CBA) and the School of Film and Television (SFTV) that blends film production with industry insight.
“This cross-disciplinary approach is designed to equip students with the versatile skills needed to navigate and lead in the ever-evolving landscape of the entertainment industry and its many sectors,” shared Dayle Smith, Ph.D., dean of CBA, in an email to the Loyolan. “Through this synergy, the MELM program not only aligns with but also enhances LMU’s offerings in graduate business education, fostering a new breed of industry leaders who are well-versed in both the creative and commercial dimensions of entertainment.”
MELM merges artistic growth with business fundamentals to better prepare students for the dynamic industry. The curricula was crafted to allow customization based on students’ individual desires and career goals, ensuring that the program meets their specific needs.
Students can pursue the degree full-time in a one-year program or part-time over two years. CBA and SFTV encourage individuals from every stage in their career to apply, whether they are recent graduates or seasoned industry professionals looking for a breakthrough.
“The industry is changing very rapidly, and it’s really important that no matter what avenue you pursue … [you] understand the bigger picture of what’s happening. We cannot expect that one great short film is suddenly going to help launch your career, get you an agent and get you a lot of jobs. We have [to be] very nimble and very adaptive and very open to different possibilities,” noted Janet Yang, SFTV presidential fellow and president of the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
By merging business practices with creative skills, the MELM curriculum assists filmmakers in marketing their art to other industry professionals.
Additionally, the new graduate program seeks to boost SFTV’s ranking among other leading film institutions. In October 2023, LMU rose to become a top five film school in the U.S., reaffirming its prominence in film education.
“Introducing the MELM program to LMU is a strategic move aimed at bolstering the University’s reputation as a leader in entertainment education and in interdisciplinary collaboration. It enriches the academic offerings and strengthens LMU’s position in the competitive landscape of higher education,” shared Smith.
The collaboration between CBA and SFTV, as well as the MELM’s interaction with other SFTV graduate programs, mimics the interdisciplinary networking that the film industry relies on. “The entertainment industry is a business of relationships. SFTV students collaborate with each other across all disciplines and take those relationships into their professional careers,” shared Joanne Moore, J.D., dean of SFTV.
“We’re a very collaborative industry, and we all need to know what other people are doing. You can’t do anything on your own, so the more understanding you have of how all the pieces fit together, the better off you can be and [can] just strengthen your own path,” added Yang.
The curriculum is designed to prepare students for decision-making roles in the film industry.
Beyond preparing students for industry leadership roles, Moore shared that the new program will help artists learn to promote their work in the industry. “The MELM curriculum ensures students understand how to market and distribute creative content in an ever-shifting entertainment landscape. Students want their art to reach audiences and be commercially successful. MELM will help them understand how to best present their work to the industry,” explained Moore.
The MELM program intends to prepare students for the fiscal requirements of film production — a necessary component to understand when navigating the industry.
“Filmmaking — it’s an artistic expression — but in order to get your art to an audience and actually make it come to life, it operates within an industry world where you need to be financed, and you need to be able to make your money back. … You need to have that financial backing, so you need to be able to market your work to reach audiences,” shared Laraib Khan, a junior film and television production major.
“In our many conversations with future employers … we identified the need to not only nurture our students’ creative endeavors but to provide students with the tools to navigate the business side of the industry. It is called ‘show business,’ and our students need to understand both the show and the business aspects,” added Moore.
The University will accept applications, evaluated on a rolling basis, for the MELM inaugural class until May 31 unless all spots are filled prior to that deadline.