What Will I Learn?

UMEM covers entertainment business, including music, television, film, sports, live performance, literary and visual arts. UMEM introduces students to the business of entertainment while giving them the opportunity to learn from top professionals in the industry, both alumni and additional industry leaders, in a relaxed classroom environment. This one-of-a-kind program offers an incredible opportunity for students looking to break into the entertainment industry.

• Personal management for artists
• Show marketing, promotion, and production
• Budgeting events
• Budgeting for film and television
• Acquiring funding for live events
• Agency and artist relations
• Venue management
• And so much more!

Throughout the program students learn the processes involved in developing, presenting and sustaining an artist's career, as demonstrated through real-life examples from our core instructors' professional careers, while incorporating related business aspects of the entertainment profession. For example, the students enrolled in Entertainment Management develop business plans, review contracts and budgets and address and debate critical issues facing the entertainment industry with the professionals who navigate these challenges every day.

Alumni Spotlight

Laura Gabriele (‘12)

"Being fully committed to my studies in the UMEM program served as a compelling differentiator in a tough job market. When I interviewed for Digital Marketing Manager positions at major resort hotels, my Business Marketing degree was only considered a minimum requirement. Beyond my portfolio of freelance web marketing work with established clients, UMEM was easily the most dynamic part of my resume, met with the most enthusiasm by potential employers. High-end employers want to see real experience of a fully executed marketing plan, not just ideas on paper that never actually happened. UMEM is one of the few programs available today that brings the student real, fast-paced marketing and management experience. Students learn and grow as if in an incubator, while the rest of the world has their heads stuck in textbooks. In a nutshell, a certificate in Event Management from UMEM is the most practical business education possible in a college setting - a world-class education cleverly disguised as fun."

More Alumni

Austin Mullins

"I’m a Great Falls native. I received my B.S. in business administration (management), with a minor in music and a certificate of entertainment management in 2009. I received my MBA in 2010.

I moved to Nashville in the fall of 2010 and worked odd jobs to pay the bills until I was hired to WME’s mailroom in January of 2011. WME is the largest talent agency in the world.  I was the assistant to Becky Gardenhire from May 2011 to July of 2012.  After working for Keith Miller from July 2012 to December 2014, I was promoted to agent. I currently serve the south and southeastern United States for club-level talent."

Laice O'Malley

“When I am not on set, auditioning or studying, I am in nature. I love to hike, camp, fish, swim  and do yoga.  If it is outside, count me in!

My other passions include my family, music festivals, charity events, working out, editing photos, reading, writing, dancing, singing out loud in my car in traffic, seeing live theatre, supporting independent musicians and going on adventures.

As for my art, I believe it is truly an honor to evoke emotion, action and change in individual audience members. Having the power to tell a story to a number of individuals and be given the opportunity to get a laugh, a cry, a scream or even just a pondering thought is the most beautiful thing on earth to me. 

If I weren't an artist, I would be a professional student. The one thing I love more than my family, my art and my earth is school. I graduated college in three years with three degrees and continue to take classes every chance I get."

Zach Partin

"Originally for the Chicago area, I arrived in Missoula in 2005. There I received my B.A. in English with an emphasis in creative writing and a certificate in Entertainment Management. At UM, I was the promotions director of KBGA College Radio as well as the marketing coordinator for UM Productions.”

In the Spring of 2010, I returned to Chicago to work for React Presents, a full-service concert promotion and production company.  I am a talent buyer for React Presents, the music director and talent buyer for the MID, and publicist for all of our entities and festivals. I also own my own boutique publicity firm and work with artists such as Moon Boots, Grandtheft, Zimmer and more.

React Presents owns and operates Chicago's number one nightclub, the MID, and a 1,500-capacity live room, Concord Music Hall.  We also produce hundreds of events of ranging in capacity from 200 to 40,000 in Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit and seven festivals in the Midwest: Spring Awakening Music Festival, Mamby on the Beach, Summer Set Music & Camping Festival, North Coast Music Festival, Forever Festival, Freaky Deaky Halloween and REACTion NYE."

Jobs and Internships

Entertainment Management is committed to providing real-world learning opportunities to our students. Please email umem@umontana.edu for more information.  To find out how an internship can qualify for academic credit, please contact College of Business Internship Director Kathleen Tarkalson at kathleen.tarkalson@business.umt.edu or 406-243-6771 and see the Internship Program website.

"UMEM students are always so eager for real-world experiences and we're excited to get them involved with the intensive prep and execution of the largest documentary film festival west of the Mississippi right here in Missoula.  UMEM interns are always ready to hit the ground running and understand the ethic it takes to pull off complicated productions. We'll always make space to make UMEM interns an integral part of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival team."  -Rachel Gregg, Executive Director, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival

Internships can be found in local companies and multi-national corporations. Here are some select employers who are hiring UMEM students: