Connect Creative Vision with Strategic Business + Management Knowledge
Students in the MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises program connect their creative expertise with the business knowledge, strategic skills + entrepreneurial mindset necessary to lead successful people, projects, and teams in Entertainment, Media and the Arts. The program provides opportunities to engage with top creative industry professionals and organizations, giving students an inside look at leading creative enterprises. Key features of the MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises include:
- A curriculum focused on areas such as marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, leadership, analytics, and law specifically designed for the creative sector
- Engagement with organizations and professionals in the Chicago area and from national creative industry capitals
- A summer internship, applied project, or thesis component, bridging the program curriculum to a real-world setting
- Rolling admissions and matriculation – Start the program in September or January
- Earn your master’s degree in one year
The MSLCE program brings together rising leaders with experiences and professional interests spanning performing and visual arts administration, film and television production, development, and distribution, music production and management, entrepreneurship and technology, and more.
MSLCE is currently accepting applications for Fall 2023. Start your application now.
The MSLCE Advantage

Full-Time or Part-Time Enrollment
The MSLCE program can suit a variety of schedules. Students enrolled full-time complete the degree in one year. Those enrolled part-time can complete the degree in 2-3 years. All students benefit from access to the same curriculum, resources, and opportunities.Connect with Creative Industry Professionals
MSLCE students engage with a wide array of top creative industry professionals through their courses and professional development activities. The External Program, Internships and Career Services (EPICS) office provides students with a breadth of programming, from employer info sessions, networking events, masterclasses and more. Learn more on the Professional Development page


Benefit from Chicago’s Vibrant Creative Economy
Steps from Northwestern’s Evanston campus lies the dynamic creative capital, Chicago. Home to Tony-award-winning theatres, world-class arts and cultural institutions, a vibrant music scene, and a burgeoning entertainment industry, the city is an ideal location to gain experience and further your career.
Inside MSLCE

Inside MSLCE

Advancing Careers

Connecting with Creative + Cultural Leaders
MSLCE Alumni

Wenli Liu
Class of 2017
Freelance Producer, Independent Film/Festival
“I now have the confidence and experience to explore different sides of the film industry to see how I fit, which is what I had hoped to do”

Kici Cofield
Class of 2017
Program Manager, Amazon
“It provided an experience like no other…Getting to know so many people in different roles helps unlock possibilities. You may think the creative industry is strictly TV, film, or theater, but it’s so much more.”

Adrian Alea
Class of 2018
Founder, The Alea Group, LLC
“What I absolutely love about MSLCE is the diversity in industries represented through the students. I would have never learned more about opera, fashion, music or advertising if I had pursued a master’s degree specializing in only one industry.”

Charles Wang
Class of 2020
Senior Product Manager, Tencent
“My job is all about creativity, there are no books to follow or rules to obey. We’re in the early stages of brainstorming what kinds of strategies to use. I would’ve never had any idea about how to do this if I hadn’t been in the program. It helped me get this job.”

Luis Perez
Class of 2017
Community Audio Producer, Colorado Public Radio
“My classmates had experiences in theater, television, business, and visual arts. What I appreciated most was that no one was telling us how things should work…They encouraged us to dig into a case study and discuss what the best solution might be.”