The University of Kentucky is starting an online masters degree in arts administration, officials announced this week, calling it the first of its kind in the nation at a public university.

Starting next fall, the 36-credit degree will cover management and leadership, marketing, fund-raising, arts and the law, financial management, and social and cultural entrepreneurship.

"As the arts sector in the United States and internationally grows, the need for arts-administration programs to provide training and skill development for the next generation of arts leaders also grows," said Michael Tick, dean of the College of Fine Arts. "There are over 325,000 museums, galleries and performing-arts organizations in the United States that employ over 1.3 million arts workers."

The announcement came shortly after the university's board of trustees asked President Eli Capilouto to work on a plan for UK's place in the world of online education, a growing part of national higher education.

All accepted students will pay in-state tuition for the program, no matter where they live, said Michael Braun, the program's director.

"This unique tuition model allows the University of Kentucky to provide the highest-quality educational experience to the most qualified applicants from across the country and around the world," Braun said.

Pending final approval by the board of trustees, applications for the inaugural class will be accepted beginning Jan. 15, through the UK Graduate School. About 30 people will be accepted. For more information on the program, email artsadministration@uky.edu.

UK has offered an undergraduate degree in arts administration since 1988.

Linda Blackford: (859) 231-1359. Twitter: @lblackford.