Exhibit 99.1


            FOR:  Education Management Corporation

            COMPANY CONTACT:
                  Robert McDowell
                  Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
                  (412) 562-0900

            INVESTOR CONTACTS:
                  Donna Stein/Cindy Reid/Valerie Carmello
                  Morgen-Walke Associates, Inc.
                  (212) 850-5600

            PRESS CONTACTS:
                  Richard Dukas/Ann Travers
                  Morgen-Walke Associates, Inc.
                  (212) 850-5600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EDUCATION MANAGEMENT CORPORATION AUTHORIZES 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT

Pittsburgh,  PA,  December 2, 1998 - Education  Management  Corp.  (Nasdaq:EDMC)
announced  today that its Board of Directors  has  authorized a 2-for-1 split of
its Common Stock.  The split will be effected in the form of a 100 percent stock
dividend,  which will be  distributed  on December 29, 1998 to  shareholders  of
record at the close of business on December 8, 1998.

Robert  Knutson,  Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer,  commented,  "EDMC has
continued to produce growth in student enrollments, revenues and earnings and we
remain  optimistic about the Company's  future.  We are pleased to announce this
stock split  approximately 2 years after our IPO at $15.00 per share.  Our share
price has since tripled.  The split allows more  individual  investors to become
shareholders  and may increase  liquidity for all of our investors.  The Company
will have more than 29 million shares outstanding after the split."

Education  Management  Corporation is among the largest providers of proprietary
post-secondary  education in the United States, based on student enrollments and
revenues.  EDMC's schools offer  associate's and bachelor's  degree programs and
non-degree programs in the areas of design,  technology and media arts, culinary
arts,  fashion and paralegal studies.  The Company has provided  career-oriented
education  programs for over 35 years,  and its schools have graduated more than
100,000 students.

THIS PRESS RELEASE MAY INCLUDE INFORMATION THAT COULD CONSTITUTE FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO THE SAFE HARBOR 


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PROVISION  OF THE PRIVATE  SECURITIES  LITIGATION  REFORM ACT OF 1995.  ANY SUCH
FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS MAY INVOLVE RISK AND UNCERTAINTIES  THAT COULD CAUSE
ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS  ENCOMPASSED  WITHIN
THE FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS.  FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH
DIFFERENCES  INCLUDE THOSE MATTERS  DISCLOSED IN THE  COMPANY'S  SECURITIES  AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION FILINGS.














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