Education in museum setting

Bank Street College has two options to earn a Master of Science degree in Museum Education and a Leadership in Museum Education program. The two Museum Education programs focus on learner-centered education: one as a museum educator knowledgeable about children and schools, and the other as a classroom teacher skilled in integrating museums and museum teaching methods into the classroom.

The MS in Museum Education (non-certificate) is for students who want a career as a museum educator, but do not need to be a certified classroom teacher. The museum courses complement the education courses in your program, emphasizing the educational role and mission of museums and schools in a pluralistic society.

The MS in Museum Education with initial certification to teach grades 1-6 in New York is for students who want to be certified classroom teachers, but also want to effectively use the resources found in museums. These courses stress a learner-centered, experiential approach to learning that is especially well-suited for both museum and classroom settings.

MS in Museum Education concentration on Leadership in Museum Education is a unique program that meets one weekend per month over two years, draws committed museum educators and aspiring leaders from across the United States. It prepares leaders for museums or other cultural institutions by providing intensive preparation in both museum management (organizational development, strategic planning, fundraising, marketing, and staff development) and museum education (learning theory, exhibit development, community engagement, evaluation and program development). Through action research, case studies, and ongoing dialogue with innovative leaders, candidates gain the knowledge and skills needed to lead 21st century cultural institutions. Supervised fieldwork includes visits to students' own sites as well as monthly advisement.

The Art Department at City College of New York offers an MA in Art History with a Concentration in Museum Studies.

The Museum Studies Concentration at City College is an option within the M.A. in art history. This track of study offers a flexible curriculum, allowing students to develop their own area of specialization. Although the concentration is primarily focused on art museums, the required seminars also consider issues and practices within other cultural institutions, providing students with a broad view of the field. In addition to the two required seminars and internships described below, students may select from any number of elective courses in art history, history, anthropology, American studies, film, literature, education, or video production. By taking advantage of the cultural institutions in New York City, students have the opportunity to explore any number of career choices.

See entry for Buffalo State

The Department of Museum Studies offers three graduate programs of specialized museum studies: MA in Museum Education, and MA in Museum Communication, and an MFA in Museum Exhibition Planning and Design.

The Museum Education program offers a unique opportunity to obtain the theoretical and practical foundation as well as the experience necessary for your career in museums and galleries of all subjects — art, history, cultural history, science and more. A student body drawn from the arts, history, cultural history and the sciences makes for a lively exchange of ideas about the potential for museums. Student internships can be held in museums of natural history, science and technology, in art museums and galleries, historic houses and history museums, anthropology, archaeology, and culturally specific museums.

The Museum Communication program is a unique combination of coursework, studio training, independent research, internships, presentations and projects that will help further professional careers. Museum Communication is a field of study committed to exploring the transmission of information from, among and to cultural institutions, audiences, stakeholders and partners. By combining studio experience with other forms of instruction, the curriculum ensures that graduates are adept at using visual communication strategies to accomplish institutional objectives. Students develop the professional and intellectual skills needed to shape the future of museums. Graduates are employed by museums of anthropology, archaeology, fine art, history and natural history, science centers and zoos, national parks and arboretums, cultural arts organizations, government agencies, historical societies, historic sites and houses, and private and corporate collections and foundations.

The Museum Exhibition Planning and Design program prepares graduates to excel in the planning, content development and design processes implemented by professionals in the field of museum exhibition creation - from the first spark of an idea through research, prototyping, design, documentation, construction, exhibit opening to post-opening evaluation and beyond. The curriculum emphasizes concepts such as spatial sociology, color theory, education theory and sensory perception as communication tools, as well as drawing, building, computer skills, documentation and building techniques. Students also gain experience in critical analysis/synthesis and professional-level written and oral presentations.

Programs pertinent to careers in museum settings include the following:

• MA in Museum Studies
• Certificate in Museum Studies
• Certificate in Museum Collections Management and Care (a distance learning program)
• Graduate Certificate in Exhibit Design
• MA in Museum Education
• MA in Jewish Cultural Arts

The MA in Museum Studies Program combines academic and museum studies courses with practical museum training. Students enrolled in the MA program can concentrate in collections management, exhibition development/design, or museum management and leadership. Students may also choose to focus their academic core in American studies, anthropology, or history. The MA program also allows students the flexibility to do an interdisciplinary concentration for their academic core. To apply for the MA program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree.

The Certificate in Museum Studies is an on-campus program that is designed for U.S. students who already hold at least a master’s degree in a related area or for foreign museum professionals who wish to study one or more aspects of museum work in the United States.  Coursework includes Collections Management, Exhibition Development/Design, and Museum Management and Leadership.

The Exhibit Design Graduate Certificate Program provides working professionals in museum exhibit design, architecture, interior design, or production design with the tools to meet the increasing demand for dynamic, sophisticated exhibits by museums, trade shows, and other entities. The 18-credit program offers a comprehensive approach to learning that combines three disciplines: museum studies, interior design, and theatre and dance.   The Exhibit Design Certificate Program at GW provides working professionals training in critical design and logistical skills to effectively produce dynamic exhibits. This unique program brings together the three disciplines of Museum Studies, Interior Design, and Theater and Dance.

The Distance Education Certificate in Museum Collections Management and Care features four graduate-level courses designed for those working or volunteering in museums with collections management responsibilities. Students in the program work at a variety of types and sizes of museums in locations all over the country and across the world.  The courses are ideal for museum professionals either lacking prior formal museum studies training or desiring a refresher. Students complete four 3-credit courses, which include:

• Collections Management: Legal and Ethical Issues
• Collections Management: Practical Applications
• Preventative Conservation: Philosophy and Theory
• Preventative Conservation: Practical Applications

The MA in Museum Education is offered through the Graduate School of Education and Human Development.  Accessibility, advocacy, and accountability are the three core tenets of The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development’s Museum Education Program (MEP).  The 33 credits of coursework consist of 27 credits of core courses and six credits of elective courses. The entire class takes the core courses in sequence over four semesters, starting in June each year. Students individually choose their electives in the arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as in museology.  Graduates qualify for positions in art, history or science museums; children's museums, zoos, aquariums or nature centers; and historical societies or sites.  After completing the four-semester, 33-credit hour program, students will be better able to:

• Develop and implement effective strategies that empower visitors to experience museums more fully.
• Excel as advocates for the public within the museum and as advocates for the museum with the public.
• Promote the nurturing of an enlightened citizenry.

The MA in Jewish Cultural Arts is a 36-credit program that combines the practical with the academic, providing students with the hands-on skills as well as the intellectual capital to think analytically and deeply about the history, ethnography and sociology of the modern Jewish experience and to respond innovatively to its challenges and possibilities. The rich resources of the nation’s capital as well as those of the university provide students with stellar opportunities, including internships and cultural collaborations with arts organizations, foundations, and museums.
 

The University of Leicester's School of Museum Studies is the only department in the country solely devoted to the study of museums and galleries; it has played an influential role in the reinvention of museum theory and practice.

Several degree options ranging up to an MPhil or a PhD in research may be earned in one of several programs of museum, galley, and heritage studies that are offered in the School of Arts and Culture.

The International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies (ICCHS) is a leading academic centre for research and teaching in museum, gallery, and heritage studies. The taught postgraduate programs are vocational, providing students from all over the world with the knowledge, skills and understanding required to work in a variety of roles, from curators, education officers and managers to cultural policy makers. The programs benefit from the Center's experience in and engagement with the museum, gallery and heritage sector: it works closely with sector professionals both in the delivery of teaching and on research initiatives and on providing advice and consultancy for the sector.

Students develop a holistic view of the sector, focusing on everything from ancient castles to contemporary art galleries; after this, students specialize in specific areas. Students are equipped for work both in single areas (e.g. art or history curatorship) and between different kinds of organizations.

JFK University offers three distinguished Museum Studies programs:

• The Master of Arts is the preferred credential and recommended for students who intend to pursue a full-time career in the museum field.
• The MA and MBA dual degree is recommended for students interested in deepening their knowledge and skills in museum leadership and management.
• The program’s certificate option is designed for professionals who have extensive experience in the field and do not require a master’s degree.

The Museum Studies program at JFK University is one of the nation’s most recognized museum studies programs and is committed to preparing museum professionals to meet the demands of an increasingly complex profession. Today’s museum professionals must have the knowledge and skills to serve diverse audiences, create collaborative partnerships with communities, design innovative exhibitions and programs, and develop a sustainable financial base of support.

The curriculum covers a wide range of issues and provides fundamental skills while challenging students to critically analyze and creatively reform museums for a diverse society. The training is applicable to all types of museums, historical sites, natural parks, and cultural and discovery centers.

All Museum Studies students are required to complete one or more internships to put their classroom knowledge to practice. Recent internship sites include the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, California Academy of Sciences, the Auckland War Memorial Museum in New Zealand, the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage,  the Walt Disney Family Museum, among others.  A list of recent student internships and alumni positions is included under "Related Downloads" on the right.

All Museum Studies faculty members are practicing professionals. Their ranks include conservators, registrars/collections managers, educators, exhibit designers, and museum administrators. Students have close contact with other experts in the field through museum visits, guest speakers, and internships. During the academic year professionals from many of the more than 250 Bay Area museums work with JFK University students.

The Department of Communication and The Arts, at Seton Hall University offers a Master of Arts (MA) degree program in museum studies (since 1994). Called the “MA Program in Museum Professions,” it offers practical training rooted in a thorough understanding of museum theory. Museums in the 21st century have become complex, multipurpose organizations. This program is designed to meet their need for professionally trained employees.

The MA Program in Museum Professions prepares students for professional careers in museums and other cultural institutions through challenging coursework and concrete experience. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers in museums or related cultural institutions. Combining structure with flexibility, this 39-credit program offers four professional tracks:

     I. Museum Education
    II. Museum Management
   III. Museum Registration
   IV. Exhibition Development

The program’s diverse offerings are provided through cooperation with other departments and schools at Seton Hall University, and through collaboration with museums and museum professionals who serve as advisers and faculty for the program. This museum studies program is designed for recent college graduates, people seeking a career change, and museum employees who wish to improve their skills. Courses are offered in the evenings and on Saturdays to accommodate both full-time and part-time students.

SAIC prepares the graduate student for entry into institutions, organizations, and workplaces through the integration of theory and practice and by stressing the importance of access and agency within the world at large. Students have many avenues of study that would prepare them for work in a museum setting. Among the degrees offered are the following:

• Master of Arts in Arts Administration and Policy
• Master of Arts in Art Education
• Master of Arts in Modern Art History, Theory, and Criticism
• Master of Science in Historic Preservation
• dual degree in Modern Art History, Theory, and Criticism and Arts Administration and Policy
• Certificate in Historic Preservation is available to students pursuing a Master of Architecture or a Master of Architecture with an Emphasis in Interior Architecture tracks