Museology

Cooperstown Graduate Program

Type of education program: 
Program name: 
History Museum Studies Program
Institute for Cultural Entrepreneurship

The Cooperstown Graduate Program offers an MA in History Museum Studies.

The Cooperstown Graduate Program (CGP) is a partnership between the State University of New York College at Oneonta and the New York State Historical Association. The Program trains creative, entrepreneurial museum leaders committed to generating programs and services for the public good. CGP trained professionals dedicate themselves to the development of strong institutions that play a central role in their communities, encouraging broad public audiences to use artifacts and the study of art and history as a catalyst for social change.

One of only two programs in the country located on a museum campus rather than a university campus, students have the opportunity to interact regularly with museum professional staff, with objects, and with exhibitions. The CGP curriculum balances museum studies with the study of history and material culture. Core and elective courses in research, history, object study, administration, and education provide an excellent foundation for the development of museum programs and exhibitions. The coursework at CGP provides students with real professional experience including creating programming and exhibitions for museums in the region, acting as consultants, and working on strategic plans, feasibility studies, historic furnishing reports, and collections plans. Students gain a basic understanding of all aspects of museum work (particularly administration, collections, exhibitions and programming) and specialize in a career track and in a subject area.

In addition, the Cooperstown Graduate Program is a co-collaborator with the Museum Association of New York (MANY) and the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) in running the "Institute for Cultural Entrepreneurship" -- a four-day program that is held at the Cooperstown Graduate Program. This program is for mid-career museum, preservation, historic site and other arts and culture professionals designed to introduce business applications and principles of entrepreneurial thinking with the goal of expanding vision and leadership skills. Participants at the Institute for Cultural Entrepreneurship are introduced to what today’s entrepreneurial museum leaders are saying. The Institute is a dynamic four-day experience that immerses participants in the world of nonprofit entrepreneurship training through case studies and skill building exercises that contribute to creative idea generation. Training sessions are designed to serve as catalysts that challenge traditional models of museum work in innovative and creative ways. Practice exercises teach creative idea generation and follow-through while entrepreneurial and problem solving skills are tested on case studies developed expressly for this Institute. Follow-up webinars keep participants connected with mentors and one another to help them become the change agents that 21st century museums demand.

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Cooperstown

Syracuse University

Type of education program: 
Program name: 
Museum Studies Program in the Department of Design
Cultural Heritage Preservation Graduate Certificate

Syracuse University offers an MA in Museum Studies through the Department of Design in the College of Visual amd Performing Arts and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Cultural Heritage Preservation through the School of Information Studies.

 

The Museum Studies program offers a curriculum based on research, scholarship, design, and hands-on training that prepares students for a wide range of positions in different types of museums.

 

The School of Information Studies offers a graduate level Certificate of Advanced Study in Cultural Heritage Preservation that is designed for students currently pursuing another graduate degree or as post-baccalaureate work.  The certificate is available to on-campus students only. Recipients of the Cultural Heritage certificate are provided with an interdisciplinary grounding in the preservation of cultural heritage. The certificate program is intended to prepare students to work with organizations such as libraries, museums, National Parks, and State and local agencies in preserving cultural resources and the opportunity to focus on areas such as the following:

  • the application of digital approaches to heritage preservation
  • the basics of historic site preservation
  • the management and interpretation of cultural resources
  • and the collection, preservation, and curation of archaeological artifacts, archival materials, ethnographic data, and museum collections.
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Syracuse

Rochester Institute of Technology

Type of education program: 
Program discipline(s): 
Program name: 
Museum Studies Program

The Rochester Institute of Technology offers a BS in Museum Studies.

RIT’s bachelor of science degree program in museum studies (housed within the Department of Fine Arts) is an innovative, interdisciplinary, technically-based undergraduate program that prepares you for careers in museums, archives, photo collections, and libraries. Museum studies is an exciting and rapidly changing field that increasingly needs professionals who can bring 21st century technological skills to collecting institutions with cultural or scientific collections. The program will provide you with a thorough grounding in museum studies, supplemented by specialized professional cores. This combination, enhanced by your experiential learning in internship programs, will set you apart from others in the field and prepare you for advanced study.

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Rochester

New York University

Type of education program: 
Program discipline(s): 
Program name: 
Museum Studies Program

The Program in Museum Studies offers an MA in Museum Studies, an Advanced Certificate in Museum Studies, and a Concentration in Museum Studies to those enrolled for a Master's degree in one of the following NYU departments: Africana Studies, Hebrew & Judaic Studies, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, and Near Eastern Studies.

The Program in Museum Studies offers an innovative course of study in the contemporary theory and practice of museum work that emphasizes both the interdisciplinary study of museums and courses of practical training. In addition to obtaining a broad foundation in the history and theory of museums, the creation and maintenance of exhibitions and collections, and museum management, our students pursue personal programs of study supporting individual academic and career objectives. Graduates from the program are working as directors, curators, educators, registrars, collection managers, and development, media and public relations specialists in a variety of settings (museums of fine art, history, anthropology, technology, and natural history; in arboretums, national parks, and science centers; with private and corporate collections; and in government agencies, historical societies, and art galleries).

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New York City

Hartwick College

Type of education program: 
Program discipline(s): 
Program name: 
Museum Studies Program

Hartwick College offers an undergraduate program in Museum Studies.  Students take Museum Studies courses in conjunction with a major or minor in an academic field most often associated with museums, such as Anthropology, Art, Art History, Education, History, English, Business Administration, or one of the sciences.  Some students may opt to design their own Individual Student Program. Students who complete the minor will:

  • Understand the many ways museums are used as intellectual resources, preservers, and presenters of the world's cultures, and places of enjoyment and entertainment
  • Have a broader understanding of cultural diversity and the ways that museums reflect positions of power
  • Have an intellectual understanding of how museums provide diverse educational opportunities by offering many different modes of learning

 

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Oneonta

University of the Arts in Philadelphia

Type of education program: 
Program name: 
Museum Education program in Museum Studies Department
Museum Communication program in Museum Studies Department
Museum Exhibition Planning and Design program in Museum Studies Department

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.

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Philadelphia

The George Washington University

Type of education program: 
Program name: 
Museum Studies Program
Museum Education Program
Master of Arts in Jewish Cultural Arts

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.
 

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State, province, or territory: 
City: 

Washington

Georgetown University

Type of education program: 
Program name: 
Art and Museum Studies

MA in Art and Museum Studies

Georgetown University’s M.A. degree program in Art and Museum Studies brings the academic study of art museums together with museum practice, and emphasizes the international contexts of museums in the modern world. Through courses, individual research, and internships, students work closely with Georgetown art history faculty, curators, and other museum professionals in Washington DC, and with faculty specialists at Sotheby's Institute of Art in London or New York.

The twelve-month course of study combines courses in museology and art history with internships at some of Washington’s premier art institutions. We examine the changing relationships between academic study of art and new configurations of museum display and interpretation. Such topics as the roles of museums in modern cultures, museum education programs and audiences, new technologies, collection management, curatorial work and the ethics of acquisition and display are discussed in classes and individual research projects. Our students take part in critical debates about art exhibition and interpretation.

The curriculum provides a sequence of varied approaches to museum study. In the first semester, students take courses at Georgetown and participate in an internship at an area museum. The following semester, at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London or New York, students take an intensive course in a selected field, such as decorative arts or contemporary art. The Institute’s course work emphasizes connoisseurship and hands-on study of art works, and incorporates study trips to public and private collections, auction houses, and art fairs. In the summer term, students complete a full-time internship in a museum in Washington or another city; the term culminates in a capstone workshop held in late August in Washington.

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Washington

Johns Hopkins University

Type of education program: 
Program name: 
Museum Studies Program

MA in Museum Studies online program; online Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management; MA in Public Management

The MA in Museum Studies is an online program (nine online classes and one onsite seminar are required) that provides a perspective on the theory and practice of museums in a changing technological, social and political environment for current and future museum professionals. It emphasizes the role of technology as a pervasive aspect in today's museum, examines new models of education, exhibition, and business strategies, and explores the role of the museum as an agent of social change. The program welcomes students interested in all types of museums including history, technology, science, art, special topic or themed museums, historic sites, national parks and zoos and those interested in exhibitions for corporations, government agencies and private organizations. The Museum Studies Program offers a structured curriculum of required and core courses augmented with electives. This curriculum provides opportunities for students to gain knowledge and skills in current professional museum practice with an eye to the future and an integration of past philosophies and practice. The program encompasses both theory and practice, focusing on providing real-world skills and training that enable students to move into the museum field or move up to jobs with more responsibility and requiring greater skills and knowledge. As an online program, they are able to offer the expertise of highly regarded professors and museum professionals from around the world, innovative virtual field trips, and global resources from a wide array of museums brought together in new and exciting ways. An international student body provides diverse perspectives and experiences in a dynamic online learning environment.

The Certificate in Nonprofit Management is fully-online. The coursework focuses on building the specific analytical and management skills needed by those assuming leadership roles as executive staff or board members in a variety of nonprofit fields. All the courses feature a global perspective for relevance in today’s world of interconnected economies and communication. For students already working in nonprofit sub-specialties, such as arts and culture, health, environmental conservation or international development, the courses will show how their fields fit into the larger nonprofit sector and how the larger forces affect their own leadership and management challenges. The courses are also relevant for students pursuing careers in government agencies that require extensive interaction with nonprofits in the US or other countries.

The MA in Public Management combines rigorous academics and strategic skills to meet the challenges of government and policymaking in the 21st Century. While empowering students to be strategic, the program also educates them in the fundamentals of public management: financial management, policy analysis, tax and budget policy, and public administration. Students learn to apply the latest theory, scientific findings, and new management methods to help solve real-world governance and policy issues. The curriculum is designed for working professionals in the government and nonprofit sector.

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Washington

Middle Tennessee State University

Type of education program: 
Program name: 
Public History Program

MTSU offers an MA or PhD in Public History, or a graduate level Certificate of Advanced Study in one of four tracks.

Students an MA in Public History choose one of four concentrations within the program: historic preservation, cultural resource management, museum management, and archival management. As fields of public history, these areas overlap to some extent, but each requires its own specialized training and each put students on a distinct career path. Incoming students may not be certain of the concentration they wish to pursue; one of the purposes of our program is to expose students to the myriad career possibilities associated with the four concentrations, helping them to select the curriculum best suited to their interests and aspirations.

The Ph.D. in Public History is an innovative, practice-based, individualized program of study. Offered by the Department of History in partnership with the Center for Historic Preservation and the Center for Popular Music, the program provides a community of nationally recognized scholars and cultural heritage professionals cooperating to train the next generation of leaders in the field

A 12-credit hour Certificate of Advanced Study is available to students currently pursuing an M.A. in Public History at MTSU, to MTSU alumni who hold an M.A. in Public History, and to applicants who hold an equivalent M.A. from another university. The CAS program has four options, described in greater detail below: Historic Preservation, Heritage Studies, Museum Management, and Archival Management.

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City: 

Murfreesboro

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