Museum Studies

Department of Cultural Technology and Communication offers many museum studies courses. In the Department’s curriculum, the coming together of Culture and Information Technologies is realized first by understanding the nature of cultural information and then by using Information Technologies to describe, organize and present it correctly and successfully. The understanding of cultural information is based on the analysis of changes in cultural values and attitudes in real time, while the presentation is realized systemically, with the incorporation of Information Technologies.

The University of Gothenburg offers an MS in International Museum Studies; the program is a collaboration with the Museum of World Culture.

The Master's program in International Museum Studies combines museum theory and practice through taught courses, qualified work experience in the museum sector and the writing of a Master's dissertation. The students are admitted to the program as a whole and after successful completion will be awarded a Master of Science in International Museum Studies. The program explores key issues in contemporary museums and galleries. It offers useful tools for scientific, critical reflection over the roles of museums in society and history. It also helps you to develop skills that will increase your ability to get employment in the cultural sector. These include critical reasoning, team working, problem solving and inter-cultural understanding.

The aspect of Internationalism is central to this program, and arises from three main strands. The students come from all over the world and we aim to recruit as diverse a student body as we can. The content of the programme aims to present examples and case studies from a broad international perspective. Student backgrounds are equally diverse, including architects, designers, conservators, biologists, educationalists, archaeologists and political scientists. The three main themes that permeate the whole program are Communication, Intercultural Perspectives and Co-operation and Inclusion.

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 Program in Arts Administration at Columbia University Teachers College offers an MA in Arts Administration.

The Arts Administration program encourages integration of all the arts and education, while focusing on the educational role of the artist, and the missions and activities of arts and cultural agencies, collectives, and institutions. The program reflects the conviction that the management of cultural institutions and enterprises is a profession that requires both creativity and commitment and that, at its best, the profession has a positive impact on the quality of artistic life. Arts Administration is organized in conjunction with the programs in Arts and Humanities education, further reflecting the importance of the basic educational role, mission, and activities of the arts in both profit and nonprofit sectors.

Program objectives are:

• train new leaders to manage and administer arts and cultural venues
• raise standards of arts administration to a new level of social responsibility
• broaden the horizons of arts educators, facilitating their interactions with the arts community;
• give arts educators new management and administrative tools;
• strengthen advocacy roles for artists; and
• provide theoretical and practical preparation for students whose professional objective is a career in arts administration, arts education, or a combination of the two.

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.

MA in Historic Preservation Planning

The Historic Preservation Planning prepares students for professional work in the preservation and use of our physical heritage. Sudents enter the program with humanities or social science degrees, and some have already worked in architecture or areas related to historic preservation planning. Courses address theory and practice as well as the economic, legal, and social ramifications of preservation. Students must complete two semesters of course work in American architecture history (unless you studied the subject as an undergraduate). During the first year, students take courses in the economics of neighborhood conservation, urban history, real estate development, building materials conservation, preservation law, and community-assisted design. A workshop takes students to the field to conduct a historic resources survey in a nearby city, town, or village.

See entry for Buffalo State

The Institute at Cooperstown is a collaborative program of the nationally recognized Cooperstown Graduate Program (CGP) in museum studies, the Museum Association of New York (MANY) and the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA). It 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.

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.