Graduate Programs
Certificate Programs
Museum Studies
The Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies provides students with interdisciplinary training in museum practice and a knowledge of contemporary issues in the museum field. It trains students in specialized aspects of museum practice such as education, exhibit planning and design, collections care, and museum administration by combining museum studies course work with curriculum in other IU schools. Students are given an introduction to the history and philosophy of museums and an opportunity to focus on particular aspects of museum practice.
The graduate certificate may be taken as a freestanding credential or paired with graduate work in another related discipline (e.g., history, philanthropic studies, education, library science, nonprofit management). Because it offers an opportunity to specialize the graduate certificate is also a suitable credential for current museum professionals who wish to enhance their professional training or develop new specialties. For specific requirements and options for cross-listed courses, see the museum studies Web site or meet with an academic advisor.
The Museum Studies Graduate Certificate consists of 18 credit hours of course work, including a required museum studies introductory course (3 cr.), an internship (3 cr.), and a choice of four additional courses (12 cr.) from a list of museum studies courses and electives. All courses must be passed with a grade of B– or above in order to count for the certificate. Electives not on the approved list must be approved by the director of museum studies before registration. Internships must be approved by a faculty advisor prior to registration.
Museum Studies, an interdisciplinary program in the School of Liberal Arts, offers an 18-hour graduate certificate that can be completed as an independent credential or in conjunction with another masters degree. The Museum Studies Program offers courses, including museum education, exhibit planning and design, visitor studies, and collections management, that are designed to complement discipline-based degrees and to prepare graduate students for professional work in museums In order to complete the certificate while simultaneously completing the M.A. in History, students must be admitted to the graduate programs in history (public history track) and museum studies and complete the requirements for both the degree and the certificate. The following courses may be used to fulfill requirements in both programs.: H543 Internship: Practicum in Public History focused on Museums (4 cr.) will count as an equivalent for MSTD A508. HIST H548 Historic Administration/Museum Administration (3 cr.) counts as an equivalent of MSTD A548. In addition, HIST H542 Public History (4 cr.) and any , HIST H547 Special Topics in Public History (3 cr.) classes are approved electives for the museum studies graduate certificate curriculum, and students may use up to two museum studies courses as electives in their History MA requirements. Students must apply to both programs in order to enroll in this joint M.A. in History/Certificate in Museum Studies program. GRE scores are required for admission to the graduate programs in history and museum studies.
Graduate Certificate Requirements (18 cr.)
•MSTD A503 Introduction to Museum Studies (3 cr.)
•MSTD A508 Museum Internship (3 cr.) (or an equivalent internship requirement in another program such as History or Philanthropic Studies provided the proposal and report meet MSTD standards).
•Two core courses (6 cr.) chosen from MSTD A505, A510, A512, A516, and MSTD A548 or HIST H548
• Two elective courses (6 cr.) chosen from a list of approved electives, one of which must be a MSTD course