Graduate
Degree Programs
Museum Studies
The Museum Studies Program provides an integration of museum history and theory with hands-on instruction in museum techniques and practices. It encompasses the scholarly exploration of museums, including their history, operations, ethics and role in society from interdisciplinary perspectives, while also training students in the technical aspects of museum work such as collections care and management, administration, education, exhibit planning and design, curatorial practices, visitor studies and technology. The program offers a master’s degree and a graduate certificate. Students considering application to the certificate or degree program are welcome to take classes prior to formal admission. Students admitted to the graduate program may apply to count 8 or 9 credits earned as a non-degree student toward their M.A. in Museum Studies.
The Museum Studies M.A. curriculum (36 credit hours) consists of a required introductory course, a set of integrated core courses which provide a broad-based interdisciplinary training in museum practice, a choice of elective courses that allow the student to develop a particular specialty, and a capstone colloquium course preparing students for entry into the museum workforce. The course work is complemented by an internship that provides an opportunity for an intensive applied learning experience in a museum. The interdisciplinary curriculum and flexible structure allow students to achieve either a generalist breadth suitable for those working in smaller museums or to focus on a particular area of museum practice appropriate for a specialist on the staff of a larger museum.
M.A. requirements (36 cr.)
The Master’s degree program consists of 36 credit hours of course work.
Core courses (18 credits):
- MSTD A503 Introduction to Museum Studies (3 cr.)
- MSTD A510 Museum Education (3 cr.)
- MSTD A512 Exhibit Planning and Design (3 cr.)
- MSTD A516 Collections Care and Management (3 cr.)
- MSTD A530 Museum Colloquium (3 cr.)
- MSTD A548 Museum Administration (3 cr.)
Internship (6 credits): Proposals must be approved by internship advisor prior to registration.
- MSTD A508 Museum Internship (1-6 credits)
Capstone (3 cr.) MSTD A530 Museum colloquium
Electives (12 credits)
Select 4 courses from the following list of approved courses. Electives not included in the list below must be approved by your academic advisor. Additional New Media Courses, Anthropology, and Herron Visual Communication and Fine Arts graduate courses will be added as electives as their courses are approved.
- MSTD A514 Museums and Technology (3 cr.)
- MSTD A518 Museums and Audiences (3 cr.)
- MSTD A560 Museum Ethics (3 cr.)
- MSTD A560 Current Topics in Museum Studies (3 cr.) (may be repeated)
- MSTD A511 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Object-based learning (3 cr.)
- MSTD A513 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Curatorial Practices (3 cr.)
- MSTD A521 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Museum Theatre (3 cr.)
- MSTD A531 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Critical Approaches to Museum Education (3 cr.)
- MSTD A540 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Issues in Cultural Heritage (3 cr.)
- MSTD A560 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Caring for Native Objects (3 cr.)
- MSTD A560 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Indians of North America (3 cr.) MSTD A560 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Museum Communication Strategies
- MSTD A560 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Museum Education Research Methods (3 cr.) MSTD A560 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Museum Ethics
- MSTD A560 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Modern Material Culture (3 cr.)
- MSTD A560 Ct. Tpcs. in MSTD: Native Americans and Museums (3 cr.)
- MSTD A595 Indep.. Learning in Museum Studies (1-4 cr.) (may be repeated)
Approved electives from other departments
Please discuss electives with your advisor or other faculty member.
Anthropology
- ANTH A560 Variable Topics in Anthropology
- ANTH A565 Anthropological Thought
- ANTH E501 Fundamentals of Applied Anthropology
- ANTH E509 Modern Material Culture
Journalism/Public Relations
- JOUR J528 Public Relations Management
- JOUR J531 Public Relations for NonProfits
Education
- Psychology of Teaching and Learning
- EDUC P540 Learning and Cognition in Education
- EDUC P640 Thinking and Learning in Social Contexts
- Theory of Education
- EDUC H520 Education and Social Issues
- EDUC H530 Philosophy of Education
- EDUC Y520 Introduction to Educational Research
- Curriculum Development
- EDUC J500 Instruction in the Context of Curriculum
- EDUC T550 Cultural/Community Forces and the Schools
- EDUC Y535 Program Evaluation
- Inquiry and Educational Research
- EDUC Y520 Strategies for Educational Inquiry
- EDUC Y510 Action Research (pre-requisite Y520)
Library and Information Science
- LIS S502 Acquisitions and Management of Knowledge and Information
- LIS S511 Database Design
- LIS S548 Archives and Records Management
Herron
- HER H560 Visual Culture: A Visual Studies Approach
- HER H610 Art Theory and Criticism
- HER V501 Intro to Design Thinking (1.5 cr)
- HER V511 People-Centered Design Research (1.5 cr)
- HER Z508 Issues in Art Education
NonProfit Management
- SPEA V522 Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations
- SPEA V525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector
- SPEA V526 Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (V525 pre-req recommended)
- SPEA V557 Proposal Development and Grant Administration
- SPEA V558 Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations
- SPEA V652 Managing Workforce Diversity
History
- HIST H542 Introduction to Public History
- HIST H547 Special Topics in Public History: Historic Preservation
- HIST H547 Special Topics in Public History: Archival Practices
- HIST H547 Special Topics in Public History: Historic Site Interpretation
- HIST H547 Special Topics in Public History: Digital Public History
Philanthropic Studies
- PHST P512 Human & Financial Resources for Philanthropy
- PHST P521 The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector
- PHST P523 Civil Society & Philanthropy
- PHST P542 Ethics and Values of Philanthropy
Sociology
- SOC R551 Quantitative Methods in Sociology
- SOC S659 Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology
- SOC S652 Textual Analysis
