Accelerated Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts in Museum Studies
To earn an Accelerated BA in Museum Studies/MA in Museum Studies, a student must complete all requirements for the BA degree with a major in Museum Studies, as well as additional coursework at the graduate leve. (See the Graduate Catalog for details of graduate requirements, including eligibility and admissions.)
BA in Museum Studies
Requirements for a Major in Museum Studies (BA)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Total Hours Requirement | (124) | |
| Minimum GPA - 2.0 ("C") Overall | ||
| Minimum Hours in Residence | (60) | |
| Minimum Advanced Hours (for UG: 3000- or 4000-level courses) | (36) | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Arts and Sciences Core 1 | 47-54 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| Museum Studies Core Course | ||
| MST 1300 | Introduction to Museums | 3 |
| Areas of Study | ||
| Select 33 hrs., 18 of which must be 3000- or 4000-level, from at least four of the following areas of study: | 33 | |
| Additional Requirements | ||
| A grade of C or better is required in all courses counted toward the major. | ||
| 18 hrs. of 3000- or 4000-level courses for the major | ||
| A minor in a related field of study in the College of Arts & Sciences. 2 | ||
| Note: Additional elective hrs. to reach 124 hrs. minimum may be required. | ||
| Total Hours | 124 | |
- 1
Core requirements and hours may vary based on individual student factors, including course selection, language proficiency, transfer status, specialized programs (e.g., BIC). Students should consult with their advisor and degree audit for additional information.
- 2
Related minors include but are not limited to the following: American Studies, Anthropology, Art, Art History, English, History, and Journalism.
Areas of Study
Administration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MST 4301 | Nonprofit Perspectives | 3 |
| MST 4302 | Introduction to Outreach and Community Relations for Museums | 3 |
| MST 4311 | Museum Administration | 3 |
| MST 4313 | Ethical Issues in Cultural Collections Management | 3 |
Collections
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MST 3304 | Introduction to Cultural Collections | 3 |
| MST 4304 | Museum Collections Management | 3 |
| MST 4324 | Introduction to Archival Collections and Museums | 3 |
Curation
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MST 4307 | Historic Buildings and Sites | 3 |
| MST 4308 | Introduction to Material Culture | 3 |
| MST 4309 | Introduction to American Decorative Arts | 3 |
| MST 4310 | History and Curation of Book Collections | 3 |
Education
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MST 3303 | Introduction to Museum Educational Programming | 3 |
| MST 4303 | Advanced Museum Education | 3 |
| MST 4320 | Children and Families in Museums | 3 |
| MST 4321 | Informal Learning at History Museums and Historic Sites | 3 |
| MST 4331 | Exhibit Design and Preparation | 3 |
| MST 4362 | Curriculum and Teaching in Informal Education Environments | 3 |
Professional Practice
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MST 2300 | Museum Professions and Practices | 3 |
| MST 2311 | Exploring Informal Science Institutions | 3 |
| MST 2312 | History Museums: Past and Present | 3 |
| MST 2313 | Exploring Art Museums: Inside the Creative Work of Curating, Interpreting, & Engaging the Public | 3 |
| MST 2330 | Special Topics in Museum Studies | 3 |
| MST 3330 | Special Topics in Museum Studies | 3 |
| MST 4330 | Special Topics in Museum Studies | 3 |
| MST 4V60 | Museum Internship | 3-6 |
Research
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MST 3V9R | Research | 0-3 |
| MST 4V9R | Research | 0-3 |
MA in Museum Studies
Museum Studies, M.A.
Requirements for a Major in Museum Studies
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Thirty-six semester hours including the following: | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| MST 5301 | The Museum: History, Philosophy, Prospects | 3 |
| MST 5304 | Collections Management | 3 |
| MST 5309 | Museum Education | 3 |
| MST 5311 | Issues in Museum Administration | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| At least 12 hours of 5000-level MST seminars from the following course offerings: | 12 | |
| Outreach and Community Relations | ||
| Ethical Issues in Museums, Libraries, and Archives | ||
| Historic Preservation | ||
| Archival Arrangement and Description | ||
| Archival Technology and Digital Collections Management | ||
| Special Topics in Museum Studies | ||
| American Material Culture | ||
| American Decorative Arts | ||
| Design and Management of Museum Exhibits | ||
| Leadership in Museum Administration | ||
| Independent Studies in Museums | ||
| The remaining 6 hours of coursework may be completed from the following: | 6 | |
Any 5000-level MST seminar (see listing above) | ||
Any 5000-level graduate seminar in a cognate field (American Studies, Anthropology, Art and Art History, English, History, and Journalism) listed in the most recent Graduate Catalog, selected in consultation with the Graduate Program Director | ||
Any 4000-level course in a cognate field (American Studies, Anthropology, Art and Art History, English, History, and Journalism) listed in the most recent Graduate Catalog and taught by a member of the graduate faculty, completing the additional requirements designated for graduate credit, selected in consultation with the Graduate Program Director | ||
| Capstone Experience | 6 | |
| Graduate students complete a six-hour capstone experience, consisting of an internship, a professional project, or thesis. | ||
| Master's Internship | ||
| Professional Project | ||
| Thesis | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
In their final semester of study, all students in either the thesis or non-thesis program are required to take a written comprehensive examination testing the student’s mastery of the four core areas of museum practice: museum history and philosophy, museum education, museum collections management, and museum administration. Thesis students will also have an oral examination representing defense of the thesis.
Up to six semester hours of graduate study in museum studies or a cognate field may be transferred from another accredited institution with the approval of both the Department of Museum Studies and the Graduate School.
Prospective students are encouraged to have a pre-admission interview.
ACA-Approved Courses
The Academy of Certified Archivists has created a Graduate Course Preapproval Program to evaluate graduate-level archival courses. Courses that have been preapproved by the ACA will count toward the 9 semester hours of credit required to take the ACA exam under the provisional option. The following Museum Studies courses have been preapproved by the ACA:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MST 5304 | Collections Management | 3 |
| MST 5311 | Issues in Museum Administration | 3 |
| MST 5312 | Outreach and Community Relations | 3 |
| MST 5324 | Archival Arrangement and Description | 3 |
| MST 5326 | Archival Technology and Digital Collections Management | 3 |