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Museum Studies

Overview

Museum studies programs prepare people to maintain and display historical items in exhibits.

Museum studies programs prepare people to manage archives and collections. Students prepare to work as curators, museum technicians, or museum directors. They may learn how to restore artwork and other items.

Museum studies programs include topics such as:

Schools

A few community colleges offer associate degree programs in museum studies. An associate degree program usually takes two years of full-time study.

A few colleges and universities offer bachelor’s degrees in museum studies. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.

Many universities offer graduate degrees in museum studies. A master’s degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor’s degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master’s degree. Graduate certificates may also be available for people with degrees in other fields.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

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Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores. There are no recommended majors for entry into this graduate program. However, you may want to major in a subject that relates to your job interests. For example, if you know you want to work as a curator at an art museum, you should major in art history.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Typical Course Work

Graduate Program Courses

Graduate programs that lead to a master's degree typically include courses in the following subjects:

Nearly all museum studies programs require you to complete an internship. It could be at a nearby museum, gallery, historical association, or other organization that works with collections. These internships offer valuable hands-on opportunities to work with experienced museum professionals. They also allow you to pursue in-depth the area of museum studies that most interests you.

Some master's degree programs also require the completion of a thesis or creative project. The nature of this requirement varies depending on your focus. You might put together an exhibition, write a research paper, or plan a public education program.

Schools

East Side Area

Central Washington University

King-Snohomish Area

Seattle Pacific University

University of Washington - Seattle

Tacoma Area

Pacific Lutheran University

West Side Area

Northwest Indian College

Saint Martin's University

Western Washington University