The following courses are required for every student in the M.A. program unless exempted by petition to the Program Coordinating Committee or credited for relevant course work completed at other universities:
Introduction to Museology (Museum 580)
Museum history, philosophy, and basic operations, including organization, income, collection management, conservation exhibition, security, education, research, and ethics.
Preservation and Management of Collections (Museum 581)
Lecture and demonstration of fundamental principles of collection management issues, emphasizing collection management needs of museum collection of all types. Application of principles through integrated collection management lab experiences addressing concerns of artifact handling, cataloging, photo-documentation, storage, and registration.
Museum Operations Practicum (Museum 583)
Application of general museological training in one or more areas of supervised operation areas, including registration, education, exhibition, development, marketing or public relations, through project-oriented work in the Burke Museum or other approved University facility.
OR
Museum Curation Practicum: Archaeology (Museum 584)
Application of museological training in curation of archeological collections including ethnographic, geological, or zoological collection materials in the Burke Museum. Supervised work ranges from fundamental collection documentation and research to preventive conservation, storage, and other special curation projects
OR
Museum Curation Practicum: General Collections (Museum 585)
Application of museological training in the curation of art, historic, botanical, geological, zoological, or other collections. Supervised work ranges from fundamental collection documentation and research to preventive conservation or storage, and other special curation projects.
Museum Internship (Museum 598)
Faculty supervised off-campus internships in museums and allied institutions. Each internship is individually established and provides students with practical experience and the opportunity to apply and learn new professional skills. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
Seminar in Museum Theory and Administration (Museum 590)
Examination of principles of administrative theory and museum operations. Administrative structures and policies, management theory, board issues, organizational conflicts, planning issues, collection concerns, financial constructs, professional standards, and museum/community relations from an organizational and management perspective.
Seminar in Museum Exhibition (Museum 593)
Theory, methodology, and fundamental principles of museum exhibition process. Exhibition elements include planning, conceptual development, interpretation, design, production, installation, evaluation, and community impact of museum exhibitions. Application of exhibition principles through term exhibit project.
Seminar in Museum Education (Museum 594)
Focus on museums as educational institutions with consideration of the place of education in the mission of museums, the educational role of museums compared to that of other institutions, the museum's diverse audiences and their needs, and the educational methods and techniques museums may employ in pursuing their goals.
Museum Legal and Ethical Issues (Museum 595)
Survey of the legal and ethical issues regarding international and national museum operations, including the control and movement of cultural property, artistic and intellectual rights and copyright, concepts of patrimony and issues of repatriation, as well as other relevant policies and regulations.
Master's Thesis (Museum 700)
OR
Master's Project (Museum 710)
Credit/no credit only.
In addition, students are required to take two or more courses in an academic discipline relevant to their areas of specialization. Elective courses have included, but are not limited to:
Education courses, such as:
