Museum Studies
Required Credit Hours/Tuition and Fees
- 21
- Visit the Paying for College website for detailed tuition information
The Museum Studies Certificate offers current and future museum professionals an opportunity to gain expertise that will aid in their career advancement. The curriculum combines active learning through exhibit development and internships, along with elective courses that focus on interpretation, administration, education, and the acquisition of disciplinary backgrounds. For most students, this program provides education adequate for immediate entry into museum careers. In addition, current museum professionals will acquire new skills to broaden or enhance their expertise.
The program presents students with a foundation in theoretical and applied approaches to the interpretative, legal and ethical, community, and administrative challenges that confront museum employees. This sequence of courses is designed for students who have been admitted to a master's degree or are currently enrolled in a related master's program but who want the additional educational credentials to qualify for a certificate. The program may be completed on a part-time or full-time basis.
The program's curriculum and faculty are interdisciplinary, representing the many, diverse areas of skill and expertise relevant to museum work. Students are encouraged to develop a specialization as they choose their elective courses, while also benefiting from the interdisciplinary nature of the museum studies program.
Admission
Applicants must have an earned BA or BS, have maintained a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, and submit transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and a letter of interest. Applicants to the post-baccalaureate certificate in museum studies must have at least an 18 hour minor in history.
Program application materials may be submitted via email to [email protected] or mailed to:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Campus Box 1047
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL 62026-1047
Program of Study
This program entails the completion of 21 hours of coursework, including the following required and elective classes:
Required Courses (12 hours)
- HIST 580 Foundations of Museum Studies (also cross-listed as ART 580)
- ART 581 Management of Museum Collections
- HIST 582 Practicum in Exhibit and Program Development (also cross-listed as ART 582)
- HIST 590 Internships in Museology, or ART 498 Internship in the Arts, or PAPA 595 Public Administration Internship
Elective courses (9 hours)
At least one at the 500-level, open to all graduate-level offerings. These may include the following:
- ANTH 420 Museum Technology
- ANTH 435 American Material Culture
- ART 413 Digital Arts
- ART 454 Curatorship: Exhibition Management and Design
- HIST 447 Approaches to Oral History
- HIST 470 Preserving the American Past
- IT 450 Using Video for Instruction
- IT 486 Web Design for Instruction
- IT 510 Instructional Systems Design
- IT 530 Managing Instructional Design
- IT 580 Design of Interactive Learning Environments
- IT 582 Development of Interactive Learning Environments
- PAPA 579 Grantsmanship
- PAPA 501 Public Organizations
- PAPA 575 Nonprofit Leadership
Students must earn a grade of B or better in each course counting toward their post-baccalaureate certificate.
Exit Requirements
Students must successfully complete the program of study.
