University of Kansas

This post was updated on July 30, 2017, to incorporate the response from the director of the program, Peter Welsh.

 

This is the review of the Master’s Museum Studies program at the University of Kansas (KU). To begin, here are some facts about the program:

• In addition to the Master’s degree, the department also offers a graduate certificate available to those in pursuing a graduate program in another area of study or those outside of the university.
• The program is 36 credits with only fall admittance. Applications are due January 1st.
• To graduate, students must complete a final project which is incorporated into their final comprehensive exam taken during their last semester.

These facts were found here, and here.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

This is the review for the Museum Studies program at Indiana University-Purdue Universiy Indianapolis (IUPUI). To begin, here are a few facts about the program and university:

• The program offers not only an MA but a graduate certificate and undergraduate certificate in Museum Studies
• A variety of courses to pick from with pre-approved electives outside of the Museum Studies program
• Capstone project at the end which means students’ may not be required to write a thesis but complete an equally impressive project
• Five of the Museum Studies professors hold the title of Public Scholar. Click the link, to learn more, I’m not quite sure how to explain it better than how IUPUI wrote it.

University of Colorado-Boulder

Updated on April 22, 2017, to include information from the director of the program, Jaelyn Eberle.

This is the review for the Museum and Field Studies program offered at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Here are some facts about the program and university:

• The degree earned is a Master of Science
• The program gets 50-75 applications a year and accepts 8-12 students
• To earn said degree, students must complete the two-year program with a thesis or capstone project and a final exam
• Three different tracks are available, collections/field, public/administration, and art history
• The Director of the program considers the program to be a “museum immersion program” where students work at the Natural History Museum for two years, and complete an additional 150-hour internship. Then add in some classes and that thesis or project.
• The majority of graduates find employment within six months after graduation

These facts were found here and here.

Tufts University, Department of Education

This is the review for the Museum Education program offered by Tufts University. This is a two-year program through the Education Department that includes Museum Studies courses in its curriculum. This program includes the Museum Studies Graduate Certificate program that can also be completed by itself.

• About 35 students are accepted yearly
• The two-year program requires students to complete five museum studies courses, two education courses and four elective courses on a topic of the student’s choice
• The GRE is required

This information was found here and here.

Tufts University, Museum Studies Certificate

This is the review for the Museum Studies Certificate offered at Tufts University. Students can earn the Certificate by completing five courses, including one internship course. This is built for working professionals with classes offered in the evening and the option to complete the program as a part-time student. The University also offers combination options with the Department of Art and Art History, History, and Education.

• Recently, the program has admitted two-thirds of its applicants
• The program does not require the GRE and only requires one letter of recommendation
• The internship course requires students to complete 200 hours of the internship
• Offers four different concentrations, History, Art History, Education or Classics.

This information is found here, and here.

Bank Street College of Education

This is the review for Bank Street College of Education’s Museum Education department that offers three different programs. There is the Museum Education: Childhood with certification for those interested in teaching in a school classroom or without certification for those interested in teaching outside of a school classroom. Third, there is the Leadership in Museum Education program for those already working in museums. Here are some more fast facts about the program and college:

• To apply for the Leadership in Museum Education program, students must have at least three years of museum experience. The program is for two years, with classes meeting one weekend a month and one week in June each year.
• The Museum Education: Childhood programs, students student teach at a school in the fall and intern at a museum in the spring
• With the certification option, students are eligible for New York state Childhood General Education, grades 1 through 6
• At the end of any of these three programs, students earn an MS in Education
• The College was founded by Lucy Sprague Mitchell; another awesome woman to acknowledge during Women’s History Month

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

This is the review for the program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This is also the first review of a stand-alone Museum Studies Graduate Certificate program! If you aren’t familiar with the program here are some facts about the Graduate Certificate program and university:

• Established in 1963 by UWM and the Milwaukee Public Museum. Classes are taught off-campus at the Milwaukee Public Museum
• Any graduate student at UWM may apply. The certificate program is within the anthropology department though students from any department (History, Zoology, Library Science, etc.) may earn the Museum Studies Graduate Certificate.
• UWM also offers a separate Art Museum Graduate Certificate. To earn that certificate, students must be enrolled in the Art History MA program. I have not received any survey responses concerning this program. If I do, this program will have its own blog post.

University of Illinois at Chicago

This is the review for the MA Museum and Exhibition Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. If you didn’t know already, here are some facts about the university and the program:

• The program does not require the GRE
• The program requires students to complete a thesis or capstone project
• The program partners with the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum and Gallery 400
• UIC is among the nation’s top five most diverse campuses

These facts were found here and here.

University of North Carolina-Greensboro

Updated on March 3, 2018 to incorporate additional responses.

 

This is the review of the History program at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. For starters, here are some facts about the program and the university:

• The degree offered at UNCG is an M.A. in History with a concentration in Museum Studies and is a 36 credit degree.
• Graduates of the program automatically become members of the Museum Studies/Historic Preservation Graduate Student Group (MSHP) which organizes community and recreational activities for the group.
• The GRE is required to apply and there is a required capstone project to graduate.

Wright State University

This is the review for Wright State University’s graduate program in History with a concentration in Public History. For starters, here are some facts about the program and university:

• The concentration is designed by those interested in working in archives and/or museums. Students can focus on either archives or museums studies or are able to take a little of both, according to the Director, Dr. Drew Swanson.
• The History program offers graduate tuition scholarships for incoming graduate students and graduate assistantships for second-year graduate students.
• Students are required to complete a capstone project in order to graduate
• History professors teach the required classes while adjuncts who work in their field (archives or museums) teach the specialized courses
• Alumni currently have positions all over the U.S. from the National Archives in Maryland to the Jamestown Sklallam Tribe in Washington