Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies

The course of study leading to the Certificate in Museum Studies comprises 15 credit hours at the graduate level. The Certificate Program enables students to integrate knowledge of museum studies into their own academic disciplines or professional training. Completion of the certificate in museum studies represents an additional credential for graduate students from a variety of academic fields who are preparing for careers in research and teaching or professional practice. Enrollment in the program is open to students admitted to a regular KU graduate program as well as students not currently enrolled at KU.

The Museum Studies core curriculum will be the basis for the graduate certificate, which emphasizes the essential interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of museum work by drawing on a range of departments in the University. The program allows students to gain knowledge in preparation for doctoral study in a variety of disciplines, as well as for employment in museums and related fields such as historic preservation, cultural resource preservation, archives, and government agencies.

Admission to Graduate Studies

Admission Requirements

• All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy. 

• Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.  

• English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required. There are two bands of English proficiency, including Admission and Full proficiency. For applicants to online programs, Full proficiency is required. 

Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies

Application deadlines:

• Fall admission: August 1*
• Spring admission: December 15*

*If August 1 or December 15 falls on a weekend, the deadline will extend to the following business day.

Eligibility criteria for admission to the certificate program follow Graduate Studies' admission policy.

Application Requirements for Current KU Students

• A letter stating your interest in Museum Studies and its relationship to your graduate course of study.
• A current KU advising report;
• A letter of support from your M.A./Ph.D. advisor or Director of Graduate Studies in your graduate degree program.

Application Requirements for Non-KU Students

• A letter stating your interest in the Museum Studies Graduate Certificate Program. In no more than three double-spaced pages, address such topics as: (a) what about museums and museum studies particularly interests you; (b) how the Certificate will support or enhance your career goals; (c) the area of museum work most relevant to your career goals; (d) relevant experience and background information; and (e) how KU’s program matches your interests, and anything else you think is important to your application.
• A copy of your college transcript(s);
• Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with your academic work or potential for graduate study.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required		6
MUSE 801	The Modern Museum: Institutions, Knowledge and Audiences
MUSE 802	The Museum Profession: Ethics, Standards and Cultural Awareness
Choose 1 museum professional course		3
MUSE 699	Anthropology in Museums
MUSE 701	Managing Museums
MUSE 703	Introduction to Museum Exhibits
MUSE 704	Introduction to Collections Management and Utilization
MUSE 705	Museum Education and Public Engagement
MUSE 706	Preventive Conservation in Museums
MUSE 707	Archival Theory and Practice
MUSE 710	Natural History Curation and Collections Management
Choose 1 museum topical course		3
Museum topical courses address the conceptual and theoretical foundations of museums in depth. These courses place museological subjects in broader historical and intellectual frameworks and are often taken in the disciplines represented in their museums/institutions of specialization. Courses are selected in consultation with the Graduate Program Coordinator - Advising and Museum Studies Director based on the student's research and professional interests, the general relevance of the course, and assurance that the student's work in the class will be applicable to museum studies.
Internship (MUSE 799) or Capstone Project (MUSE 798)		3
The internship option requires a 250-hour internship at an approved cultural institution. The capstone project option requires 50 hours of museum experience plus the research, writing, and defense of a capstone project.
Total Hours		15

Students pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies must take 50% or more of their course work at the 700 level or above. All courses, aside from the core, must be selected in consultation with the Graduate Program Coordinator-Advising and Director of Museum Studies. 

Additional information can be found in the Museum Studies Graduate Student Handbook. Students are also encouraged to review Graduate Studies' policies related to graduate certificate programs for information about other requirements that may apply.

At the completion of this program, students will be able to: 

• apply a critical understanding of museum functions as institutions, bodies of knowledge, and communicators with a public audience.
• apply an understanding of professional standards including ethics and cultural awareness.
• show knowledge, application, and analysis of museological scholarship (historical and contemporary).
• display practical experience in museum leadership, collections, exhibitions/interpretation, and education.
• synthesize scholarship, professional standards, and practical experience to create new museological research or tools of use to the profession.