The interdisciplinary program in Museum Studies offers students an opportunity to explore the expanding field of museum work and museum research. The Museum Studies minor is designed to provide an introduction to the field, exposure to some of the skills and techniques required of a career museologist and an initial apprenticeship experience in a museum setting.
Today there are roughly 7,000 public museums in the United States, employing career museologists as well as professional curators, exhibit technicians, educators and others. Students contemplating a career in the museum field, or in a discipline such as anthropology, art, biology, geology, history, historic preservation, textiles and clothing, or in federal or state agency service, will find the minor particularly useful.
Students must complete six credits in required courses as well as 12 credits in elective courses. Students must consult their advisor and the chairman of the museology committee for a specific program plan (see below).
A student minoring in Museum Studies may include a maximum of six credits from courses in the major department. Such credits must be in addition to those used to fulfill the requirements for the major. Nine of the total credits in the minor must be upper- division.