The Undergraduate Certificate in Museum Studies is a multidisciplinary program is administered by the College of Arts and Letters and is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. It provides students with theoretical and practical training for managing and advocating museum and cultural organizations and/or the industry dimensions of an artistic and humanistic entrepreneurial career. Students will engage with promotion, leadership, budgeting, and strategies through participation in coursework, experiential learning opportunities, internship and volunteer positions, and other co-curricular activities that allow them to participate in critical analysis and production of museum and cultural management projects. This certificate complements a number of major fields of study: art history, anthropology, apparel, textile and design, botany, business, history, park, recreation and tourism resources, studio art, and zoology. Students who plan graduate study or who wish to pursue careers in museums, libraries, archives, other educational institutions, or corporate collections may find this certificate particularly appealing.
With the approval of the department and the college that administers the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the undergraduate certificate may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.
The Undergraduate Certificate in Museum Studies includes traditional coursework and experience courses. Courses are planned to provide a broad overview of museum history as well as knowledge of museum theory, methodology, and practice consistent with contemporary national and international standards. A wide variety of collections, audiences, interpretive formats, cultural and demographic changes, and scholarly directions are studied. Campus and regional museums, informal learning environments, collections, and exhibitions provide active, integrated learning experiences. The Broad Art Museum, the MSU Museum, Beal-Darlington Herbarium, Abrams Planetarium, MSU Library Special Collections, MSU Archives, Anthropology, Apparel, Textile, and Design are among some of the relevant campus sites.
Students who plan to complete the requirements for the undergraduate certificate should consult the undergraduate advisor in the College of Arts and Letters (see advising path).
Students must complete a minimum of 10 credits from the following:
- All of the following courses (3 credits):
MUSM 485 Foundations of Museum Studies (3) - A minimum of 6 credits from the following courses:
ACM 271 Introduction to Arts and Cultural Management (3)
*ACM 480 Arts and Cultural Experience (1)
*MUSM 480 Museums and Cultural Experience (1)
MUSM 487 Museums, Arts and Culture in the Digital Future (3)
MUSM 488 Museum Curatorial Practices (3)
MUSM 489 Museum Collections Management and Care (3)
MUSM 492 Special Topics in Museum Studies (1-3)
MUSM 494 Museum Exhibitions: Theory and Development (3)
MUSM 496 Museum Studies Internship (1-3)
MUSM 497 Practicum in Museum Studies (1-3)
MUSM 498 Learning and Experience in Museums (3)
THR 467 Production Management (3) - One of the following courses (1 credit):
ACM 480 Arts and Cultural Experience (1)
MUSM 480 Museums and Cultural Experience (1)
*The maximum amount of credits allowed in ACM 480 and MUSM 480 is 6 credits.
Other management-focused arts and humanities courses, including independent study, as approved by the minor advisor.
If you are interested in pursuing this area further, you might qualify to use some of your credits toward a Master’s in ACM&MS here at MSU. See details about the dual degree enrollment here.