Application Instructions

  • There are two separate graduate application sections on this page. Scroll down for the Graduate Certificate application instructions.

Applying to the Master’s Program:

For Fall admittance, and to be considered for potential funding opportunities, the application deadline:

  • for international students is January 1
  • for domestic students is February 1

Note: We will accept domestic applications until June 1 (not eligible for partial funding).

Currently, we do not accept applicants for spring admission.

To be admitted to the M.A. program on regular status, an applicant must have:

  • A baccalaureate degree, with a cumulative grade–point average of at least 3.00 in the junior and senior years of the baccalaureate degree program.

Requirements for application to the M.A. Degree Program:

  • MSU Graduate application, found at https://admissions.msu.edu/apply/graduate-students, here you will include the following:
    • Personal Essay: Tell us about yourself. What drives you? Why this degree? Why now?
    • Academic Essay: What is your background? What are your academic interests? What is the relationship between academic and professional for you? Why will this degree, and ours in particular, help you to achieve your professional goals? Tell us about how your values coincide with ours.
  • A writing sample that must reflect aptitude for critical and scholarly writing (approximately 10-20 double-spaced pages). Papers from your undergraduate courses are appropriate to use.
  • A portfolio that demonstrates professional experience/interest related to Arts, Cultural Management and/or Museum Studies—A compilation of evidence (documents, videos, website, photos, brochures etc) showing what you’ve done that helps us see if you are a good fit for the program. What to include can mean different things to different people. Anything that you have done in the past that supports your interest could be compiled; it can include, for example, budgets you created, flyers you made, tours you designed, catalogs you have created—anything that reveals some connection between your experience and this program of study. You can turn it in as a combined PDF or make a website; we just ask that you explain your role in what you submit and provide a table of contents.
  • Letters of Recommendation (3): Professional and/or academic, not personal. Must be on letterhead, signed, and submitted to the portal by the writers themselves.
  • Transcripts: Please have official versions sent to MSU Admissions office; you may upload unofficial versions to the application portal but only in addition to the official one(s) (please send transcripts directly to Office of Admissions 426 Auditorium Rd. Rm. 250 East Lansing MI 48824)
  • CV or resume
  • In addition, international students must also submit English Language Proficiency scores and an Affidavit of Financial Support.

See more on International Application Requirements.
Start an Online Application.

Applying to the Graduate Certificates:

Admittance to the certificate is rolling. The certificate can be earned in one of two ways:

  1. If you are already a graduate student at MSU and would like to do the Museum Studies or Arts & Cultural Management certificate.
  2. If you are not a current student at MSU but have completed an undergraduate degree (elsewhere or at MSU) and would like to obtain the Graduate certificate.

If you are from Category 1, please fill out the Application for ACM&MS Graduate Certificate @ MSU. You will shortly hear from the Program Director, who is the certificate’s advisor.

If you are from Category 2, please submit the following to apply:

Submit an MSU Graduate Certificate Application, where you will also upload:

  • A personal/academic statement (this can be combined or not)
    • Personal Essay: Tell us about yourself. What drives you? Why this degree? Why now?
    • Academic Essay: What is your background? What are your academic interests? What is the relationship between academic and professional for you? Why will this degree, and ours in particular, help you to achieve your professional goals? Tell us about how your values coincide with ours.
  • Letters of Recommendation (3): Must be on letterhead, signed, and submitted to the portal by the writers themselves.
  • Resume or CV
  • Official transcripts (please send transcripts directly to Office of Admissions 426 Auditorium Rd. Rm. 250 East Lansing MI 48824)
  • IMPORTANT: When you have completed the MSU application, please submit an Application for ACM&MS Graduate Certificate @ MSU (this alerts the ACM&MS Program Director that you have applied).

Calculating Cost of Tuition

Use this tuition cost calculator provided by MSU in helping to plan your academic year.

For information, please feel free to contact the Director of ACM&MS, domer@msu.edu.

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