Courses

Museum history, philosophy, and basic operations, including organization, income, collection management, conservation, exhibition, security, education, research, and ethics.

Fall quarter, year 1, Dr. Lane Eagles

Prepares students to design their second year thesis; either a research study or a project.

Spring quarter, year 1, Dr. Jessica Luke

Prepares students to transition from the academic community of a world-class university to a place of responsibility within a professional community that is committed to stewardship of the vast natural and created resources of our global communities and environments, including our stories, values, knowledge, mistakes, questions, and aspirations.

Spring quarter, year 2, Dr. Meena Selvakumar

Through internships, students:

• Explore different areas of museum practice to refine their career goals
• Develop the skills, knowledge, and creativity needed for their career goals in the museum field
• Build their professional network in the museum field – both peers and mentors
• Grow more confident in their work and feel inspired to be innovators in the field

Internships can happen during the academic year (they count towards your full-time course load) or over the summer, or both! Students can do multiple internships. Learn more about our internships.

10 credits spread across fall, winter, and spring quarter of year 2

MUS 710 Master’s Project

Students design and implement a project that contributes specifically to a museum organization, and potentially to the field. The project involves articulating a problem, need or opportunity, defining clear deliverables and outcomes, and developing and executing a viable work plan that incorporates iterative thinking and design. Students work individually or in groups to produce a poster and a recorded lightning presentation that are both published in our online journal MuseumsForward.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students undertaking a project will:

• Understand effective project management practices from concept to close
• Develop insight into their area of interest through research and fieldwork
• Strengthen their oral and written communication skills throughout the course of the project
• Gain confidence in their abilities as collaborators and project managers
• Be able to reflect on and assess their strengths and weaknesses as museum professionals

MUS 720 Master’s Research

Students design and execute a research study that makes a significant contribution to the museum field/literature. The research process includes identifying a research problem, framing research questions, developing instrumentation, collecting data, and analyzing and interpreting the data to answer research questions. Students work individually or in groups to write a journal article describing their research study and findings in our online journal MuseumsForward.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students completing a research study will:

• Understand best practices within the research process, from design through execution and dissemination;
• Familiarize themselves with relevant literature in an area they are interested in, to inform their research;
• Think about how their research can inform practice in museums; and
• Learn about their own strengths and weaknesses through the research process

Provides an introduction to the field of evaluation as it relates to museum practice. Introduces basic types, ethics, and practices of evaluation and practices them through readings, reflective fieldwork, mentorships, and discussions.

Offered winter quarter, Jeanine Ancelet

Designed in collaboration with local museum evaluators and built around a central evaluation study, this course extends student experiences and develops skills in data collection, data management, data analysis and interpretation. Prerequisite: MUS 574.

Offered spring quarter, Sarah Brenkert

First course in a yearlong, student-led evaluation project. Builds on previously acquired skills and further develops competencies in project management, outcome development, evaluation planning, and instrumentation design. Students work with museum partners to develop the framework for an evaluation study and present a final evaluation plan implemented in the following quarter. Prerequisite: MUS 575.

Offered fall quarter, Sarah Brenkert

Second course in a yearlong, student-led evaluation project. Students implement the evaluation plan presented in the previous quarter. Students focus efforts on refining their project’s instruments, developing research protocols, and collecting and managing project data. Prerequisite: MUS 576.

Offered winter quarter, Sarah Brenkert

Culmination of yearlong, student-led evaluation project. Students conduct quantitative and qualitative data analysis, interpret findings, and prepare final project deliverables for museum partners. Dissemination of final project includes a formal presentation and evaluation report. Additionally, students submit a concluding peer-evaluation and reflection of project experience. Prerequisite: MUS 577.

Offered spring quarter, Sarah Brenkert

Explore a range of learning theories and frameworks and their implications for museum practice. The course is organized around three key questions: What is learning? What do we know about learning in museums, specifically? How do we design for learning in museums?

Typically offered fall quarter, Dr. Jessica Luke

Students learn about the importance of community engagement, the strategies and tactics of implementation and their impact. Explores underlying theories that support community engagement, analyze frameworks and toolkits developed to help museum staff engage with their communities.

Typically offered fall quarter, Dr. Meena Selvakumar

Explores modes of interpretation from labels to tours to collection management to technology. Through case studies, site visits, class discussion, and writing exercises, introduces students to the theory and practice of museum interpretation. Students think critically and creatively about inclusive, relevant, and engaging interpretive strategies for all museums.

Typically offered winter quarter, Jessica Rubenacker

Explores modes of interpretation from labels to tours to collection management to technology. Through case studies, site visits, class discussion, and writing exercises, introduces students to the theory and practice of museum interpretation. Students think critically and creatively about inclusive, relevant, and engaging interpretive strategies for all museums.

Typically offered winter quarter, Dr. Lane Eagles

Continues the work of MUSEUM 524 in deepening critical exhibit development skills, with an emphasis on hands-on learning. Prerequisite: MUS 524.

Typically offered spring quarter, Dr. Lane Eagles

Focus on fundamental issues related to collections management, ranging from artifact handling and artifact storage solutions, to cataloging and photographing, as well as registration methods such as accessioning, deaccessioning, loans, and legal aspects of managing a museum collection.

Typically offered fall quarter, Hollye Keister

Practical training in the fundamental areas of collections management including: artifact handling, cataloging, condition reporting, photo-documentation and various storage methods. Prerequisite: MUSEUM 540, or concurrent enrollment.

Offered various quarters, Dr. Katie Anderson, Caitlin Oiye Coon, John Vallier

Lecture and demonstrations in the recognition and treatment of museum conservation problems for specimens of all types. Application of basic principles to specific preventive and active conservation and restoration problems encountered by curatorial personnel.

Typically offered spring quarter, Nick Dorman & Geneva Griswold

Explores the legal issues faced by art and science museums. Topics include copyright/trademark law, how the First Amendment protects controversial exhibits, repatriating Native American remains and cultural artifacts, donor rights, art appraising, wartime looting, and the ongoing debate over stewardship and ownership of the world’s natural and cultural resources.

Typically offered fall quarter, Adam Eisenberg

Explores the legal and ethical questions surrounding the ownership of art, digital collections, ancient skeletons, biological data and DNA. How do changing views of history, education and science shape how ownership is defined in the 21st Century, and what ethical issues are raised for museums and libraries?

Typically offered spring quarter, Adam Eisenberg

Introduction to technology’s impacts on visitor experiences, learning, engaging virtual audiences, and developing technology infrastructures. Integrates case studies, class discussions, problem-centered workshops, and guest speakers.

Typically offered spring quarter, Tasia Johnson

Students learn how to identify relevant grant funding opportunities for museums and determine the fit for a particular institution or project; gain familiarity with the components of a grant proposal; understand how proposals are reviewed, what funders typically look for, and the characteristics of a high-quality grant proposal.

Typically offered winter quarter, Dr. Meena Selvakumar

Recent examples include:

• Facilitation in the Museum: Creating a Place for Curiosity and Wonder
• Museums, Health & Wellbeing
• Sustainability in Museums
• Museums and the Movement for Racial Equity

Offered various quarters, various instructors

Explore and learn about best practices in museum programming. Students will gain the skills necessary to develop museum education programs from the initial concept to the final product, with an emphasis on the end user.

Typically offered spring quarter, Seth Margolis