Graduate Curriculum
The Program requires 18 credit hours of coursework distributed as follows:
A required two-semester proseminar in theoretical, historical and methodological issues in museum studies. This proseminar is overseen by the Program faculty, and engages university faculty and museum practitioners from across the disciplines. This seminar sequence accounts for six hours and is offered each year in the fall and winter terms. Students must commit to enrolling in the two-semester proseminar for the academic year following admission to the program.
Six hours of elective study from courses that have been approved by the UMMSP Steering Committee.
Six hours of practicum which may be configured as an internship, independent study, or research assistantship, to be carried out within a museum or related institution at the University of Michigan and/or off-campus.
Proseminar
The museum studies proseminar is a year-long course that serves as an introduction to a range of historical and contemporary issues associated with the museum. As such, it provides an intellectual framework for engaging the institution — a means for thinking critically and creatively about museums — that serves as a foundation for further study and preparation for work in the museum world. In addition to weekly readings and discussion, students meet with members of the U-M faculty, visiting faculty and practitioners from regional museums to explore a set of questions that are central to understanding a complex and dynamic institution. The capstone experience of the proseminar assigns teams of students to work with the staff of a host museum to develop a detailed proposal for an exhibition or related-project, thus offering an opportunity to apply some of the theoretical thinking that has been acquired over the course of the year.
Cognate Courses
Cognate courses are intended to allow students to delve more deeply into specific aspects of museum studies. Students are advised to enroll in these courses after completing the proseminar so that they can bring the knowledge and critical perspective acquired in the proseminar to these courses. The List of Cognate Courses presents a sampling of courses that have been offered during recent years. Copies of syllabi for many of these courses are on file in the Museum Studies Office. If there is a course that does not appear on the list that may be an appropriate cognate, students are encouraged to present the course for consideration to the Director of the MSP.
Practicum
While the proseminar and cognate courses provide important historical and theoretical grounding, the practicum experience can offer an opportunity to acquire first-hand experience working in a specific museum setting. The six credits earned for the practicum requirement are often completed through a field internship, undertaken at a regional, national, or international museum after completion of both terms of the proseminar sequence.
Financial Support
Students admitted to the Museum Studies Program enjoy access to a number of forms of financial support:
- MSP Practicum Stipend—Students pursuing the MSP Practicum are eligible to receive a Practicum Stipend awarded to defray travel and living expenses associated with the field practicum.
- Professional Development Award—Students who have completed the Museum Studies proseminar are eligible to receive a one-time Professional Development Award. For most students, these funds will be used to support attendance at professional meetings.
- Fellowship for Doctoral Research in Museums—Three grants of up to $10,000 are awarded each year to MSP students whose dissertation research is explicitly situated in or around museums and related institutions.
Time to Completion
The 18-credit certificate program can be completed in as little as one calendar year. The Rackham School of Graduate Studies guidelines state that all requirements for the program must be completed within four years. It is recommended that students pursue their practicum as soon after completing the proseminar sequence as possible.