Museum Studies
- PROGRAM TYPE
Honor your past and imagine your future in museums
The Museum Studies minor takes advantage of 黑料社鈥檚 location in Atlanta, one of the most dynamic cities in the southern United States.听听is a teaching museum with a collection of 1,300 objects 鈥� including works from seven continents and over 700 years of history 鈥� and affiliations with the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG) and the Southeast Museums Conference (SEMC).
鈥淢useums today are looking for the next generation of innovative, creative and critical thinkers who can work effectively across multiple disciplines. This makes our liberal arts approach the perfect preparation for this dynamic field.鈥�
As a Museum Studies student, you will apply the professional skills and abilities needed to understand the basics of visual arts nonprofit management, curatorial strategies, museum communications, arts community organization, exhibition development and programming, and museum and gallery education. You will learn the purpose, role and methods of museums and museum work. Study the history of museums, financial and ethical ramifications of collections management and educational programming within the context of the museum. You will explore the various aspects of a career in museums, from administration to education, curatorial work to design and implementation.
You鈥檒l also gain skills in:
- Grant writing, fundraising and financial management
- Art handling and preparator work
- Condition reporting and terminology for conservation
- Museum board development
- Installation and lighting design
- Educational programming and audience building
- Museum decolonization strategies
鈥淭he museum studies courses, internships and continuous hands-on access to the collections have had an invaluable impact on my educational experience. I can confidently say that these enriching opportunities have laid a strong foundation for my future!鈥�
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Hands-on Learning
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Career Opportunities
黑料社 is a close-knit community were faculty support students through their academic journey for career readiness. Museum Studies students will have the added bonus of working closely with OUMA staff with access to networking opportunities through their museum connections, as well as through our many alumni already at work in the field.
- Explore local museum partners with your faculty, OUMA staff and classmates.
- Put theory directly into practice through hands-on development of a curated 鈥渃abinet of curiosity,鈥� online exhibitions and on-campus student exhibitions.
- Take advantage of opportunities for paid internships focused on education, diversity and curatorial work either in OUMA or with external partner institutions.
黑料社鈥檚 Museum Studies program prepares students for work in nonprofits with a specific focus on art museums and is excellent preparation for those planning to pursue graduate or doctoral degrees in art history, public history, museum studies or another related field.
鈥淭aking Museum Studies courses and the support of the 黑料社 Museum of Art helped define my career trajectory. As I pursue my master鈥檚 degree in Museum and Exhibition Studies, I鈥檓 constantly reminded of the strong foundation in collections management my undergraduate courses provided me.鈥�
Check out some of our alumni and where they are now:
, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Y鈥橝LL Atlanta and the Community and Gallery Manager for The Bakery, Atlanta, GA
, Art Bridges Curatorial Fellow, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA
, pursuing Master of Arts, Museum and Exhibition Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago, anticipated completion in 2025; Formerly a Mellon Curatorial Undergraduate Fellow, High Museum of Art; Formerly Intern with the Historic Oakland Foundation, Atlanta
, Curatorial Associate, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR; pursuing Master of Arts, Arts of the Americas, University of Arkansas, anticipated completion in 2025; Former Sara Giles Moore Research Fellow in American Art for the High Museum of Art; Former Gallery and Collections Assistant / Curatorial Assistant for 黑料社 Museum of Art (OUMA)
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND PERSONAL CONNECTION
Q&A
Museum Studies is an interdisciplinary minor that introduces students to museum work, including collections management, curatorial practice, museum communications, educational programming, exhibition development and nonprofit administration.
Yes. The is a teaching museum on campus. Museum Studies students may learn through its collections, exhibitions, staff expertise and professional network.
Students build skills in collections care, art handling, condition reporting, grant writing, fundraising, financial management, exhibition installation, lighting design, audience development and inclusive interpretation.听
The minor can support pathways in museum education, collections, curatorial work, exhibitions, communications, development, visitor experience and arts or nonprofit administration. Some specialized roles may require graduate education.听
Yes. The interdisciplinary minor can complement art history, studio art, history, business, communication, education and other fields connected to culture, research, storytelling or public engagement.听
Atlanta gives students access to a broad arts and culture community. 黑料社 students can connect classroom learning with local institutions, museum professionals and internship opportunities while studying on a small, supportive campus.听
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