Museum Studies

Professors W. Kenneth Barger, Anthropology; Michael Cohen, Education; Barbara Jackson, Anthropology; Miriam Langsam, History; Susan Sutton, Anthropology

Associate Professors Jeanette Dickerson-Putman, Anthropology; Elizabeth Monroe, History; Philip Scarpino, History; Robert Sutton, Classical Studies

Assistant Professors Stephanie Dickey, Art History; Jean Robertson, Art History

Adjunct Assistant Professors Jeffrey Bonner, Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc.; Lamont Hulse, The Polis Center; David Vanderstel, The Polis Center, National Council on Public History; Bret Waller, Indianapolis Museum of Art

Academic Advising: Cavanaugh Hall 419, (317) 274-1406

Museum Studies Home Page

Museum studies encompasses the scholarly exploration of museums, their history, operations, and role in society from an interdisciplinary perspective. It also provides training in the technical aspects of museum practice. The museum studies program draws students from the arts, humanities, and social sciences, as well as from the hard sciences. An undergraduate certificate is offered in museum studies. Several courses are available for graduate credit. Museum studies courses may be taken for elective credit, and students who are not pursuing the certificate are welcome in the classes. Contact the program director for updates on program development.

Undergraduate Certificate in Museum Studies

A student's particular program is selected in consultation with the museum studies director. The following 18 credit hours of core required courses are designed to provide a firm introduction to the theory, methodology, and practice of museum work:

Museum theory (6 cr.): A403, H217

Museum methods (6 cr.): A405, W331 or W231

Practical museum work (6 cr.): 3 credits required in a museum practicum (A494 as a museum-related project or A408), and 3 credits required in fine arts (A494 or A408 taken as an exhibits practicum course, or another visual design course)

In addition, 6 credit hours of museum studies electives are required.

Museum Studies Core (18 cr.)

A405 Museum Methods (3 cr.) A survey of the technical aspects of museum work, as well as the state of the art, skills needed, resources available, and the ethical ramifications of these methods. The course surveys methods in the three areas of museum work: artifacts, interpretation, and organizational administration. Topics include registration and records, care of collections, preventative conservation, and storage, museum education, audience evaluation, exhibitions, marketing, and programming, special events, governing body, support organizations, human resources management, financial development and budgeting, and building operations. (May be taken for graduate credit.)

A408 Museum Studies Practicum (1-4 cr.)
P: authorization of the instructor. An arranged learning experience in museum work appropriate to individual career goals, where the student will work with an approved museum on a specific project. May be repeated for a total of 8 credit hours. (May be taken for graduate credit.)

A494 Practicum in Applied Anthropology
(1-3 cr.) P: authorization of the instructor. An arranged learning experience in applied anthropology appropriate to individual career goals, where the student will work with an approved agency, in a specific project. May be repeated for a total of 6 credit hours.

One of the following business writing courses:

W231 Professional Writing Skills (3 cr.) Focuses on the expository writing for the student whose career requires preparation of reports, proposals, and analytical papers. Emphasis on clear and direct objective writing and on investigation of an original topic written in report form, including a primary research project. Evaluation is based on a portfolio of student's work.

W331 Business and Administrative Writing
(3 cr.) A theoretical, as well as practical, application of written communication within a business, administrative, or organizational setting. Emphasis on project proposals, progress reports, agendas, short investigative papers, and other such written assignments.

H217 The Nature of History (3 cr.) An introductory examination of (1) what history is, (2) types of historical interpretation, (3) common problems in history, and (4) the uses of history.

Museum Studies Electives (6 cr.)