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Museum Studies Certificate

Purpose

The Museum Studies Certificate Program at the College of Information (CI) is designed to prepare CI graduate students for museum careers. Interdisciplinary in nature, the program combines CI courses with courses focused on specific museum topics, emphasizing museum theory and culminating in a museum studies internship. Students gain critical intelligence and the ability to analyze and achieve objectives in the professional museum field through a combination of discipline-based knowledge and practical training.

The program has been designed to serve students at the graduate level, most of whom will graduate with a master’s degree from the College of Information along with the certificate in museum studies. The program prepares students for museum careers by adding specific museum instruction to their studies at CI. This approach follows recommendations from the American Association of Museums (AAM) that specialized museum training be combined with one or more academic disciplines as the ideal preparation for a professional career.

Application Procedure

Applicants must complete the Museum Studies Certificate Program application form and submit it to Lana Burgess, Academic Coordinator for Museum Studies at Florida State University, 236 Fine Arts Building, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1170. Applications are accepted at any time and are reviewed at the beginning of the subsequent semester in which they are received. The certificate credential is not intended as a diploma or a degree.

A complete application includes: 1) a completed and signed application form (available from http://www.museumstudies.fsu.edu), 2) a one-page typed statement of purpose that explains the student’s career goals and reasons for pursuing the certificate in museum studies; 3) two letters of recommendation (one from the student’s Museum Studies departmental advisor or a Museum Studies steering committee member, and one from an individual familiar with the student’s academic or work achievements and potential); and 4) unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for the Museum Studies Certificate Program should have a strong desire to establish a career in the professional museum field. They must be currently enrolled as a graduate student in the College of Information. They must also meet or exceed the minimum standards for admission to Florida State University.

Program of Studies

The Museum Studies Certificate program consists of 19 credit hours divided among two core courses (7 credits), two elective courses (6 credits), and an internship (6 credits). Upon admission to the program, students should complete a plan of study in consultation with their faculty advisor.

The two core courses are Museum Studies and Practice (HIS 6934), which provides an overview of the roles, functions and practical operations of museums; and the Museum Object (ARH 5838), which covers the philosophy and practice of interpreting, displaying, conserving the museum object.

The two required electives courses complement and emphasize an intellectual area of a student's museum studies program. Electives may be selected from an approved list (available from http://www.museumstudies.fsu.edu). Students who wish to substitute alternative courses from a secondary list, may do so by consulting with their departmental advisor and explaining the substitution in a written petition to be submitted to the Museum Studies’ office.

The internship provides a capstone experience that enables students to receive valuable training in the field while working closely with museum staff on meaningful projects. Internships should be project-driven and include work in one or two areas of the student's interest. Although internships are mutually beneficial to both the student and the participating museum, the primary goal is to offer high quality educational and practical experience to the student. Students register within the academic department of their discipline for a six-credit hour museum internship. They must work a total of 320 hours in an approved museum. They are encouraged to schedule their internship after they have taken the program’s two core courses.

Certificate Requirements

To earn the certificate, students must complete 19 credit hours divided among two core courses (7 credits), two elective courses (6 credits), and an internship (6 credits). These credits may be attained during or after courses taken to fulfill the requirements for the graduate degree in CI. Transfer credits will be accepted for the elective courses only, provided the student meets or exceeds a 3.0 GPA in those courses.

A maximum of three hours of elective credit and three hours of internship credit may be counted for both the Museum Studies Certificate program and the graduate degree in the College of Information. A maximum of six credit hours may be applied toward a future graduate degree, provided the student meets or exceeds a 3.0 GPA in those courses. It is recommended that museum studies coursework start no later than the final semester of the student’s graduate program, and be completed within three semesters.