Museum Studies
Museums play an integral role in educating the public about a variety of topics including our culture (past and present), art and other creative endeavors, as well as history, natural history, science, and other fields. The Certificate in Museum Studies at Kansas State University introduces students to diverse approaches, practices, and ethical aspects involved in museum work. The coursework and training associated with this certificate pave a path for students interested in careers with museums and related institutions, including preparing them for jobs and/or advanced graduate studies in the profession.
The certificate in Museum Studies is valuable for students in multiple disciplines (anthropology, history, art, the natural sciences, cultural heritage, architecture, education, etc.) who are considering a career in a museum or other institutions that seek to educate the public through interpretation, exhibition, and curation of material objects.
Declare Your Certificate
To enroll, fill out this form.
Requirements
Complete 15 credit hours of approved courses earning a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in the certificate courses. Of the 15 credit hours, at least 9 credits must be completed in core courses, but a student may take all their credits in that category if they would like to. If a student wishes, up to 6 credits hours may be drawn from complementary elective courses, but they can only count one class per elective category toward the certificate. Overall, courses must be taken in at least two departments to ensure programmatic breadth. An internship in a museum or similar institution is highly recommended and can be completed for credit and applied to this certificate through the internship courses listed below. If a course has substantive museum content but is not on our list, students may petition the coordinating faculty for it to count toward the certificate (email co-coordinators, see below).
Core Courses in Museum Studies (9-15 Credits)
ANTH 312 Museums, Cultures, and Collaborations
ANTH 352 Topics in Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies
ANTH 353 Museum Collections Management
ANTH 515 Creativity and Culture: The Anthropology of Art
ANTH 552 Topics in Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies
ANTH 562 Archaeological Laboratory Methods
ANTH 652 Internship in Museology
ANTH 659* Independent Reading and Research in Anthropology
ART 112 Professional Practices in the Arts
ART 305 Introduction to Museum Studies
ART 582* Internships in Visual Art & Design
ART 606 Visual Art Administration & Leadership
DAS 388* Honors Internship
HIST 650* Internship in History
***
Complementary Electives
(0-6 credits; only 1 class per elective category will count)
Electives in Material Objects and Cultural Heritage
ANTH 364 Archaeological Myths and Mysteries
ANTH 365 Exploring Kansas Archaeology
ANTH 368* Topics in Archaeology
ANTH 560 Archaeological Fact or Fiction: Applied Critical Thinking
ANTH 561 Archaeological Field Methods
ANTH 563 Applied Archaeology
ANTH 565 North American Archaeology
ANTH 568* Topics in Archaeology
ANTH 663 Andean Archaeology
ANTH 665 European Archaeology
ANTH 659* Independent Research and Research
ANTH 683 Human osteology
Electives in Material and Aesthetic Studies
ART 545 20th Century Art History I: Post Impressionism to Cubism
ART 550 20th Century Art History II: Dada to Surrealism
ART 601 History of Graphic Design
ART 602 20th Century Art History III: Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art
ART 603 20th Century Art History IV: Conceptual Art to Contemporary Art
ART 608 Topics in Art History
ART 612 History of Italian Renaissance Art
ART 613 History of Northern Renaissance Art
ART 614 Italian Renaissance Architecture: Patronage and Construction
ART 622 Italian Baroque Art History
ART 628 Foreign Studies in Art
ART 634 History of Modern Sculpture
ART 675 History of Ceramics
Elective Courses in Nonprofit Management
CDPLN 713 Nonprofit Management
LEAD 420 Theories of Nonprofit Leadership
MANGT 450 Non-Profit Management
* Courses marked with an astrisks may fill Museum Studies Certificate requirements only if course content and/or student research is substantially focused on museums or collections. Email certificate co-coordinators to petition for credit for these courses.
Total Required Hours: 15
Download the Museum Studies Certificate Brochure
Contacts
Advisors
Gabe Bachura (Advisor, SASW) gbachura@ksu.edu
David Ollington, SASW Advisor dollingt@ksu.edu
Coordinating Faculty
Lauren W. Ritterbush, Professor of Anthropology lritterb@ksu.edu
Mary Kohn, Director of the Chapman Center for Rural Studies kohn@ksu.edu
Glen Brown, Professor of Art History gbrown@ksu.edu [certificate co-coordinator]
Douglas N. Dow, Associate Professor and Area Coordinator of Art History ddow@ksu.edu
Jessica Falcone, Professor of Anthropology jfalcone@ksu.edu [certificate co-coordinator]
Marta Alfonso-Durruty, Associate Professor of Anthropology alfonsod@ksu.edu [on leave]