Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies
The program is listed and administered through the Anthropology Department at UW-Milwaukee and taught off-campus at the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) by museum professionals. All applicants to the Museum Studies certificate program must comply with a background check as required by Milwaukee Public Museum policy. Individuals with criminal records cannot be admitted to the program. The program is broad-based and any UW-Milwaukee graduate student may apply. Students from all over the country and from a wide variety of disciplines have participated in the program.
The program is designed to supplement a student’s graduate degree requirements and it is anticipated that each student will have a firm footing in his/her academic field to support the course of museum study.
The Museum Studies Program provides an overview of museum work, including…
- philosophical and contemporary issues
- museum history and methodology
- collections care and management
- curation
- interpretation
- preventive conservation
- exhibition
Regular individual academic advising and career planning are important features of the program. The majority of graduates of the program find a paid position in a museum within one year of graduation. Graduates of the program have assumed responsibilities in museums and related institutions across the country as directors, curators, collections managers, registrars, educators, and more.
Certificate Program Requirements
For students entering the program Fall 2019 and thereafter, the certificate program consists of six courses (18 credits) at the graduate level and confers a Certificate upon successfully completing the program in conjunction with a UWM graduate degree.*
Credits and Courses
The certificate program consists of a minimum of 15 credits at the graduate level. ANTHRO 620 is the required gateway course for the certificate, but may be taken prior to admission to the certificate program for undergraduate credit. If ANTHRO 620 is taken for undergraduate credit, then 15 graduate credits are required for the certificate. If ANTHRO 620 is taken at the graduate level, a total of 18 credits are required for the certificate.
In all cases, the course prerequisites will be enforced, as the curriculum is sequenced.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 620 | Museum Fundamentals | 3 |
| ANTHRO 621G | Internship in Museum Studies | 3 |
| ANTHRO 720 | History and Theory of Museums | 2 |
| ANTHRO 721 | Administration and Organization of Museums | 3 |
| ANTHRO 722 | Visitor Experience Design in Museums | 3 |
| ANTHRO 723 | Museum Collections Management and Curation | 3 |
| ANTHRO 725 | Professionalism Capstone in Museum Studies | 1 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
- 1
With approval of the program director an elective may be substituted for 621.
Anthropology, Art History, History, and Educational Psychology all offer courses that supplement the Museum Studies curriculum and such courses will count as electives. The structure and scheduling of the coursework requires at least two years for completion, since each course is taught only once a year and courses must be taken in sequence.
The Museum Studies Certificate Program must be completed in conjunction with a graduate program in an academic discipline (e.g. Anthropology, History, Art History or Educational Psychology). To enter the certificate program students should apply directly through the UWM Graduate School online application portal.
* Regarding those who began the program up to Fall 2018, students must complete the four required courses (and the elective/Anthro 724 internship) in the following sequence in order to fulfill the certificate requirements under the prior curriculum:
- Anthro 720, History and Theory of Museums
- Anthro 721, Administration and Organization of Museums
- Anthro 723, Museum Collections Management and Curation
- Anthro 722, Visitor Experience Design in Museums
Graduate Grievance Procedures
Federal law and UWM policy require programs and departments to have procedures for graduate students to appeal academic decisions such as grades or scholastic standing. These procedures ensure the protection of students’ rights. These pages serve as a reference on procedures for graduate student academic appeals.