Museum Studies Undergraduate Certificate

Do you love museums? Our 18 credit hour Museum Studies Undergraduate Certificate will complement your major and help you explore a career in museums or prepare for graduate study. Two required courses (6 credit hours) help you build a firm foundation in museum theory. One required course (3 credit hours) introduces you to museum methods, and two approved electives (6 credit hours) let you dig deeper into the specialty areas that interest you most. As the capstone of your certificate, a required internship (3 credit hours) gives you firsthand, practical experience in a local museum and the chance to use your skills as you work closely with a professional mentor.

Undergraduate Certificate Curriculum: (18 cr. Total)

Museum Theory and History, choose from the following list (6 cr., minimum of 3 cr. in MSTD):

  • MSTD A101: Understanding Museums (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A403: Introduction to Museum Studies (3 cr.) (required if you begin the program with 55 credits or more and have not already taken A101)
  • HIST H195: Introduction to Digital Humanities (3 cr.)
  • HIST H200: Introduction to Public History in the United States (3 cr.)
  • HIST H217: The Nature of History (3 cr.)
  • HER H210: Interpreting Art and Its History (3 cr.)

Museum Methods (9 cr.):

  • MSTD A405: Museum Methods (3 cr.) and

Two from the following list of electives (6 cr.):

  • MSTD A407: Indigenous Cultural Heritage (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A410: Museum Education (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A412: Exhibit Planning and Design (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A413: Curatorial Practices (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A416: Collections Care and Management (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A417: Preventive Conservation (3 cr.) [MSTD A416 prerequisite required]
  • MSTD A418: Museums and Audiences (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A440: Cultural Heritage (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A460: Current Topics in Museum Studies (3 cr.) (variable topics – see schedule for current offerings.)
  • MSTD A477: Community Collaboration and Curation (3 cr.)
  • MSTD A494: Independent Learning in Museum Studies (1-6 cr.)

Additional approved electives from Museum Studies and other departments. See current schedule for course listing.

Practical Museum Work (3 cr. required in a museum internship):

  • MSTD-A 408: Museum Internship (3 cr.) (prerequisites: MSTD A403 & A405 or permission of the instructor)

How to Enroll:

Admission to the undergraduate Certificate program in Museum Studies (MSTD) requires the following:

  • A minimum GPA of 2.0
  • Contact the Undergraduate Advisor, Dr. Holly Cusack-McVeigh, Cavanaugh Hall 407, hmcusack@iu.edu for guidance about course selection and an internship that meets your educational and professional goals
  • To declare the certificate, complete the School of Liberal Arts online declaration form: https://liberalarts.indianapolis.iu.edu/updatemajor
  • Complete the 18-credit hour curriculum with a minimum grade of C in each course

Degree Map

To help you guide your four-year college journey, consult your degree map for a snapshot of classes you will be taking to finish your degree.