The graduate minor in Museum Studies is an interdisciplinary program that emphasizes mentoring and collaborative opportunities through a combination of structured work experiences, academic instruction, supervised internships, and short-term professional workshops and training courses. Additional emphasis is placed on collection care, management, and preservation.
The graduate minor in Museum Studies requires 9 credit hours of course work and 6 credit hours of internship for a total of 15 credit hours.
Internship opportunities (MSST 586 Practicum: Museum Methods) are arranged in partnership with museums on the University of New Mexico campus and organizations around the state. Each internship is created to support the interests of the student and the specific needs of the institution, its collections and activities. Students are able to propose internships at specific museums where they have work experience or professional contacts. Other internship opportunities are available, which require competitive application for consideration. For these internships, the application process and selection criteria are established in partnership with the host organization.
The graduate minor is available to any student enrolled in a graduate degree program at UNM. Once completed, the minor designation appears on a student’s transcript.
Courses
MSST 407 / 507.
Museum Practices.
(3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
(Also offered as ARTH 407 / 507)
History, philosophy and purposes of museums. Techniques and problems of museum administration, education, collection, exhibition, conservation and public relations.
{Offered every academic year}
MSST 429 / 529.
Topics in Museum Studies.
(1-3, no limit Δ)
An in-depth analysis of a specific topic in Museum Studies. May be repeated as subject matter changes.
Prerequisite: 407 or ARTH 407.
MSST 475 / 575.
Museum Interpretation.
(3)
Public education within museum contexts, including exhibit research, planning, development, production; traveling trunks, booklets, outreach, public programming, evaluation, and digital and virtual applications.
Prerequisite: 407 or ARTH 407.
{Every academic year}
MSST 476 / 576.
Museum Collection Management.
(3)
Method, theory, and practice of collection management, including acquisitions, law, ethics, organization, storage and retrieval, environmental controls, security, stabilization, risk management, and data management.
Prerequisite: 407 or ARTH 407.
{Every academic year}
MSST 485 / 585.
Seminar in Museum Methods.
(3, no limit Δ [3 to a maximum of 6 Δ])
(Also offered as ANTH, ARTH 485 / 585)
Theoretical and practical work in specific museum problems. May be repeated as subject matter changes.
Prerequisite: 407 or ARTH 407.
{Offered upon demand}
MSST 486 / 586.
Practicum: Museum Methods.
(1-3, no limit Δ [3 to a maximum of 6 Δ])
(Also offered as ANTH, ARTH 486 / 586)
Practicum in museum methods and management.
Prerequisite: 407 or ARTH 407.
Restriction: permission of instructor.
{Offered upon demand}
MSST 507 / 407.
Museum Practices.
(3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
(Also offered as ARTH 507 / 407)
History, philosophy and purposes of museums. Techniques and problems of museum administration, education, collection, exhibition, conservation and public relations.
{Offered every academic year}
MSST 529 / 429.
Topics in Museum Studies.
(1-3, no limit Δ)
An in-depth analysis of a specific topic in Museum Studies. May be repeated as subject matter changes.
Prerequisite: 507 or ARTH 507.
MSST 575 / 475.
Museum Interpretation.
(3)
Public education within museum contexts, including exhibit research, planning, development, production; traveling trunks, booklets, outreach, public programming, evaluation, and digital and virtual applications.
Prerequisite: 507 or ARTH 507.
{Every academic year}
MSST 576 / 476.
Museum Collection Management.
(3)
Method, theory, and practice of collection management, including acquisitions, law, ethics, organization, storage and retrieval, environmental controls, security, stabilization, risk management, and data management.
Prerequisite: 507 or ARTH 507.
{Every academic year}
MSST 585 / 485.
Seminar in Museum Methods.
(3, no limit Δ [3 to a maximum of 6 Δ])
(Also offered as ANTH, ARTH 585 / 485)
Theoretical and practical work in specific museum problems. May be repeated as subject matter changes.
Prerequisite: 507 or ARTH 507.
{Offered upon demand}
MSST 586 / 486.
Practicum: Museum Methods.
(1-3, no limit Δ [3 to a maximum of 6 Δ])
(Also offered as ANTH, ARTH 586 / 486)
Practicum in museum methods and management.
Prerequisite: 507 or ARTH 507.
Restriction: permission of instructor.
{Offered upon demand}
MSST 598.
Graduate Project.
(1-6 to a maximum of 15 Δ)
Projects must be museum-based: exhibits, films, educational programs, collection curation, field collection and analysis, or other museum endeavors. Must be original contributions to museums or the profession, and demonstrate contemporary knowledge of museum methods, theory and practice.
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
Restriction: admission to Museum Studies graduate program and advisor approval.
MSST 599.
Master's Thesis.
(1-6, no limit Δ)
Restriction: admission to Museum Studies graduate program.
