Museum Education
The role of museums is changing to provide programming for audiences of all types.
The MA in Museum Education offers a unique opportunity to obtain the theoretical and practical foundation as well as the experience necessary for your career in museums and galleries of all subjects—art, history, cultural history, science, and more. The program accepts students from across the country and around the world for the fall term each year.
We prepare graduates to:
1) teach in the gallery with objects
2) use a variety of means to foster museum learning for children, teens, and adults including text, speech, and new media
3) develop a variety of programs suitable for different types of museums
4) understand the administrative skills needed to support successful education programs
What is the curriculum?
Coursework comprises four areas: an education core addressing theory and methods; a focus on museum history, theory, and practice; a professional core including internships and the writing and defense of a master’s thesis.
Courses include such topics as Museology; Creative and Cognitive Psychology; Educational Programming for Museums; The Museum Audience; Media for Museum Communication; Development, Fund-raising and Grantsmanship, Museum Graphics; Museum Publications, Public Relations and Marketing. Students can take elective courses offered in other UArts departments in areas such as art education and the liberal arts.
Who are our students?
While our program is located in a school of visual and performing arts, we encourage students with backgrounds in all areas of the museum world to apply. We believe that a mix of students from the arts, history, cultural history, and the sciences makes for a lively exchange of ideas about the potential for museums.
Why Philadelphia?
Our location is one of the University’s greatest assets. We like to say that Philadelphia has arguably the greatest variety of types of museums of any region in the country. Student internships can be held in museums of natural history, science and technology, in art museums and galleries, historic houses and history museums, anthropology, archaeology, and culturally-specific museums. Learn more about the area at VisitPhilly.com.
How do I apply?
For information, contact Helen M. Shannon, Director, Museum Education Program at hshannon@uarts.edu. To start the application process, contact the University’s Admissions Office.
Admission to the program is competitive based on college performance in an academic discipline and previous museum or gallery experience as an intern, volunteer, or staff. UArts offers financial assistance based on scholarly achievement and financial need.
