Museum Studies, M.A.
Master of Arts
About this program
The Master of Arts in Museum Studies builds on your prior academic background while giving you hands-on training in museum work. You study areas such as collections care, exhibition design, fundraising, curatorship and public programming. You spend time in the Global Museum — an on-campus teaching museum — learning real skills in a professional setting. You finish the 33–34 unit program with a thesis, creative project or comprehensive exam.
Program Curriculum and Requirements
Program Scope
The M.A. in Museum Studies is unique to SFSU, and the only one of its kind in a public university in the state of California, either in the California State University or the University of California systems. The M.A. degree is designed to provide professional training in major areas of museum work — Museum Management and Fundraising, Curatorship, Registration/Collections Management, Exhibition Design, Cultural Property Law and Protection, and Museum Education and Public Programming.
The program builds upon students’ previous academic studies in museum-related disciplines by emphasizing practical experience, professionalism and important developments in the field of Museum Studies. Museum Studies students include mid-career museum professionals, people from other professional career fields, and recent B.A. graduates.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Identify the core features of museum professionalism (ethical codes, professional societies, interpersonal skills, teamwork, career development resources).
- Outline the broad history of museums, their core organizational features, and basic museum theory.
- Acquire knowledge of key areas in museum research and practice, specifically in: collections care and registration; museum management and fundraising; and exhibition design.
- Depending upon their emphasis, students will acquire knowledge of at least one of following key areas in museum research and practice: curatorship; cultural property law and protection; museum education.
- Depending upon their emphasis, students will acquire or have the option of acquiring knowledge in museum research and practice in the areas of audience development, digital asset management, global operations or conservation.
- Develop individual scholarship, creative activity, and museum professionalism through activities such as a written thesis, an exhibit component, an area of the written examination or professional activities.