Museum Studies, Minor
Explore the world of museums and contribute to humanity’s cultural legacy.
"Museums are a foundation stone for our culture. You’ll be able to engage with them in ways you never thought you could."
Caleb Whittington (B.A. in Classics, minors in Anthropology and Museum Studies, '22)
Graduate Student in Museum Studies, Florida State University
About the Minor in Museum Studies
The College of Liberal Arts offers the interdisciplinary minor in Museum Studies. It is an interdisciplinary field that explores the world of museums, from collections and exhibitions, to education, archives, research, and more.
Museums are conduits for art, culture, history, and science to be shared with the public through exhibitions, educational programming, and collections. These spaces of wonder offer glimpses into who we are as humans, what we value, and how we see, and are seen by the world. Essentially, they are amazing resources from which to teach and learn.
Faculty from anthropology, art, art history, classics, history, and Southern Studies as well as staff at the UM Museum contribute to this program of study. Students are introduced to museum history and practice, affording the opportunity to explore career paths in museums, public history, and public humanities.
The Museum Studies minor provides opportunities for students to visit museums and historical sites across the US and abroad. Students can also gain hands-on experience through internships with museums.
On this Page…
Program Information
Degree
Required Credit Hours
18
Program Type
Minor
Program Location
School
Academic Requirements
Students in the Museum Studies minor complete 18 credit hours of courses. A minimum grade of C is required for all courses that apply to the minor.
Required course - select one of the following:
- Muse 201: Introduction to Museum Practice
- AH 412: History of Museums
5 elective courses (2 must be outside the students major discipline):
- AH 308: Art History Internship
- AH 412: History of Museums
- ART 414: Exhibition Design
- Anth 320: Archaeozoology: Animal Use in History
- Anth 405: Bone Detectives I: Human Osteology
- Anth 413: Public Archaeology: Theory and Method
- Anth 375/CLC 375: Digital Archaeology
- Clc 401: Internship in Classics
- Clc 360: Archaeological and Museum Ethics
- Clc 415/AH 327: Studying Ancient Artifacts
- Hst 460: Public History
- Hst 461: History on Location
- Hst 463: Practicum in Public History
- Hst 465: Digital History
- Hst 493: Undergraduate History Internship
- Muse 199: Introductory Topics in Museum Studies
- Muse 201: Introduction to Museum Practice
- Muse 301: Fundraising for Museums
- Muse 360: Museums on Location
- Muse 395: Topics in Museum Studies
- Muse 398: Topics in Museum Studies Abroad
- Muse 401: Internship in Museum Studies
- SST 110: Slavery and the University
- SST 556: Heritage Tourism in the South
Welcome from the Director
"Museum Studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores the world of museums and all they encompass: collections, exhibitions, education, archives, research, and more. Our faculty from five departments—Art and Art History, Anthropology and Sociology, Classics, History, and Southern Studies—teach a broad range of courses to introduce students to the history and culture of museums and their basic functions as well as current topics and issues facing museums today. The University Museum provides students with the opportunity to explore career paths in museums, public history, and public humanities."
Kariann Fuqua
Instructional Assistant Professor of Art, Foundations & Museum Studies
Museum Studies Faculty
Aileen Ajootian
- Professor of Classics & Art
Jackie Dibiasie-Sammons
- Associate Professor of Classics and Senior Fellow, North Residential College
Carolyn Freiwald
- Associate Professor of Anthropology
Kariann Fuqua
- Instructional Assistant Professor of Art, Foundations & Museum Studies
Alex Lindgren-Gibson
- Associate Professor of History
Kathleen McGuire
- Instructor in American History
Jodi Skipper
- Professor of Anthropology
Jesse Tune
- Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director, Center for Archaeological Research
Franny Zawadzki
- Instructional Assistant Professor of Art History
Enhance Your Academic Experience with an Internship
According to national surveys, employers are more likely to hire college graduates who have:
- had professional internships,
- worked with people from diverse backgrounds on community service,
- collaborated with peers on projects,
- taken multiple courses with significant writing,
- produced a senior project or thesis, and
- studied abroad.
These experiences are about core liberal arts skills of thinking, communicating, interpersonal skills, and understanding the world around us. Showcase and enhance these skills in an internship opportunity for that first step into the professional world.
We encourage students in Museum Studies to combine coursework with these hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. For example, our students complete museum internships, travel to New York with faculty for a Museums on Location course, and collaborate with peers to install exhibits on campus.
Beyond the Classroom
What are related careers to Museum Studies?
- Museum Director
- Curator/Curatorial Assistant
- Exhibition Designer/Exhibition
- Coordinator Preparator
- Collections Manager
- Registrar
- Education Director
- Conservator
- Preservationist
- Archivist
- Librarian
- Display Designer
Meet a few Alumni
Reagan Whittington
Caleb Whittington
Next Steps
Explore Affordability
We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.
Apply to the University of Mississippi
Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?