Museum professionals prepare for their work in a variety of ways. Many museum workers have degrees from universities. An increasing number receive specialized training in museum studies, working toward master's degrees or certificates of museum training. Graduate programs may focus on museum management, museum education, or curatorship. Certificate-based programs give students the opportunity to receive museum training while pursuing a master's degree in another area, such as history, art history, or business administration.
Most programs require that students complete an internship at a museum.
Start with our 1999-2000 Guide to Museum Studies and Training in the United States to identify programs that suit your needs and professional goals. Undergraduate, graduate, and certificate museum studies programs are listed along with internship and mid-career training opportunities. More than two hundred training opportunities are profiled in the Guide. Comparison charts allow students to easily locate programs of interest. After writing to programs for course catalogs and additional information, it may be difficult to decide which program will be the best match for your career goals.