The George Washington University - Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
MA in Museum Studies
Online USA
MA
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
USD 57,314 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
Established in 1976, the Master of Arts in Museum Studies at George Washington University responds to the evolving museum profession by combining hands-on training with future-focused theoretical engagement. Students gain foundational knowledge about the state of museum work today, practical skills and the ability to critically engage with developments in the field. Coursework offers both breadth and depth in Collections Management, Museum Management, Exhibitions and Visitor Experience, and Public Engagement.
Our students come from a range of academic disciplines, from history and anthropology to art history and the natural sciences. Our location in the nation’s museum capital offers a unique opportunity to connect to national and global conversations at the cutting edge of museum practice.
The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (CCAS) offers funding opportunities in all doctoral and master's programs. These awards differ by level and by program. PhD students are typically offered full funding packages (full tuition, living stipend, and graduate assistantship). CCAS offers merit-based partial tuition awards to many of the students admitted to our PsyD and master's programs; some of these programs also offer graduate assistantships as well as small stipend awards.
The MA program of study is structured so that students can personalize their academic experience to accomplish their own goals. All students complete 36-credit hours, including:
- one core course entitled Museum Ethics & Values
- one internship
- five (5) courses as required in the selected concentration
- five (5) electives which may be drawn from within Museum Studies (including a second internship) or from outside the program. Up to four (4) non-museum studies courses are permitted.
Students also complete a comprehensive exam in their concentration, fulfill the graduate writing requirement and give an oral presentation related to their internship.
Our 36-credit program can be completed by full-time students in two academic years. Part-time study is also permitted, but the program must be completed in a maximum of four years.
Every student in the MA program selects a Museum Studies concentration in one of four areas of concentration:
- Museum Management
- Collections Management
- Exhibitions and Visitor Experience
- Public Engagement
Throughout the program, students work with an academic advisor to ensure that they meet program requirements and their own career and educational goals.
Our students benefit from a strong alumni network working in museums throughout the world. In addition, practitioners from some of the nation’s leading museums and policymakers at the forefront of cultural debates are frequent participants at discussions in the classroom. The program’s affiliations with more than 60 museums and cultural organizations enables students to immerse themselves in world-class venues as they learn from some of the nation’s leading museum professionals.