The Museology Program trains students in the broad interdisciplinary knowledge and skills necesary to pursue professional careers in museum work. Students entering the program primarily focus on specializations in curation, collection management, and education in museums of anthropology, art, history, and natural history, although other areas of concentration are possible depending on student background, including exhibition and museum administration.

In 1972 the Museology Program was only one of three of its kind in the U.S. and Canada. Today it is widely recognized as one of the premier graduate programs in the field. The 2-year program is offered by university faculty and professional staff from many departments and schools at the University of Washington as well as by staff from regional museums. Participating units at the university include: Anthropology, Architecture, Art History, Botany, Burke Museum, Education, Fisheries, Geology, Henry Art Gallery, History, Information School, Psychology, and Zoology.

The Museology Program consists of required core courses and electives in museum subjects as well as a range of courses in other disciplines that offer students the opportunity to specialize in areas of particular interest. Museology courses characteristically combine theoretical and pragmatic training, and feature guest speakers, field trips, laboratory, and seminar work. Since admission to the program is highly selective, classes are small and students have close contact with faculty. Students from Canada, Germany, Nigeria, Bhutan, Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, Colombia, and other countries have all earned degrees in the program.

As one of the first University graduate programs to require internship training, the Museology Program continues to require this practical experience as an essential training element in addition to practicums carried out in campus facilities such as the Burke Museum, the Henry Art Gallery, the Herbarium, the Arboretum, and University Libraries. Internships place students in regional and national museums, galleries, and cultural centers, e.g., the Smithsonian, the Field Museum, the Seattle Art Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and many other institutions here and abroad.

For more information go to: http://www.museum.washington.edu/museum/
Or contact the Program Administrator, Maya Procel at procel@

NOTE: e-mail addresses are not linked, to reduce spam. The address is @u.washington.edu.