The Museum Studies concentration is designed to prepare students for careers in the museum fields, cultural resource management, and cultural and natural heritage preservation. Our world is changing at an increasing rate due to population expansion, development, climate alteration, and other global factors. These factors, individually and combined, have created a critical need for trained professionals dedicated to the preservation and contextualization of both the cultural and natural past, present, and future. This concentration will train students in the basics of museum management and curation, grounded in a firm understanding of the history of museums and the role they play in today's world. The cognate minor requirement ensures students gain further specialized training in a particular aspect of museum work that will make them extremely competitive for post-graduate positions in museum work or graduate school.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the foundational material in the sub-disciplines of Anthropology, including action anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and sociocultural anthropology.
- Describe the methodologies used to conduct anthropological fieldwork in at least one sub-discipline.
- Compare the major theoretical frameworks within anthropology using an historical perspective.
- Develop a research question and/or hypothesis relevant to anthropological research.
- Communicate anthropological knowledge clearly and effectively in writing.
- Demonstrate proficiency in managing museum collections.
- Develop professional-level museum displays.