Museum studies focuses on the global, contemporary, art historical and theoretical aspects of museums and cultural institutions. This field spans the design, organization and management of museums.
The museum studies degree online combines the academic study of art history with the broad scope of museum practice. Through practical learning experiences, you’ll study the basic functions of museum operations. You’ll also learn about the important role museums and cultural institutions play in educating the public and raising cultural heritage awareness on local, national and international levels.
Earn your museum studies degree concentration online
This museum studies degree online features coursework on the study of art and all facets of museums, including curating, fundraising and marketing. With courses developed and taught by recognized professionals in museum studies, you’ll explore art galleries, preservation societies exhibitions, and public art programs from global, art historical and cultural contexts.
Through coursework and internships, you’ll become knowledgeable in art history, museum practice and visual thinking. You’ll gain the experience and skills needed to pursue careers in local, national and international museums.
How to get a job at a museum
Earning a museum studies undergraduate programs online is an excellent first step in getting a job at a museum. Upon graduating, you’ll possess a variety of skills and competencies needed to succeed in a range of roles in museums, art galleries, archives, art-based organizations and cultural institutions, including:
- Creative and critical thinking.
- Ethical decision-making and reasoning.
- Expertise on the art museums workings and ethics.
- Language and visual literacy.
- Problem solving and quantitative reasoning.
- Reading ability in at least one foreign language.
- Written and verbal communication skills.
With an undergraduate museum studies degree, you can typically pursue entry-level assistant positions for curators, archivists, public relations and other key roles in the museum and other art institutions. However, you may need more education, experience and training to land professional positions in museums and related organizations.
A master’s degree in museum studies prepares students for professional roles in museums. These higher-level roles may include curators, registrars, public relations specialists, educators and many other positions. For instance, a master’s degree in library science is necessary for a position as an art librarian. A Master of Business Administration may be necessary for museum administration. Also, a doctoral degree is often necessary for curatorial positions. We encourage you to look into the different educational requirements for museum careers you may want to pursue in the future.
This Bachelor of Arts in art with a concentration in museum studies degree online prepares you to work in museums and cultural institutions around the world. You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of the design, organization and management of museums. This knowledge can help you on your path to becoming a curator, archivist, educator and more.
In this program, you’ll take a range of art history and museum studies courses. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore electives that pique your interests. These courses may include Contemporary Indigenous Art and Museums, Identity Politics and Exhibition, Decolonizing Museums, (Mis)Representing Justice: Art, Law and Censorship, The Art of Black Women’s History and more.
ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is home to world-class scholars, artists and designers who inspire students to shape the future. Our faculty’s research is grounded in the transformative power of art and its ability to change the world. Faculty research areas include:
- Arts and design for social justice.
- Arts, education and arts-integrated education.
- Arts, entrepreneurship and cultural policy.
- Community engagement and public policy.
- Creative health collaborations.
- Design, arts, science and engineering.
- The study of creative work.
ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is the home to top-ranked programs from a variety of disciplines ranging from the arts, media and engineering to film, dance and theater. We train artists and designers to leverage their creativity and problem-solving abilities to advance culture, build community and transform society.
students.
internationally recognized faculty members.
programs in arts, media and engineering, design, dance and theater, film and music.
among fine arts schools in the nation, ahead of Cornell University, Parsons School of Design and the University of California.
No, Arizona State University’s diplomas don’t specify whether you earn your degree online or in person. All diplomas and transcripts simply say “Arizona State University.”