Graduate Program

CLS Graduate Degrees - Master of Arts in Museum Studies

Master of Arts in Museum Studies

You can complete the MA Museum Studies program in approximately two years if you maintain the recommended rate of progress. All online courses are semester-long enrollments of 16 weeks in the fall and the spring; the courses are compressed into 8 weeks for the summer sessions. Note, however, that the Graduate College requires that all coursework applied to the degree be completed within five (5) years of the first enrollment. To access the Graduate College Bulletin, policies, forms, and other information, go to http://gradweb.ou.edu/.

You can enroll for classes online each semester until the final two semesters in the program. For directions to register online, go to http://ozone.ou.edu/. Your independent study research courses at the end of the program (Research Project, Internship, or Thesis) are individual enrollments that College staff will make manually and charge to your account in the Office of the Bursar with your emailed permission.

Degree Plan

MA Museum Studies Degree
This 33-credit hour MA program option consists of 18 hours of required coursework, 9 hours of electives and 6 hours of completion option.

MA Museum Studies students can complete the entire program online but they do have the option of attending on-campus seminars when available.

Museum Studies Courses
This listing includes all courses necessary for the 33-credit hour program.

Required Courses (18 hours):

LSTD 5003 Introduction to Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies
3 credit-hour, letter-graded course.
--Course provides orientation to advanced interdisciplinary study, appreciation of standards of performance and scholarship appropriate to graduate study, development of skills necessary for success in academic research and writing in a graduate interdisciplinary program.

Graduate Home

Advisement

Academics

Most Requested Information

College of Liberal Studies Journal of Museum Studies

LSTD 5013 Interdisciplinary Foundations
3 credit-hour, letter-graded course.
Prerequisite LSTD 5003
--Selected readings designed to reinforce the interdisciplinary approach to graduate studies and to introduce the concept of paradigms as an organizing principle for understanding and interpreting information.

LSMS 5113 The World of a Museum
--Baseline course introducing all aspects of museums and museum careers including history, structure, operation, and theoretical underpinnings

LSMS 5190 Museum Project
Prerequisite LSMS 5113 or permission of the CLS Dean
Download the Project Guidelines in a PDF
--Students can develop a project in their museum or organization under the direction of an OU faculty member with on-site supervisor who will report on the work, or can chose to come to OU for a project or internship at one of the museums or collections on campus

LSTD 5043 Research in Interdisciplinary Studies
Prerequisite LSMS 5113 or permission of the CLS Dean
--Theories and techniques of research designed to prepare MLS students to carry out individual research on a topic within an interdisciplinary program of study.

LSMS 5133 or LSMS 5163 or LSMS 5173 or LSMS 5183 (See below for descriptions)

Elective Courses (9 hours):

LSMS 5133 History and Architecture of Museums
Prerequisite LSMS 5113
--In this course, students will study the history, architecture, and special requirements of museum buildings, and how a museum building interacts with a museum’s mission, function, and operations.

LSMS 5163 Museum Management and Leadership
Prerequisite LSMS 5113
--This course explores the philosophy, policies and practices of museum governance, including such topics as ethics, board development, institutional mission and organization.

LSMS 5700 Advanced Topics
Prerequisite LSMS 5113 or permission of the CLS Dean
--Education and Public Programs
Elements related to creation, development, funding of educational programs for schools, special populations and the general public; interaction with other museum departments.

LSMS 5173 Museums, Cultures and Communities
Prerequisite LSMS 5113
--The complex issues between museums, diverse community populations, and other public factors will be the focus of this course; including such aspects as educational and public programs, fundraising, public relations and marketing, etc.

LSMS 5183 Collections Management
Prerequisite LSMS 5113
--This course will consider the place of collections in the life of the museum; how collections mesh with the museums mission; collections policies and stewardship. It will relate theoretical ideas on collection development and maintenance to the actualities of museum situations.

Completions Courses (6 hours):

LSTD 5980, 5940, 5920 Thesis, Research Project, Internship
Or 6 hours of additional coursework with a comprehensive exam.