Museum Studies

This course provides an introduction to the history of archaeological thought and to basic principles of archaeological research. Students will explore the foundations of the discipline as they "tour" major archaeological sites and cultures. Learning activities will focus on artifact and site analyses that teach the basics of archaeological interpretation with a goal of understanding how material remains and archaeological evidence offers a unique perspective on human history and everyday life.

Do you want to teach kids, give museum tours, become a better speaker, and/or lead outdoor trips? This two-credit course is designed for anyone who wants to lead educational programs for the public or school groups in settings outside of a classroom. It combines both the theoretical foundations of the interpretive profession with practical skills in delivering quality educational programming for visitors to parks, museums, libraries and other cultural institutions. We will learn about the history, definition, and principles of interpretation; universal design and inclusive practices; making your programs purposeful, enjoyable, relevant, organized, and thematic; using tangible objects to connect audiences to intangible ideas and universal concepts; and presentation and communication skills. Students will complete the requirements to become a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association of Interpretation (official certification from the national board requires an additional fee, though students may also take the course without becoming certified). The course will involve highly active, hands-on learning, and field trips to informal education sites such as museums and nature centers. The course will culminate with students designing and leading an interactive educational station/program for a public audience.

Material Culture Studies explores how museums can interpret human-mediated objects. We will take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding humans and their things which can include everything from buildings and architecture to clothes and jewelry to sporting goods and everything in between. Objects are essential for humans --we use them to shape our world and give it meaning. In this class we focus on the interpretation of objects in historical and anthropological collections with some reference to art collections and archives.

Collections Care and Management introduces core concepts in preserving biological, art, and historical materials in museum settings. The class will explore physical agents of deterioration, basic object conservation, current trends in data science and digitization in museums, and legal and ethical considerations for collections acquisition and care in domestic and international settings. Inclusive collections practices are emphasized. Students will complete projects in the cultural and biological collections of the Joseph Moore Museum.

This course examines the use of human bodies as subject matter, canvas, artistic material, and creative agent across the modern and contemporary eras. Using theoretical approaches from critical race studies, disability studies, queer theory, and feminist theory, we will consider how concepts of the body influence ideas of artistic agency and museum display. Objects of study will include painting, sculpture, photography, performance, installation, video, and participatory art.

In an iconic scene in Indiana Jones: Last Crusade, Indiana Jones mutters the famous phrase, “That belongs in a museum!” when a relic is forcibly taken from him. Though the scene is Hollywood fiction, it does serve to highlight real tensions that exist in our culture surrounding antiquities. Simultaneously viewed as objects of material, cultural and aesthetic value, ancient objects occupy a nebulous space in the collective imagination. This course is designed to introduce students to the types of artifacts that survive from antiquity and to explore some of the special challenges associated with antiquities collections. Students will become familiar with the most common materials and methods used in antiquity to create artifacts, develop an understanding of the archaeological processes of deposition, excavation and on-site processing of objects, and study a range of issues associated with the conservation, storage, display and publication of ancient artifacts by museums and universities.

 (minimum of 130 working hours)

Collaborative research funded by Faculty/Student Research Fund.

Investigation of a specific topic conceived and planned by the student in consultation with a faculty supervisor. Culminates in a comprehensive report prepared in the style of a thesis or research paper.

An investigation of a specific topic conceived and planned by the student in consultation with a faculty supervisor. Culminates in a museum exhibit, design or comprehensive report prepared in the style of a thesis or a scientific paper.

An investigation of a specific topic conceived and planned by the student in consultation with a faculty supervisor. Culminates in a museum exhibit, design or comprehensive report prepared in the style of a thesis or a scientific paper.