The museum studies minor trains students in the technical practice of museum curation, including subjects such as business, visual organization and design, archaeology and arts management. Given the broad relevance of museum studies skills, students may approach the minor from a variety of disciplines, with particular parallels with social and physical sciences, history and art. In combining this specialized type of organizational knowledge with a major in a specific fields, students gain a foothold in the area of their own choosing.
Students combine this specialization in a field with hands-on work in Wells’ discussion-based classes; internships with one of the many local arts, history or regional-interest museums; and even opportunities to get involved in the College’s own art collection or the String Room Gallery exhibition venue. As a result, they graduate with a familiarity and proficiency needed to pursue a career in museum work.
Total courses required is six.
Required Courses
Introduction to Museum Studies:
MSEU 100 Introduction to Museum Studies (3 sem. hours)
Management Skills (one of the following):
BUS 201 Principles of Management (3 sem. hours)
BUS 203 Social Entrepreneurship (3 sem. hours)
BUS 303 Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management (3 sem. hrs.)
THEA 201 Arts Management (3 sem. hours)
Education Skills:
EDU 105 Teaching in a Diverse Society (3 sem. hours)
Conservation and Presentation Skills (one of the following)
ART 118 Three-Dimensional Design (3 sem. hours)
ART 260 Introduction to Darkroom Photography (3 sem. hours)
ART 261 Photographic Digital Imaging (3 sem. hours)
ART/BKRT 127 Introduction to Graphic Design (3 sem. hours)
BKRT 115 Hand Bookbinding I (3 sem. hours)
BKRT 220 Digital Book and Graphic Design (3 sem. hours)
THEA 224 Production Practical (1-3 sem. hours)
THEA 325 Production Practical (1-3 sem. hours)
VART 315 Professional Visual Arts Practices (3 sem. hours)
Local and Global Perspectives of History, Art, and the Museum (one of the following)
ANTH 210 Material Culture and Museums (3 sem. hrs.)
ANTH 280 World Archaeology (3 sem. hours)
EDU 215 Issues in Multicultural and English Lang. Learner Education (3 sem. hours)
HIST 357 Modern America (3 sem. hours)
HIST 375 Writing History: Theory and Practice (3 sem. hours)
OCS 110 January at the Arts Students League-New York City (3 sem. hours)
OCS 215 London Theatre (3 sem. hours)
OCS 300 The Anthropological Experience in Hawaii (3 sem. hours)
OCS 305 The Anthropological Experience in Belize(3 sem. hours)
One OCS course from one of the Wells College Programs and Approved Programs (with permission of the Museum Studies minor coordinator(s). Examples include, but are not limited to:
Florence Program
- ART 230 The World of Museums: Museology (3 sem. hours)
- ART 360 Museum Experience (3 sem. hours)
- ART 450 Museum Education (3 sem. hours)
- ART 460 Museum: Ethics & the Law (3 sem. hours)
Internship experience at one or more museum, art gallery, archaeological lab, or archival library:
MSEU 290/390 Internship in Museum Studies (2-4 sem. hours)