Museum and Curatorial Practices, MA
Explore museum and curatorial practices through a graduate program that prepares you to lead transformative change in art museums. Address the ethical challenges that museums face, including decolonization and repatriation, climate action, accessibility and technology.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Museum and Curatorial Practices master's description
The Master of Arts in museum and curatorial practices is a comprehensive degree program focused on the future of the art museums and curatorial practice. This curatorial practice centers on an equitable, imaginative, inclusive and relevant art museum practice. The curriculum pays special attention to the most pressing global and ethical issues currently facing art museums, including the urgent need to decolonize, repatriation claims, activist curating, the role institutions play in fighting climate change, gender and race inequities, accessibility concerns and the roles of technology. Classes are designed to cover history and theory with practical components woven throughout.
You complete online coursework and an in-person internship in your home city. You also participate in a culminating experience in which you work with faculty to design and execute a project within the field of museums or curation, or you conduct an extended examination of a research question that engages with your field.
This program prepares you to be a part of the next generations of culturally diverse art museum leaders, accelerates your careers if you already work in art museums, and equips you to lead radical change for inclusivity in the study and practice of art history and museum studies.
GI Bill® benefits
This new program is not yet approved for use with GI Bill® benefits.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.
Why study museum and curatorial practices at ASU?
The museum and curatorial practices degree program centers on culturally sensitive practices, decolonization and social justice. In addition to studying traditional museum theory, you'll learn to take a leadership role in transforming how museums operate and whom they serve. You take coursework online and complete an in-person internship in your community, then design a hands-on museum or curatorial project that reflects your vision.
The program is offered through the Herberger Institute, which connects you to a broad creative and scholarly community with more than 650 internationally recognized faculty members and 130 programs.
The online format, combined with a local internship, enables working professionals and career changers to earn an advanced degree from ASU while gaining experience close to home.
Additional details
You'll join a creative community of more than 9,000 students across creative disciplines. As an ASU Online student, you'll receive the same ASU diploma and transcripts as on-campus students and have access to ASU Online student services, tutoring and community resources.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
33 credit hours including an oral comprehensive exam and the required applied project course (ARS 593), or
33 credit hours, an oral comprehensive exam and a thesis
Required Core (9 credit hours) Other Requirements (3 credit hours) Restricted Electives (15 credit hours) Culminating Experience (6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
ARS 501 Methodologies and Art History (3)
ARS 550 Anti-racist Approaches to Art History Today (3)
ARS 551 Decolonizing Museums (3)
ARS 584 Internship (3)
ARS 590 Reading and Conference (3)
ARS 591 Seminar (3)
ARS 592 Research (3)
ARS 598 Special Topics (3)
GRA 501 Creative Enrollment and Collaborative Leadership (3)
HDA 514 Creativity and Impact, Opportunities for Change (3)
JHR 506 Grant Writing for Social Justice and Human Rights (3)
NLM 515 Nonprofit Organizational Behavior and Principles Management (3)
ARS 593 Applied Project (6) or
ARS 599 Thesis (6)
Students complete an in-person internship in their home city. Students also complete five courses in the restricted electives list and should consult their program advisor for a complete list of topics for ARS 591 and ARS 598.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in a related field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. Applicants are required to submit: Additional Admission Information The letter of intent should be one page and indicate the objectives for graduate study. Letters of recommendation should be from faculty with whom applicants have worked closely. They may also be from museum or curatorial colleagues with whom applicants have worked professionally within the last three years.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 07/23 | Final* |
| Session B | Online | 09/17 | Final* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 12/14 | Final* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 04/19 | Final* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this museum and curatorial practices master's degree prepares you for
Graduates of this program can pursue the following careers:
- art collections manager
- exhibition developer
- gallery manager
- museum curator
- museum educator
- museum executive
- researcher
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Art
|
ART 151
soaadmin@asu.edu
480-965-8521
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
