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The only advanced Museum Studies program in the Pacific Northwest
Zero
difference between resident and non-resident tuition
Museum Studies Related Degrees
While many degrees pair with an interest and certificate in Museum Studies, several of the academic paths offered through the University of Montana’s College of Arts and Media (CAM) offer a deeper perspective on the work that museums display.
Explore the different schools within CAM:
What Can You Do with a Museum Studies Certificate?
A Museum Studies Certificate expands the pathways you can follow into museum and gallery careers. It’s also an excellent way to enhance your passion for museums or find a way to help your favorite institutions.
Each of the five seminars in the program features intensive courses tailored for museum professionals, focusing on lectures, presentations, discussions, group assignments, and hands-on learning in a museum and gallery setting.
MMAC – Experiential Learning with a Museum Studies Certificate
Our Museum Studies Certificate includes hands-on, in-person training at the Montana Museum of Art and Culture (MMAC), located on the University of Montana campus. With a teaching collection that welcomes students behind the scenes, MMAC also features a number of talks, tours, and a library. It is an ideal space for students to gain familiarity with the museum environment and utilize accessible resources.
MMAC’s mission is to “collect, preserve, research and interpret the visual arts with an emphasis on the Rocky Mountain West for the education, enrichment and enjoyment of all.” As the museum’s collection features many Montana artists, its exhibitions often explore themes of place within the American landscape.
Although not related to the certificate, the museum offers student internships, work-study Gallery Attendant and Collections Assistant positions.
Scholarships and Financial Aid for the Museums Studies Certificate
Under the Extended Term/Speciality Program model, this certificate offers the same rate for in-state and out-of-state students. Students are expected to live in or near Missoula for the 12-credit program. The program's goal is to increase future distance learning options.
Financial aid for the program is not guaranteed but may be possible with an additional Extended Term Agreement form. Financial Aid will not be automatically applied to cover Museum Studies costs. Students will be issued a refund and can then make their payments directly to the MMAC.
Meet Some Museum Studies Certificate Faculty
Rafael Chacón - MMAC’S Director
Dr. Chacón is a Professor of Art History and Criticism at UM. He received his Ph.D. in art history with honors from the University of Chicago, having been awarded numerous research fellowships to study in Europe and the Mediterranean basin, including an award from the Spanish Ministry of Culture for his dissertation on Michelangelism in Renaissance art. He has also been awarded the top national and international prizes for his research in the field of vexillology (flag studies).
Betsy Bach
Betsy Bach served as the Director for Academic and Professional Affairs at the National Communication Association in Washington, D.C. She received the University of Montana's Distinguished Teacher Award in 1991 and the Master Teacher Award from the Western States Communication Association in 1992. In 2017, she received the National Communication Association's Donald H. Ecroyd Award for Outstanding Teaching in Higher Education.
Kay Grissom-Kiely
Kay Grissom-Kiely has worked for numerous arts organizations and as a freelance grant-writer and researcher. While in Chicago, she worked as director of education at the Hyde Park Art Center, Gallery 37, and Marwen Foundation—all inner-city arts organizations that provide art and exhibition programming. She completed a curatorial internship for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, as well as full-time summer internships in museum education.