PROPOSAL FOR A CONTRACT MAJOR OR MINOR PURPOSE/ RATIONALE: The purpose of the proposed Museum Studies Major is to prepare me, and potentially other students for curatorial and developmental work in a variety of institutions such as art, history, and natural history museums. The major would utilize classes in the art, communication, and business departments to give me experience in business procedures, writing, history, and art history. I believe that a diverse curriculum in the aforementioned departments will prepare me for work that may include program development, grant writing, budget planning, and event planning. I plan to fulfill the requirements of the contract major by continuing my work and study habits, which helped me earn to a 3.813 Grade Point Average in the first semester of my freshman year. I believe that I have the capability and work ethic to continue and surpass that GPA. I am confident in my abilities to take the initiative to create in-depth projects, to do genuine and original research, to work and function well on my own, and to report my progress to my advisors. I am organized and keep good track of assignments, due dates, projects, and my commitments. I came to Meredith College to learn and seize every opportunity to do so, and I do not plan to let anything hinder that. My thirst for learning extends into many academic fields, and I am constantly striving to learn more, apply what I have learned, and build upon that knowledge. It is in my nature to utilize every resource I can to do that, and I quite enjoy learning through reading, experience, and practice. It is through this mindset that I know that I will be able to go above and beyond the requirements of the contract major. Each course I plan to take in this contract major has a specific purpose as well as a broader one. The broader purpose of the courses, taken as a whole, is to allow me to be versatile and knowledgeable in a variety of museums. If, for instance, I cannot find an opening at an art museum, I would still be interested in working at another type of museum. I may have to take continuing education courses after college to do specialized jobs, but this curriculum will prepare me for that. Here I have listed the courses I plan to take, and their purposes. ART 221 (Art History Survey 1) This course will acquaint me with ancient to early Renaissance art, allow me to expand my critical and visual analysis skills and provide me with an art history foundation. ART 222 (Art History Survey 2) I am taking this course now, and it also provides me with critical and visual analysis skills. The vocabulary we use will allow me to speak and write more intelligently about art, helping me learn to write exhibition catalog essays and more. 299 (research course) In the fall of 2010, I plan to research the history, techniques, and modern relevance of encaustic art with my mentor, Dr. James Boyles. This process will give me a chance to do original research in art, which I may need to do in a curatorial or educational programming position. 323 (Topics in Art History) I plan to take various courses of 323, as the topics rotate. These courses will solidify and enhance my art history knowledge and help me gain more perspective on world art. ART 324 (Topics in Modern Art History) The purpose of this course is similar to 323, but these courses, because they are Modern Art History topics, will broaden my knowledge base for the period of art I am most interested in. ART 492 (Art History Theory and Methods) This course will prepare me for my thesis and future research my giving me the skills to analyze texts and authors more critically and will also help me find my own mode of analysis. NCSU – HIS 380 (History of Non-Profits, Philanthropy, and Social Change) This course is integral to the major because it will thoroughly discuss the workings and history of the institutions for which I want to work. I will need to understand how these institutions are culturally relevant and integrated.
ART 494 (Art History Thesis) This course, taken the fall semester of my senior year, will give me one last undergraduate research opportunity. I will be able to combine the art history knowledge I have gained over the last three years to produce a critical analysis of a certain art topic. Though I have not yet chosen what I would like to research, I am interested in working with the Meredith Archives and the art that is stored there. The thesis writing will allow me to gain even more knowledge and experience that will help my curatorial skills. COM 225 (Public Speaking) Public speaking is essential to being able to communicate to large audiences, at meetings, and at events and other museum functions. COM 310 (Intro to Public Relations) I believe that exposure to the methods, rules, and techniques involved in Public Relations will help me become more adept at creating and publicizing museum programs and functions – essentially what I want to do at a museum. COM 350 (Business and Professional Communications) This course will give me the skills and experience needed to communicate and write effectively in a museum setting. I will need to know the proper way to address people along the chain of command in an organization, converse and write with other museums, and write to donors. ACC 220 (Accounting) This course is essential responding to the growing need for museums to be financially stable and high-functioning establishments. Knowing the basics of accounting will help me plan budgets, allocate funds, and more. BUS 300 (Principles of Management) Knowing organizational setup and functioning will be necessary to performing well in a museum setting. DAN 455 (Performing Arts Administration) This course will complement COM 350 well, as it will help me learn grant writing, fundraising, publicity and promotion, time management, and other skills related to working a non-profit setting. Addition: ENG 358 (Professional Writing) This course will give me ample experience in writing several kinds of essays and documents. These skills will be vital to a programming/education career. Addition: HIS 334 (Historical Research Methods) *Replacement for NCSU HIS 586 This course will allow me to study methods of research, how to evaluate that research, and how to present my research. I plan to use this course to develop a “sample� educational program designed for a specific museum. Addition: BUS 348 (Organizational Behavior) This course will familiarize me with processes and functions within an organization, which I can apply to a museum setting. No new courses need to be formed for me to complete this contract major. Specialized work will be completed through my research course and the thesis course, as well as summer internships. I plan to seek different internships in the summers of 2011 and 2012. I may also be able to seek major-related work at a museum in my junior or senior year. After graduation, this major will allow me to be more versatile and attractive to museums because I will have had a generous education in art history, professional practices, and communication. The research and internships that I will have done as part of the major will also allow me to produce a healthy resume. My hope would be to begin working as a Program Director or Assistant, helping to create educational and public opportunities in the museum. My passion is to enhance the cultural relevance of museums as a whole, and I believe that through creating public programs, I can begin to do that.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS Course ID Course Title
Credits
Required/ Elective
When offered
ART 221 ART 222 ART 299
Art History Survey 1 Art History Survey 2 Introduction to Research in Art
3 3 3
R R R
NCSU – HIS 380
3
R
3
R
3 1 3
R R E
F/S every year S S Varies
3 3
E E
S every year F every year
3 3
E E
S varies
3 3
R R
F every year varies
ACC 220
History of Non-Profits, Philanthropy, and Social Change*if this course is unavailable, may be substituted with another HIS class? Methods of Historical Research (capstone course) Directed Individual Study Internship Intro to Archaeology**if this course is unavailable, may be substituted with another HIS class? (Advanced Museology – NCSU) Intro to Public History Anthropology of Religion** if this course is unavailable, may be substituted with another HIS class? (Honors/AH thesis – gallery manual) Event planning Cultural Anthropology COM 225 (public speaking – excused) Intro to Public Relations Business and Professional Communications Accounting
F every year S every year F/S every year F every year
3
R
BUS 300
Principles of Management
3
R
DAN 455 ENG 358 BUS 348
Performing Arts Administration Professional Writing Organizational Behavior
3 3 3
R R R
F/S every year F/S every year F odd years F/S every yr F/S every yr
HIS 334 ART 499 ART 930 HIS 250
HIS 300 REL 346
COM 400 SOC 260
COM 310 COM 350
Amendments: ART 280, 323, 324, 492, ad 494 were removed, as they are actually part of the Art History Minor; however, as the contract was approved with them included, they will remain “part” of the sequence. However, since the beginning of the major, I have recognized that HIS 334 needs to serve as a thesis preparation course, and a directed individual study needs to serve as a thesis class. An internship period must also be included. I have highlighted these in purple, as they were not originally approved as part of the major. My plan is to resubmit the contract with these additions.
Also, the student must complete all “R” courses and 4 out of the 5 “E” courses.
RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE (see four year plan)