Museum Studies

Professors Steven E. Martin, Rebecca R. Matzke, Diane L. Mockridge, Mollie Oblinger, Rafael F. Salas; Associate Librarians and Professors Paul F. Jeffries, Matthew D. Knoester, Travis E. Nygard (coordinator), Ann Pleiss Morris, Andrew R. Prellwitz, T. Hervé Somé; Assistant Librarians and Professors Nicholas J. Eastman, Karlyn Schumacher

Program Mission Statement: The museum studies program strives to provide students with an interdisciplinary appreciation for the ways that museums collect, preserve, interpret and document our world.

Requirements for a minor in Museum Studies: 20 credits Four credits of MST 115: Museums, Artifacts and Cultural Heritage. 12 elective credits relevant to the study of museums, taken in consultation with the advisor, from the following list: ART 377: Arts Management; BSA 110: Introduction to Management; BSA 208: Introduction to Marketing; BSA 223: Business and Society; BSA 310: Nonprofit Management; CMM 248: Media and Society; EDU 190: School and Society; EDU 250: Psychological Foundations of Education; EDU 260: Diversity in American Education; ENG 251: Foundations of English Literature; HIS 214: Greek and Roman Society; HIS 340: Public History; HIS 383: Mapping the World; PHL 202: Business Ethics; PHL 245: Professional Ethics; POL 212: Introduction to Law; POL 246: Morality and Public Policy. Internships also may be counted as elective credits, at the discretion of the academic advisor. Four credits of IDS 215: Controversies in Museum Studies.

Requirements for a major in Art History and Museum Studies: See Art and Art History

MST 115: Museums, Artifacts and Cultural Heritage Nygard

Four credits. An introduction to the types of museums and museum practices that exist in the 21st century, including institutions that focus on art, history, science, culture and other types of knowledge. Museums are contextualized as part of a broader set of institutions that collect, document, preserve and interpret objects, including cultural and scientific centers. Museum-related controversies, ethical dilemmas, and legal regulations are explored. Methods for displaying, analyzing and preserving artifacts also are covered, such as microscopy, dendrochronology, ultraviolet fluorescence and radiography. The collections of Ripon College are used as a case study in the course. Field trips may be required.

MST 215: Controversies in Museum Studies Nygard

Four credits. In this course, students do advanced work related to museums, collecting and cultural heritage including an independent research project and presentation. Students also do work with objects in the art collection of Ripon College. Field trips may be required. Same as ART 215. Prerequisite: MST 115 or one prior college course in studio art or art history.