Museum studies, often known as Museology is a field of study that provides a comprehensive view of museum activities in a social, cultural, and political context. It showcases advancements in the management, marketing, and educational fields as well as provide fundamental ideas for the creation of legislative regulations for the management of cultural resources. Being interdisciplinary in nature, the field of museum studies incorporates ideas and theories from anthropology, art history, ethnic studies, and history.

Subjects of study in Museum Studies include topics such as museum communication, preservation and conservation of heritage materials, museum exhibition content development, museum and gallery marketing.

Museum Studies aim to provide theoretical and practical skills required to operate a museum. Seen as a part of the information and Library Science area, Museum Studies will equip students with an analytical and complex understanding of culture and social developments. Museology prepares a solid cultural background that allows making connections between works of art and history, or between technological objects and scientific advancements. Students will also develop an aesthetic eye, as well as critical thinking skills.

Study levels:

Courses in Museum Studies are delivered at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels by different colleges and universities around the world via degrees, certificates and diplomas which can be pursued under:

• Diploma / Certificate (Dip/Cert)
• Bachelor of Arts in Public History
• Bachelor of Arts in History of Art with Gallery and Museum Studies
• Bachelor of Arts in Curation (Honours)
• Bachelor of Arts in Museum Studies and Archaeology
• Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
• Bachelor of Museum Studies
• Bachelor in Cultural Relics and Museology
• Bachelor of Science in Conservation of Objects in Museums and Archaeology
• Master of Arts in Museum Studies
• Master of Arts in Conservation of Cultural Heritage
• Master of Arts in Contemporary Art Theory
• Master of Arts in Art History and Museum Studies
• Master of Arts in Art and Museum Studies
• Master of Arts in Museums, Galleries and Contemporary Culture
• Master of Arts in Museum Professions
• Master of Museum Studies
• Master of Science in Environment, Heritage and Policy
• Master of Arts in Museum and Gallery Studies
• Master in History of Art and Museum Studies
• Doctor of Philosophy in Museum Studies

Specialisations:

Museum Studies offer an unlimited range of specialisations with a wide variety of settings that students can choose to focus on based on their interests and specialisation topics that are offered may vary according to available resources and research interests.

The following are the areas of specialisation offered under Museum Studies

• Archives and Public History
• Conservation Studies
• Curatorial Studies
• Heritage and Museum Studies
• History of Art and Museum Studies
• Museum and Gallery Marketing
• Museum Education and Administration
• Museum Evaluation
• Museum Studies and Archaeology
• Museum Theory and Practise

Employability:

Graduates in Museum Studies devote their careers to more than just taking care of historical artifacts as it is an interdisciplinary subject with a lot of opportunities. There is a lot of scope for students of Museum Studies as many countries across the world have a rich heritage, which in every way possible must be conserved. Museums run by the state and central government can provide major employment to students of Museology and museologists are in high demand globally.

Graduates with degrees in this area are also eligible for employment in galleries, governmental agencies, educational institutions, and other public and private firms. In addition to these, students may find employment in the fields of retail, marketing, public relations, fundraising, hospitality, digital media, and technology.

Job titles include:

• Archivist
• Coin Grader
• Collections Assistant
• Collector
• Cultural Heritage Information Professional
• Curator and Conservator
• Director of Museum Education
• Documentation Specialist
• Exhibit Coordinators
• Exhibition Designer
• Gallery Assistant
• Loss Mitigation Specialist
• Museum Director
• Museum Educationist
• Museum Librarian
• Museum Registrar
• Museum Relations Coordinator
• Museum Technicians
• Outreach Director
• Research Assistant
• Teacher/Professor
• Tour Guide
• Visitor Services
• Heritage Manager
• Historic Buildings Inspector