UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 2
September 12, 1996
Museum management MBA is first in the U.S.

     A new program this fall at the University-the first of its
kind in the United States-offers museum professionals the
opportunity to expand their management skills. The innovative
program, a new concentration in the UD Master of Business
Administration degree program, will focus on museum leadership
and management and certification in museum studies.
     The general climate of museums has changed dramatically in
the last 15-20 years, according to Bryant F. Tolles Jr., director
of the Museum Studies Program at the University. As the country
grows ever more multicultural, museums must follow the pattern
and provide exhibitions and educational presentations that serve
their changing populations.
     In addition, he says, the institutions face increasing
competition for declining amounts of federal and local funding.
     For these reasons, there is a growing need for museum
professionals who combine appropriate undergraduate study, such
as art history or history, with graduate training in business
management and museology, Tolles said.
     "The traditional route has been to train in academic
traditions, then take continuing education courses. But, today,
people need more formal academic preparation," he said.
     To meet this need, the UD colleges of Business and Economics
and Arts and Science have joined forces for the new
concentration, which will create new options for candidates
seeking career opportunities with museums, historical
organizations or other similar institutions.
     "The MBA will provide an in-depth understanding of business
issues and financial concepts that have an impact on the
effective management of museums, historical organizations and
other associated enterprises," Robert B. Barker, director of the
MBA Program at the University, said.
     This joint program also provides new learning experiences
for students who are enrolled in the University's MBA and Museum
Studies programs. Current MBA students may, if they wish, now
complete the requirements for certification in museum studies.
     Students who are seeking an MBA with a concentration in
museum leadership and management enroll in the standard MBA
courses and also take nine credit hours of their elective
coursework in museum studies.
     Those who wish to complete their certification in museum
studies must take 12 credit hours, including the museum
internship course, which is normally completed between the first
and second year of study.
     The University of Delaware MBA Program, with several options
including full- and part-time study, currently has an enrollment
of some 540 students. Of the approximately 700 schools with MBA
programs in the nation, the University is in the top third,
meeting the high standards of excellence demanded for
accreditation by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of
Business (AACSB), which is recognized as the sole accrediting
agency for master's degree programs in business administration
and accounting.
     The University of Delaware also is a recognized leader in
education for museum careers, with UD graduates now in scores of
museums and historical/archival agencies across the country. The
Museum Studies Program offers courses in the history and
functions, leadership and management, curatorship, educational
offerings and exhibitions of institutions that collect, preserve,
study and disseminate information about our cultural heritage.
     For information on the new MBA concentration, call Tolles at
831-1251 or Barker at 831-2221. 
                                                     -Gerry Elter