Current Courses Offered
*Many museum studies courses are cross-listed in individual departments. Enrollment figures may not be accurate.

List of Urban Affairs and Public Policy Courses

MSST 606: Issues in American Material Culture

• Studies major themes in American material culture of the 17th, 18th, or 19th centuries. Topics vary. Cross-listed with ART 428, ARTC489, and ARTH490.

MSST 608: Public History: Resources, Research, and Practice

• Team-taught seminar that acquaints students with the function and resources of American historical organizations and how to use these resources in the non-academic setting for productive historical research. Addressed to those pursuing careers in public history and teaching and scholarship. Cross-listed with HIST608.

MSST 629: Theory and Practice of Historical Preservation Planning

• Examines historic preservation planning process, theory supporting this process and contemporary practices.  Case studies used to demonstrate integration of theory and practice.  Cross-listed with UAPP 629, ARTH 628, and HIST 652.

MSST 644: Technology of Cultural Materials: Ceramics and Glass

• Nature of raw materials, processing methods, chemistry and structure of finished products, deterioration mechanisms and effects, scientific methods of analysis, and case studies of ancient and historic ceramic and glass objects from the point of view of technology, aesthetics and function. Case studeis from a wide variety of cultural traditions. Cross-listed with ANTH644 and ARTC644.

MSST 645: Technology of Cultural Materials: Metals

• Nature of raw materials, processing methods, chemistry and structure of finished products, deterioration mechanisms and effects, scientific methods of analysis, and case studies of ancient and historic metal objects from the point of view of technology, aesthetics and function. Case studeis from a wide variety of cultural traditions. Cross-listed with ANTH645 and ARTC645.

MSST 654: Vernacular Architecture

• Study of traditional American folk architecture from the 17th century to the present. Examination of changes in construction, house types and decoration in vernacular buildings, as well as issues of regional differences and individual craftsmanship. Cross-listed with HIST654.

MSST 663: Historical Archeology and the Public

• Provides practical experience through involvement in a project at an agency, research center or museum which researches, interprests, administers and preserves historical archaeological resources for the public. For students planning careers in historical archaeology, public history, university teaching, the museum field and historic preservation. Cross-listed with ANTH663.

MSST/HIST 667: Introduction To Material Culture Studies

• This course offers an introduction to the study of American material culture, with an emphasis on social and cultural-historical approaches and research methods.  A series of readings introduces important themes (examples: the performance of class, gender, and racial identities; the commodification of everyday life) and ways that historians can work from artifacts as primary sources.  Students will produce papers based on both primary and secondary sources.  This class counts as a graduate readings course.

MSST 667: Introduction to Museums
(please note: this course replaces MSST 802: Leadership and Management of Museums, and fulfills the same requirement).

• This course provides an introduction to the history of museums to the present day and examines selected current issues in museums management.

MSST 801: Museum Curatorship: Collections Management

• Collections management theory and practices that focuses on the administration, handling, physical care, recording and study of museum collections. Combines classroom instruction, demonstrations and field trips with "hands on" projects in the University Gallery and other area museums.

MSST 803: Museums and Modern Technology

• Examines the use of technology in museums with an emphasis on communication strategies for museum exhibitions and off-site learning. Topics include digital image processing, typography, collections databases, CAD, and web design. Students will plan and prepare graphics, text, labels and web materials for a virtual exhibition.

MSST 804: Museum Internship

• Internship practicum supplementing theoretical and methodological background in administration, collections management, exhibition, research, interpretation, and public programming and services of museums. Students spend a minimum of ten full weeks, or the equivalent, at the University Gallery, Longwood Gardens, Hagley Museum, Winterthur, or other acceptable museum, or related institution or organization in the United States. Prerequisite: at least one semester course in Museum Studies, and permission of instructor.

MSST 805: Historical Properties

• Administration and interpretation of historical properties, including historic site surveys, preservation research, building restoration, conservation techniques and the establishment and attainment of interpretive objectives. Field trips to area historic sites. Combines classroom instruction and work projects at area historic sites.

MSST 807: Museum Curatorship: Temporary and Economical Exhibits

• Focuses on the planning, designing, and fabrication of economical museum exhibits for changing exhibition rooms and alternative spaces. Emphasizes time-, money- and labor-saving technqiues. Students design and produce a temporary exhibit in the University Gallery or in a local museum.

MSST 808: Museum Education and Interpretation

• The theory, strategies, practices, evaluation and administration of learning in a museum environment with emphasis on interpretation of collections through a variety of instructional means.

MSST 866: Independent Study

• A special problems course in which students develop selected museum studies topics, by arrangement with program faculty. Directed study format.