Public Engagement Course Requirements
Public Engagement Course Requirements
The GW Museum Studies program is a 36-credit degree. Upon entering the program, every student selects a Museum Studies concentration in one of four areas:
- Museum Management
- Collections Management
- Exhibitions and Visitor Experience
- Public Engagement
All students will complete one core course entitled Museum Ethics & Values, one internship, five (5) courses as required in the selected concentration, and five (5) electives. Electives may be drawn from within Museum Studies (including a second internship) or up to four (4) courses from outside the program.
Throughout your program, you should work with your advisor to ensure that you will meet program requirements and your own career and educational goals.
Public Engagement Concentration
Students learn approaches and techniques for intentional, meaningful interactions between museums and the public to encourage mutual learning and enhance civic life. Courses consider the current and potential role of the museum in a variety of communities; strategies for encouraging dialogue and exchange; and topics such as relevance, multiple perspectives, co-creation, inclusion, access, advocacy, social justice, and civic responsibility. Prepares students for work as outreach directors, public programs managers, event organizers, community engagement specialists, social media managers, and public advocates.
Required courses
- CMST 6107 Museum Ethics and Values (during your first year) (Fall, Spring)
- CMST 6501 Internship (available after your first semester) (Fall, Spring, Summer)
- CMST 6601 Museums & Social Justice (Spring, alternating years)
- CMST 6703 Museums & Community Engagement (Fall, starting 2023)
- CMST 6601 Museum Programming (Spring)
Select two (2) courses from below
- CMST 6308 Critical Visitor Experience (Spring)
- CMST 6104 Managing People and Projects (Spring)
- CMST 6305 Visitor Perspectives: Museum Evaluation (Fall)
- CMST 6307 Interpreting Historic Sites and House Museums (Fall)
- CMST 6404 Museums and Social Media (Spring)
- CMST 6601 Community Practicum (selected Summer semesters)
- CMST 6701 Museum History and Theory (Fall)
- CMST 6704 Museums and Cultural Property (Spring)
- CMST 6610 Museums as Learning Environment (Fall)
- CMST 6306 Race, Gender, Sexuality & the Museum (Spring, alternating years)
- CMST 6610 Provenance Research (Fall)
*In some semesters, the William Wilson Corcoran Visiting Professor may offer relevant courses for this requirement.