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Oct 06, 2024
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2024-2026 Graduate Catalog
Museum Studies & Historical Preservation (MA), Program Information
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 Return to: College of Liberal Arts
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Objectives
Through theoretical and practical exposures, the Morgan State University Master of Arts Degree in Museum Studies and Historical Preservation prepares students for a wide range of positions across museum fields. The specific aims of this graduate program within the College of Liberal Arts focus on the areas related public history and general museum practice.
Admission
Admission to the program is open to individuals holding a bachelor’s degree in any history-related discipline, or to those who have earned a bachelor’s in an unrelated field, but are currently pursuing museum careers. In addition to meeting admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, applicants must also have earned a minimum undergraduate academic grade point average of 3.0 in their major area of study. For conditional admission, applicants must have earned a minimum undergraduate average of 2.5 in their major area of study.
General Requirements
Candidates for the M.A. in Museum Studies must complete a minimum of thirty three (33) credit hours.. Students either write a thesis or follow a non-thesis option. The comprehensive examination is no longer required.
Students have the option of retaking a course in which they earned a “C” grade. Students may not have in excess of 20% of grades (i.e., 6 credits) in C grades. These students will be asked to retake coursework to come within compliance.
Candidacy
Students writing a thesis achieve candidacy by successfully passing all credit hour courses, and the thesis guidance course (MUSE 797).
Once a student achieves candidacy, enrollment in any course other than MUSE 797 is generally prohibited. Students seeking additional skills, knowledge, or a certificate must seek approval through the program up to the School of Graduate Studies. The request must be accompanied with a revised Plan of Study.
Non-Thesis Option
Students who follow the non-thesis option must successfully complete two History research seminar courses. They do not enroll in MUSE 797.
Thesis Option
Students enroll for MUSE 797: Thesis Guidance when they are ready to begin researching their thesis topic.
Arrangements for thesis writing are made with the Graduate Coordinator and Thesis Advisor, who discuss the proposed thesis topic with the student. Once the Thesis Advisor and student decide on the thesis committee members and everyone agrees, the student must officially register the thesis topic and the names of the thesis committee members with the Graduate Coordinator. (The committee consists of three MSU graduate faculty members: the Thesis Advisor, who chairs the committee; at least one other graduate history faculty; and a third professor, who can be from another department chosen with the approval of the Graduate Coordinator.) Once the committee has formally agreed to serve, the candidate works independently with the Thesis Advisor until releasing the approved draft to the committee to read. Students must register for MUSE 797 Thesis Guidance (3 hours) each semester while writing the thesis.
The Dissertation and Thesis Handbook, which contains guidelines for the preparation of the thesis, is available on the website of the Graduate School.
Thesis Timetables: The School of Graduate Studies sets the deadlines for submission of theses each semester in which one is to graduate. These are hard deadlines. To meet the deadline, candidates should submit the first draft of their thesis to their Thesis Advisor at the beginning of the semester in which they wish to graduate. Once the draft is approved, it will then be submitted to the full committee for review. Thesis Advisors and committee members typically request revisions. It is thus imperative that the candidate submit the draft early in the semester to have time to revise and format the thesis and gain the approval of the committee before the Graduate School’s deadline for submission.
Additional Requirements
Students should refer to the University and College of Liberal Arts policies regarding academic integrity, expectation of professional ethics and behavior, accommodations for disability, and appeals and due process regarding grades and other relevant issues.
Program Course Requirements
MA Museum Studies & Historical Preservation 33 credits
Note
*NOTE: Upon achieving Master’s Candidacy, the student will continuously register in Fall and Spring terms for MUSE 797 (Thesis Guidance) until the Master’s Thesis is completed and submitted to the School of Graduate Studies for review. The course is used only when the curriculum is near completion, and the student is completing the research and writing of the thesis. The course registration maintains the student status as a matriculated, full-time student (student is registered for 3 credit hours and the system reports a full-time 9 credit hour load). After the Intent to Defend the Master’s Thesis form has been accepted by the School of Graduate Studies, this course registration will be changed to MUSE 799 (Thesis Defense) for the given semester and count for 3 credit hours of curricular coursework (MUSE 799 will also count for 9 credit hours of load). Other courses cannot be substituted for MUSE 797 (Thesis Guidance). The only eligible grade for MUSE 797 (Thesis Guidance) is the grade of “S” and the only acceptable grade for MUSE 799 (Thesis Defense) is “P/F” (Pass/Fail).
Note
***NOTE: Other electives beyond MUSE-prefix courses can be eligible with prior approval of the program
Suggested Curriculum Sequence
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Return to: College of Liberal Arts
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