Program Directors
- David Gordon Mitten, PhD
James Loeb Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology, Emeritus, Harvard University - Linda Newberry
Assistant Director
Featured Benefit: Harvard Libraries
As a program candidate, you can conduct research at Widener Library. See more perks.
Overview
The Graduate Program in Museum Studies is designed to give students the tools to be successful in every aspect of museum work, from exhibitions to education, collections to preservation.
Connect theory and practice
Engage in a diverse curriculum that connects theory and practice. In courses and through an internship, you investigate the challenges confronting museums today and learn the intricacies of operations.
Learn about the degree requirements or find out the admission criteria.
Take online and on-campus courses
A number of courses that fulfill the elective requirement for the degree are offered online, but the majority of core courses are only available on campus.
Consider your career possibilities
Our alumni hold a variety of high-level positions in museums around the world. The following are just a few examples.
- Curator, Milford Historical Society, Milford, Mass
- Marketing Manager, Oakland Museum of California
- Assistant Curator, Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Conservator and Administrative Head of Conservation Department, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University
Learn from a faculty of experts
Below are some of our expert faculty members; see the museum studies courses for more.
- Katherine Burton Jones, Assistant Dean for Information Technology and Media Services, Harvard Divinity School
- John Durant, Adjunct Professor of Science, Technology, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum
- Diana Loren, Associate Curator, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University
- Sara Schechner, David P. Wheatland Curator of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Harvard University
Also check out who serves on the program’s advisory board.
Earn a Harvard degree
The degree is the Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies with a concentration in museum studies.
The diploma, in Latin, reads:
Universitas Harvardiana (Harvard University)
Magistri in Artibus Liberalibus Studiorum Prolatorum (Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies)
On your résumé, the degree may be listed Master of Liberal Arts, Museum Studies, Harvard University Extension School.
The Harvard Extension advantage
Being a student in a Harvard Extension School program has its perks. In addition to privileges afforded you by a Harvard student ID card, you have access to academic workshops, career counseling, early registration, and more. See Candidate Perks.