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Museum Studies Graduate Certificate

  • Get Started

    No Application Required

  • Format

    Online and On Campus Options

  • Tuition

    $12,880

  • Courses

    4

Roman sculpture of Menelaus

Gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to be an agile museum practitioner for the twenty-first-century museum.

Learn about museum management practices, such as leadership, financial management, organizational behavior, or resource development.

What You'll Learn

  • Understanding of important museum management practices, such as leadership, financial management, organizational behavior, or resource development.
  • Vital insight into facets of visitor experience and exhibits, including curation, conservation, collection management, and design.
  • Knowledge of museum-focused topics, such as exhibition development and design, visitor engagement, museum law, or technology.

Our Community at a Glance

You and your peers will make connections and find new possibilities in order to keep museum operations smooth, collections relevant, and visitors inspired.

  • 50%

    Applied Certificate to ALM Degree

  • 60%

    Working Full Time

  • 95%

    Would Recommend Certificate

Certificate Courses

The professional graduate certificate in museum studies requires four courses or 16 credits.

You may choose any four courses from the museum studies certificate course group, using the certificate course search.

Search for Courses

You can browse courses by term — fall, spring, or summer — in the DCE Course Search & Registration platform.

Upcoming Term: Summer 2024

Summer course registration is open through June 20. Learn more about how to register

Fall 2024 courses and registration details will be live in June.

Earning Your Certificate

To meet the requirements for the certificate, you must:

  • Complete 16 certificate credits at the graduate level.
  • Earn at least a B grade in each course.
  • Complete the courses within three years.

Learn more about pursuing a certificate and the process of requesting your certificate.

Apply active learning weekends to your museum studies certificate:

Enrolling in any two 2-credit museum studies active learning weekend courses — in place of a 4-credit course — may count toward earning the museum studies graduate certificate. Approval is required before pursuing this option. Please e-mail graduate_certificates@extension.harvard.edu for more information.

Cost

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

Our Tuition (2023–24 rate) $3,220 per course
Average Tuition of Peer Institutions $5,476 per course
Average Total Cost $12,880