Heritage and Museum Sciences, M.A.

Heritage and Museum Sciences

Program Coordinator: Dr. Eileen Johnson, Chairperson and Horn Professor of Museum Science; Director, Academic and Curatorial Programs, Museum of Texas Tech University

The Master of Arts in Heritage and Museum Sciences is housed in the Museum of Texas Tech University. Heritage and Museum Sciences offers a concentration in either Museum Science or Heritage Management. The concentration in Museum Science emphasizes thorough preparation in the broad spectrum of museum theory and practice. Graduates from the Museum Science concentration of the program have a comprehensive background in museum studies and are prepared as generalists in a number of subdisciplines, including collections management and care; exhibitions and interpretation; museology; museum management; and curatorship in anthropology, art, history, paleontology, or the natural sciences.

The Heritage Management concentration emphasizes extensive investigation in the field of heritage management. Graduates from the Heritage Management concentration of the program are prepared to enhance local, regional, and national sociological and scientific values; encourage preservation and stewardship of cultural and natural heritage; advocate public service; and direct educational programing designed to derive maximum advantage from innovative technology without the loss of cultural identity and biodiversity. The Heritage Management concentration is configured to allow students to emphasize areas of special interest such as heritage administration, conservation, interpretation, heritage education, and use (heritage tourism and ecotourism). The concentration offers both theoretical and practical coursework designed to prepare graduates to be leaders in the heritage management field.

The chairperson of the program administers the Heritage and Museum Sciences program. Interested persons should contact the chair or academic program coordinator at the Museum of Texas Tech University for comprehensive information program and application process. Applicants will be considered for admission to the Heritage and Museum Sciences program after the following materials are received: (1) two letters of reference from persons knowledgeable of the students academic and professional abilities, and (2) a completed career summary statement. Prior to admission consideration, students must complete the online application through the Graduate School and satisfy the requirements of the university, including an official transcript of complete undergraduate coursework and GRE scores. Once that process is concluded, program admission and competitive scholarship awards are based on three general categories of criteria:

Academic Record. All academic records may be considered 60 hours, total, major, post-baccalaureate.

Test Scores. Scores on the GRE should be no more than five years old. The GRE is required, but no test score will be considered the sole criterion.

Individual Profile. Profiles may include recommendation letters, research background, motivation, multilingual proficiency, undergraduate institution, presentations, and the completed career summary statement. Other information that admission and scholarship committees may consider is work commitment, demonstrated commitment to a particular field of work or study, and community involvement.

All students majoring in the program must take the following 4 required courses:

• MUSM 5327 - Museum Collection Management  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5330 - Museum Law, Ethics, and Standards  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5334 - Curatorial Methodology  3 Semester Credit Hours
• HMGT 5323 - Principles of Heritage Management  3 Semester Credit Hours

Museum Science Concentration

A student in the Museum Science concentration must take at least 15 hours from the Museum Science core curriculum, a minimum of 12 hours of elective graduate-level courses, and 6 hours of thesis or internship.

The Museum Science core curriculum includes the following course options: 

• MUSM 5321 - Museology  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5325 - Museum Field Methods  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5326 - Museum Administration  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5328 - Museum Practicum  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5329 - Material Culture  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5331 - Exhibition Principles  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5332 - Museum Preventive Conservation  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5333 - Museum Education  3 Semester Credit Hours
• MUSM 5340 - Museum Collections Documentation  3 Semester Credit Hours

Heritage Management Concentration

A student majoring in the Heritage Management concentration must take at least 15 hours from the Heritage Management core curriculum, a minimum of 12 hours of graduate-level elective courses, and 6 hours of thesis or internship. Course numbers for the HMGT 7000  core curriculum courses are pending.

The Heritage Management core curriculum include:

• HMGT 5327 - Heritage Planning  3 Semester Credit Hours
• HMGT 5330 - Heritage Education  3 Semester Credit Hours
• HMGT 5331 - World Heritage Sites  3 Semester Credit hours
• HMGT 5333 - Heritage Tourism  3 Semester Credit hours
• HMGT 5339 - Heritage Provenance Research  3 Semester Credit hours
• HMGT 5337 - Perspectives on Intangible Heritage  3 Semester Credit hours
• HMGT 5336 - Heritage Resource Administration and Marketing  3 Semester Credit Hours
• HMGT 5335 - Heritage Resource Management  3 Semester Credit Hours
• HMGT 5338 - Heritage Information Management  3 Semester Credit Hours
• HMGT 5334 - Public Heritage Communication  3 Semester Credit Hours
• HMGT 5332 - Digital Heritage  3 Semester Credit Hours

Additional Requirements. For electives, the Heritage and Museum Science program uses a variety of existing courses offered by various departments within the university to address individual educational and career goals. All students in both concentrations must develop competency in the core courses taught by members of the Heritage and Museum Sciences graduate faculty and museum staff. Competency is construed to mean an understanding of professional museum and heritage practices.

A total of 45 credit hours of graduate-level work is required for graduation. In addition, students must pass a faculty panel exam (qualifiers) prior to beginning either the internship or thesis and must pass comprehensive written and oral exams at the conclusion of their studies. Students pursuing the thesis option must write and defend a thesis. Internships (full-time, paid) are to be at a location approved by the students advisory committee and program chairperson.

Following the first 9 credit hours of graduate study, each students curriculum is formalized through consultation with a graduate faculty advisory committee that reflects the students area of emphasis and consists of at least three members. This degree plan is approved by the faculty advisor and the chairperson and sent to the Graduate School. When approved, it serves as a tool for advising and review to assure completion of degree requirements.

A minor at the masters level in the Museum Science concentration consists of 9 approved credit hours in the core curriculum; a minor at the doctoral level consists of 15 hours of Museum Science courses, at least 9 of which must be from the core curriculum. A minor at the masters level in the Heritage Management concentration consists of 9 approved credit hours in the core curriculum; a minor at the doctoral level consists of 15 hours of Heritage Management courses, at least 9 of which must be from the core curriculum. Masters and doctoral students from outside the program may also select from the required courses.

Graduation requirements include a minimum cumulative Texas Tech University GPA of 2.0 for all courses, including repeated courses, attempted in the degree program in which students seek graduation. To obtain a degree granted by the university, at least 25 percent of the total semester credit hours must be earned through instruction offered by Texas Tech University. Students in their semester of graduation must be enrolled in a minimum of one credit-bearing semester hour.

• Applicant attended four (4) consecutive long semesters of credit-bearing/non-development/non-ESL courses at an accredited post-secondary school in the U.S.
• Attended two (2) consecutive years of high school in the United States.
• Attended two (2) consecutive years of high school with U.S. accreditation or within an English proficiency exempt country
• Applicants from the below English Proficiency exempt countries (must provide proof with passport)

• Unofficial copies of transcripts, and test scores are required for application evaluation purposes. If admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts, diplomas/degree certificates, and test scores. Please do not send official transcripts until you have received a notice of acceptance from Texas Tech Graduate School.
• Provide Program Materials: In addition to transcripts and test scores, most Texas Tech graduate programs require supplemental materials for admission review. These materials may include (but are not limited to) items such as a statement of purpose, recommendations, writing samples, creative portfolio, etc. Supplemental materials are reviewed by the department only, not the Office of Graduate Admission. Please refer to the homepage of your intended graduate department as well as the instructions on the "Program Materials" quadrant on our online application to verify which supplemental materials are needed. You may also find the required material here.
• While you will be able to add to certain segments on the application (e.g. test scores) post submission, you will not be able to make revisions once the application has been submitted.
• Submitting incorrect information on your application or failing to include important details can delay the admissions process.