Program Courses

To earn the Museum Studies certificate, students must complete the three core courses: Museum Origins and Issues, Successful Museum Management in Today’s Environment, and Learning and Museums.

The Journey of a Museum Exhibition: From Vision to Reality course is optional and intended for professionals at smaller institutions who need specific exhibit design know-how.

Museum Origins and Issues

Course Number Topics
MUSEUM 370-DL
  • Origins of the major types of museums
  • Contemporary issues and ethical challenges in museums
  • Establishment and interpretation of the primary public mission
  • Objectivity/subjectivity in exhibits
  • DEAI initiatives in museums
  • Community inclusion

As an alternative to the course-spanning project researching the history, mission, and current application of that mission in a museum of their choice, students may choose to produce an independent project, which in recent years have included on-line and in-person exhibit proposals and drafts for grants.

Successful Museum Management in Today’s Environment

Course Number

 Topics
MUSEUM 371-DL
  • Governance and organizational structure with respect to museum leadership, employees, and volunteers
  • Fundraising and membership
  • Marketing and public relations
  • Collections management
  • Exhibit development and design
  • Impact of technology on museums, including virtual museums
  • Building museum relevance for new audiences

For the final assessment, students will work in small groups to complete a real-life museum project that provides meaningful effort for the museum and learning for the student team. Examples of past projects include the development of a new strategic plan for the Dakota Discovery Museum, a virtual tour plan for the Musée Naval de Quebec, the implementation of an online store for the Haitian American Museum, and a renaming and rebranding campaign for the National Hellenic Museum.

Learning and Museums

Course Number Topics
MUSEUM 372-DL
  • History and development of museum education
  • Theories of formal and non-traditional learning and involvement in museums
  • How to maximize learning potential through exhibit and architectural design
  • Features of good design in family programs
  • Role of technology in visitor engagement, on-site and off
  • How museums can better engage all types of visitors

As an alternative to the course-spanning project researching all aspects of learning in a museum of their choice, students may choose to design an all-ages project. Recent examples have included family programs designed for the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and the National Music Museum in South Dakota.

Journey of a Museum Exhibition

The in-person symposium (Museum 373-0) provides a look into the key elements of exhibition development, from conceptualization to audience engagement and funding strategies. During this optional course, you’ll explore project coordination, narrative development, exhibition layout and design, financial management, and visitor accessibility.

Key Highlights:

  • Purpose & Collaboration: Understanding exhibition objectives, viewpoints, and team responsibilities
  • Narrative & Budgeting: Crafting compelling themes and managing financial constraint
  • Audience Engagement: Strategies for captivating diverse audiences and ensuring accessibility
  • Exclusive Visit: Closing discussions followed by an optional private collection visit and dinner

PDP courses are offered online, remotely, and on-campus. Please refer to the Schedule Notes for course delivery information.

IMPORTANT: The registration process for all professional development courses requires you to register for your course and update your emergency contact information in CAESAR, Northwestern University's Student Enterprise System.

Tips for Troubleshooting Registration

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENT*:

Registering for multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a mandatory, integrated step to access Northwestern University systems. Northwestern uses the DUO Mobile smartphone application for multi-factor authentication. Steps to install the DUO Mobile App can be found here. Once you have completed the MFA registration process, you will have access to systems like CAESAR and CANVAS, Northwestern’s Learning Management System.

*It is a student’s responsibility to ensure access to Northwestern systems after registering for a PDP course. If you do not have a smartphone capable of downloading and using the DUO Mobile app, you may want to consider a YubiKey that can be purchased from several online retailers.

Please contact pdp@northwestern.edu with any questions.

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