Studies & Degrees in Museology
Museology Study Programs
Museology, also called museum studies, is the study of museums and of the work done in them: how collections are acquired, documented and cared for, how objects are researched and interpreted, how exhibitions are designed, and how a museum serves its visitors and its community. The International Council of Museums (ICOM), in the definition it adopted in Prague on 24 August 2022, describes a museum as a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage.
A programme usually covers collections management and documentation, preventive conservation, exhibition planning, museum education and mediation, management and funding, and the law and ethics of heritage. Most programmes include a placement in a museum.
Qualifications and levels
Museology is mainly a postgraduate subject. Students normally arrive with a first degree in a field that museums collect or interpret, such as art history, history, archaeology, anthropology or a natural science, and add the museum training on top.
- Master's degrees. In Spain, the Universidad de Murcia offers the Máster Universitario en Educación y Museos: Patrimonio, Identidad y Mediación Cultural. It is taught online in Spanish, lasts one year and has 60 ECTS credits: 36 of common content, 12 optional and 12 for the final project, which is defended in person. The university lists 50 places for new students.
- Two-year degrees. The Department of Museology of the University of Calcutta, set up in 1959, offers two-year full-time MA and MSc degrees and research degrees at doctoral level, according to its page as archived in February 2019.
- Bachelor's level. Museum studies also exists as an undergraduate major, minor or certificate, often inside a history, art history or anthropology department. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that museum technicians typically need a bachelor's degree in museum studies or a related field.
- Conservation. Restoring objects is a separate specialisation. According to the BLS, conservators typically need a master's degree in conservation, and graduate programmes last two to four years, including an internship.
Names and recognition vary between countries and schools. Before enrolling, ask the school what recognition the qualification has and whether it gives access to the museum posts you are aiming for.
Where to study it
This directory lists 17 active schools for museology. Seven are in the United States and three in Spain; Denmark, India, Finland, Australia, Zimbabwe, the United Kingdom and Canada have one each.
Besides the Universidad de Murcia and the University of Calcutta, the schools listed include the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, Aarhus University in Denmark, Macquarie University in Australia, the University of British Columbia in Canada, Midlands State University in Zimbabwe and, in the United States, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Texas Tech University and SUNY Buffalo State University, whose campus is in Buffalo's museum district.
Teaching is normally in the language of the country, and placements take place in local museums, so the language matters more than in many other subjects. Online programmes such as the one in Murcia suit students who already work or who cannot move.
Careers
Graduates work as curators, collections managers and registrars, museum educators, exhibition designers, museum technicians and, with further training, conservators. Employers are museums, historic sites, galleries, archives, universities and public heritage services.
In the United States, the BLS counted about 38,500 archivists, curators and museum workers in 2025: 14,200 curators, 14,000 museum technicians and conservators and 10,300 archivists. Museums, historical sites and similar institutions employed 36% of them. The BLS projects employment to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,300 openings a year. It adds that experience gained through an internship or by volunteering in archives or museums is helpful. These figures describe the United States only.
Frequently asked questions
Is museology the same as museum studies?
In practice, yes. Museology is the term used in much of Europe, India and Latin America, and museum studies is more common in English-speaking countries. Programmes under both names teach how museums collect, conserve, interpret and exhibit.
Do I need a master's degree to work in a museum?
It depends on the job. According to the BLS, curators typically need a master's degree in art history, history, archaeology or museum studies, although small museums may accept a bachelor's degree, and museum technicians typically need a bachelor's degree.
Can I study museology online?
Yes. The master's degree in Educación y Museos of the Universidad de Murcia is taught online in Spanish; only the final project is defended in person.
Which first degree is a good basis?
Art history, history, archaeology and related fields are the usual routes for curators. Applicants to conservation programmes need a background in archaeology, art history, chemistry or studio art, according to the BLS.