Many of the courses for the Museum Studies Program are offered online, allowing a distance-learning student to earn the Certificate in as little as three semesters. The program is also flexible enough for professionals or non-traditional students to register for just one course a semester. Students can take a mix of online and face-to-face courses to meet the certificate requirements at their own pace.

Online courses are typically semester long, with 16-week courses in the Fall and Spring, and 4-, 6-, 8- and 12-week options in the summer. You do not have to be admitted into a bachelor’s program or have earned a bachelor’s degree to enroll in the undergraduate, online Museum Studies certificate program.

What courses are available online?

Not every course listed in the Museum Studies General Catalog is available online. As of Fall 2025, the following courses are regularly offered in an online format:

MUSM:3001 Introduction to Museum Studies
MUSM:3091 Topics in Museum Studies
MUSM:3105 Engaging Museum Audiences
MUSM:3120 Museum Origins
MUSM:3125 Museums in a Digital World
MUSM:3130 Topics in Museum Administration and Management
MUSM:3131 Museum Evaluation and Visitor Studies
MUSM:3200 Collection Care and Management
MUSM:3291 Museum Registration & Records Management
MUSM:3500 Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness I
MUSM:3710 Fundraising Fundamentals
MUSM:3720 Nonprofit Communications
MUSM:4150 Introduction to Grant Writing
MUSM:4600 Nonprofit Ethics and Governance

For information on applying for the Museum Studies Certificate online program, visit the How to Apply page.