Museum Education - Department of Art Education

Ph. D. in Museum Education & Visitor-Centered Curation

This doctoral program in Museum Education and Visitor-Centered Curation combines museum education and exhibition functions to prepare scholars and museum leaders for the field with emphasis on social justice and organizational change. This program takes advantage of the expertise and resources available through The Ringling and FSU Museum of Fine Arts to prepare edu-curators, a term coined to express our vision for the future of museum practice.

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APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1st. For students interested in funding consideration.

MoFA GA internship Museum Education student

Program Overview

The doctoral degree option is for individuals interested in high level scholarly research. The purpose of the Ph. D. in Art Education with a major in Museum Education & Visitor-Centered Curation is to encourage students to make significant contributions to the body of knowledge related to museum education. This degree is more than just coursework, it is focused on research and theory with the goal of becoming an expert in the field. Students are supported in their efforts to investigate and advance understanding related to innovative applications of museum education & visitor-centered curation, based on individual student interests. Many degree recipients of the doctoral degree are now faculty in colleges and universities all over the world, leading and serving the profession of art education in meaningful ways.

Florida State University, distinguished as a pre-eminent university in the state of Florida, is identified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as engaged in very high research activity, the highest status accorded to a doctoral-granting university. The wide-ranging scholarship of FSU faculty and graduate students is nationally and internationally recognized for its contributions to science, business, government, culture, and society. FSU faculty members are also recognized for their exceptional level of instruction.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
- EXPERIENCE & GPA
  - An earned bachelor’s degree and master’s degree.
    - from a regionally accredited US institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution.
    - should be in the field of study you wish to focus in (i.e. art education, art therapy, arts administration, and museum education)
  - A 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in Master’s degree program
  - An undergraduate and/or graduate major related to Art, Art Education, Arts Administration, Art History, Art Therapy, Museum Education, or Performing Arts
  - Demonstrate a record of at least two years of experience related to the area of concentration (recommended).
  - The applicant must be in good standing in the institution of higher education.
- GRE Test Scores
  - Not required. If choosing to submit scores, please send official scores to FSU.
- TOEFL (for International Students only)
  - Minimum scores: 80 internet/213 computer
- TRANSCRIPTS
  - Official transcripts must be submitted
  - For detailed information on this process, visit: Graduate Admissions.
Application Materials
- Letters of Recommendation
  - Students must submit three letters of recommendation
  - The letters of recommendation should be from someone who can describe your ability to meet the graduate level of rigor and expectations in coursework, writing, and speaking skills
- Statement of Purpose
  - A 1,000 word biography addressing:
    - career goals
    - interest in the field
    - professional or academic background
    - rationale for applying to the program
  - Advice for writing a statement of purpose can be found at the FSU Career Center Website
- Academic Writing Sample
  - - Most people submit a paper that they wrote in college, retouching it for content and style.
    - If you don’t have a paper that you have already written, you can write one from scratch.
    - You’ll want to submit a piece of writing that demonstrates your ability to analyze a topic in the same (or related) field to which you are applying.
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae
- Admission Interview
  - If your application is selected, you may be contacted to arrange an interview with the program faculty at FSU
Rolling Admissions Deadlines
- Fall admissions:
  - International applicants, priority deadline: January 15
  - Applicants interested in funding consideration: February 1
  - Applicants uninterested in funding consideration: July 1
- Spring admissions:
  - Applicants uninterested in funding consideration: November 1
Objectives
- In a Ph. D. program, students engage deeply with theory, empirical literature, and research methodologies to identify and address knowledge gaps in the field.
- Graduate students will leave with the ability to facilitate and conduct research in museum education contexts.
- Ph. D. graduates seek employment in leadership roles, in professional sites, or as faculty members in higher education institutions.
Structure
- This is a residential program, and students take face-to-face classes on FSU’s main campus.
- A minimum 36 hours of graduate level coursework
- A minimum of 24 hours of dissertation hours
- The degree typically takes 4-6 years to complete