Welcome to the Program in Museum Studies & Gallery Practice at UCCS!

There are two tracks for this program: a minor that is paired with the major of your choice or our Bachelor of Innovation (BI) degree in Museum Studies & Gallery Practice (MSGP). Both tracks combine academic studies and professional training to prepare you for variety of careers at museums, galleries, science centers, cultural centers, historical societies, and more. The BI degree is structured so that you will not only gain a depth of understanding in museum studies, but also a breadth of other disciplines, business, and entrepreneurship.

The major is composed of core courses in museum and gallery practice, art history, visual and performing arts (VAPA), and innovation and cross-disciplinary studies. You will learn about the different types of museums and organizations, develop the necessary skills for collections management and exhibition design, as well as examine the ways in which objects and cultures are represented. In addition, you will study the history of art and visual culture from prehistoric cave drawings to the latest theories in contemporary art and culture. The Innovation core will introduce you to entrepreneurship, grant and proposal writing, and invaluable team projects with regional organizations. The cross-discipline component includes business, creative communication, engineering technology, or globalization.

The minor is designed to fit with your major of choice, whether in Anthropology, History, Biology, Art History, Visual Arts, or any other. The museum core classes are cross-disciplinary and offers students professional training through the opportunity to intern and work in collections, education, and exhibits in local museums as well as in UCCS's Galleries of Contemporary Art.

We look forward to welcoming you to the program!

Gwendolyn Swift graduated from UCCS in 2018 with a BA in Art History (HAVC) and a minor in Museum Studies & Gallery Practice. After transferring from Pikes Peak State College with an associate's degree in art, she chose her majors for her passions--history and art--and a practical desire to learn how to apply those passions to museum and archival work. Says Swift, "From my experience, most people who study art history have their sights set on working within the GLAM sector--galleries, libraries, archives, and museums--whether as a curator, registrar, educator, conservator, or something related. HAVC in VAPA is great because it prepares you for those things but also positions you to work in the performing arts in an administrative capacity" by giving you connections to additional visual and performing arts fields.

Gwendolyn notes that one of her favorite memories from UCCS was interning at GOCA and helping install contemporary art for exhibitions. "In art history, you're not only studying the past, you're working with pieces created today. So it was awesome to experience the here-and-now side of things firsthand, complementing all the theory we were being exposed to in classes."

What advice does Swift have for students considering a degree in History of Art & Visual Culture or Museum Studies? "Seek out practical advice as early and as often as possible. The degree is only a part of the picture, and it is much easier to land internships during school [through] active contact with professors who know of opportunities. You will also learn what areas you want to dig deeper into--this will help you decide what kind of graduate program you may want to enter." Gwendolyn adds, "Have an open mind, both with the content you study and with the opportunities you are presented with. Don't be quick to turn something down because it doesn't align perfectly with what you see as your specialty. It's good to have a breadth of exposure to as many experiences as possible, and you will build a more robust network."