M.A. Museum and Exhibition
M.A. Museum and Exhibition
The interdisciplinary Master's programme "Museum and Exhibition" in Oldenburg
The interdisciplinary and practice-oriented Master's degree programme "Museum and Exhibition" qualifies students for academic work in the museum and exhibition sector. The special feature of the degree programme lies in its combination of three museum-related disciplines - history, art and material culture - as well as in the direct, close and binding co-operation with the various museums and museum associations involved in the degree programme.
Museum practice is acquired in the first two semesters during the course (so-called Museum Day) and exhibition practice in a two-semester project module; in addition, there are various academic excursions to museums and current exhibitions, events on museum management and an internship at the end of the degree programme.
Prerequisites
- Successful Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification
- At least 60 CP in a degree programme from a historical, cultural or media studies field such as history, material culture, archaeology, European ethnology/empirical cultural studies, ethnology/cultural anthropology and gender studies. Other museum and exhibition-related, humanities and social science degree programmes and, on proposal, natural science or closely related degree programmes.
- Interest in museum theory and museum practice
- Initial practical experience in the museum or exhibition sector (e.g. through internships)
- Commitment and initiative
- Good knowledge of English (reading of specialised literature)
Focus of the study programme
The "Museum and Exhibition" Master's degree programme is theory-based and application-oriented. The exhibition project, which runs over two semesters, forms a central core element - you will design an exhibition in a team with your fellow students and realise it in practice.
- Museum and exhibition theory
- Museum and exhibition practice
- Research-based, specialised in-depth study of museum-relevant fields such as Investigating material and visual culture, historical culture, art, media and their interrelationships
- Provenance research
- cultural mediation
Programme structure
The theory, history, tasks and communication approaches of museums and exhibitions are the topics of the basic module. In addition, supplementary or in-depth modules from the participating specialised subjects are taken. A weekly museum day in the first two semesters and a block internship at the end of the degree programme provide in-depth practical museum experience. Concrete exhibition practice is acquired in a project. You can set your own specialist and professionalising focus in elective modules.
Over the course of the four-semester programme, you will earn a total of 120 credit points (CP). The programme consists of modules such as:
- "Museum practice and museum management"
- "Museum theories: Fundamentals, Mediation, History"
- "Provenance, law, internationalisation"
- a two-semester exhibition module
- free modules for individual profile development
Excursions
(The programme includes two excursions lasting several days, one of which is abroad. Both excursions are self-financed. The excursion abroad can be replaced by an alternative course after consultation with the module coordinators).
Academic appointments and fields of activity
The Master's programme prepares students for a wide range of museum and exhibition-related academic activities. These include
- Classical basic tasks of the museum
- Educational and mediation work
- museum management
- and, for example, exhibition criticism
The methodological-analytical, historical-theoretical and practical skills and knowledge acquired on the degree programme can also be a good basis for other areas of activity, depending on the combination of subjects and specialisation:
- Research institutions
- educational institutions
- Media sector
- Museum-related doctorate
What graduates and cooperating museums say
The view of the graduates:
- "I thought the small group size and the resulting good supervision were great!"
- "The exhibition visits and excursions and the exhibition project have stayed in my memory."
- "The amount of reading was above average, but it was worth it!"
- "I always liked the interdisciplinary composition and the resulting extremely stimulating discussions as well as the great group atmosphere."
- "The degree programme enables practical work to be linked back to theoretical learning."
- "The exhibition project was comprehensive and therefore incredibly time-consuming, we simply wanted to do everything, including a catalogue - but in retrospect it was the most useful thing for me!"
The view of the cooperating museums:
- "The students are an enrichment for our museum."
- "The M.A. Museum and Exhibition is the icing on the cake."
- "The degree programme has a high practical component, which is much more important than a degree."
- "The graduates are well prepared for a traineeship with us."
- "The students are characterised by flexibility, enthusiasm and a high level of commitment."