Museum Studies Certificate Program

museum studies

The Museum Studies Certificate Program at East Los Angeles College provides a career pipeline to students of diverse socio-economic and academic backgrounds. Through the opportunity to engage in rigorous academic study, professional training, and professional development, students cultivate a solid foundation for obtaining entry level job opportunities within the museum field. Professional mentorship is provided to support students' goals for transfer to four year institutions, as well as career development.

The Museum Studies Certificate Program (MSCP) at East Los Angeles College is a seven-course program (21-units) that provides a broad foundation of knowledge and professional work experience in the museum sector. Open to all students at East Los Angeles College, the program draws upon coursework in Museum Studies, Art History, Cultural Studies, Library Science, Studio Art, Anthropology, and Archaeology, and includes museum internships and unique academic and professional development opportunities.

The program is designed to accompany the Associate of Arts for Transfer (AAT) degree in Art History, which together can be completed in 2 years of full-time study at East Los Angeles College. The MSCP may also be pursued as a stand-alone program for students with a general interest in museums.

Students can expect to gain knowledge and experience in a range of museum professions and topics, including curatorial practice, conservation science, collections management and registration, education and public programs, communications, and nonprofit management. As one of the few museums located at a California Community College, the Vincent Price Art Museum serves as a unique educational resource, classroom, incubator, and training ground for participating students.

View the ELAC Museum Studies Certificate of Achievement Program Map here and the ELAC MSCP Course Descriptions here.

Prospective students are encouraged to complete the MSCP Interest Form here.

To learn more information about MSCP, please visit the ELAC website here.


Requirements:


Course ID Course Units CSU - GE* IGETC*
ARTHIST 200 Introduction to Museum Studies and Gallery Practices 3
ARTHIST 201 Visual Cultural Studies Museum Internship** 3
ARTHIST 100 Introduction to Visual Culture and Cultural Studies 3 3A
ARTHIST 171 Introduction to Global Contemporary Art 3 1A
ART 504 Introduction to Art Materials and Techniques I 3
LIBSCI 201 Digital Assets: Tools and Methodologies 3
ANTHRO 103 Archaeology: Reconstructing the Human Past 3 4 D1
*CSU - GE and IGETC refer to the general education category/area to which each course applies.
**This course can be completed in Los Angeles or abroad as part of the Smithsonian Undergraduate Internship Program. Learn more here

Click here for Individual Course Descriptions (PDF)


The Museum Studies Certificate Program is generously supported by a lead grant from the Alice L. Walton Foundation and additional support from Bank of America Foundation, The Cynthia Lee Maughan Scholarship, MUFG Union Bank Foundation, and Barbara Hensleigh and Joe Andrews.

alice walton logo

bank of america logo
union bank logo

All exhibitions and programs at the Vincent Price Art Museum are underwritten by the Vincent Price Art Museum Foundation and East Los Angeles College.

sponsorship logos