Admissions
New students are admitted for the fall semester only. An applicant for the master’s degree in museum studies should have a baccalaureate degree, documentation of courses taken and GPA earned in previous college or university study, and internship experience in a museum, gallery, historic site, or archive. Applications are considered on a rolling basis until the class is filled. Students wishing to be considered for a graduate assistantship, which is the principle form of financial aid in the department, should have their applications complete by February 15. The application consists of transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement explaining their interest in museums and museum studies, and why they are a good fit for Baylor.* Letters of recommendation must include two letters from academic references and one letter from a professional reference. The admissions committee looks carefully at academic credentials, but is also interested in previous experiences that show familiarity with and aptitude for museums and the museum profession. Professional experience may include summer internships or volunteer assignments in a museum or related cultural institution; it does not have to be a full-time position. If you lack such experience in a museum, we suggest you take some time to gain such experience before submitting an application to the program.
*Effective August 2022, completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional for applicants to the master's degree in museum studies.