PROPOSAL FOR A CONTRACT MAJOR OR MINOR

PURPOSE/ RATIONALE:

The purpose of the proposed Museum Studies Major is to prepare me, and potentially

other students for curatorial and developmental work in a variety of institutions such as art,

history, and natural history museums. The major would utilize classes in the art, communication,

and business departments to give me experience in business procedures, writing, history, and art

history. I believe that a diverse curriculum in the aforementioned departments will prepare me

for work that may include program development, grant writing, budget planning, and event

planning.

I plan to fulfill the requirements of the contract major by continuing my work and study

habits, which helped me earn to a 3.813 Grade Point Average in the first semester of my

freshman year. I believe that I have the capability and work ethic to continue and surpass that

GPA. I am confident in my abilities to take the initiative to create in-depth projects, to do

genuine and original research, to work and function well on my own, and to report my progress

to my advisors. I am organized and keep good track of assignments, due dates, projects, and my

commitments. I came to Meredith College to learn and seize every opportunity to do so, and I do

not plan to let anything hinder that. My thirst for learning extends into many academic fields,

and I am constantly striving to learn more, apply what I have learned, and build upon that

knowledge. It is in my nature to utilize every resource I can to do that, and I quite enjoy learning

through reading, experience, and practice. It is through this mindset that I know that I will be

able to go above and beyond the requirements of the contract major.

Each course I plan to take in this contract major has a specific purpose as well as a

broader one. The broader purpose of the courses, taken as a whole, is to allow me to be versatile

and knowledgeable in a variety of museums. If, for instance, I cannot find an opening at an art

museum, I would still be interested in working at another type of museum. I may have to take

continuing education courses after college to do specialized jobs, but this curriculum will prepare

me for that. Here I have listed the courses I plan to take, and their purposes.

ART 221 (Art History Survey 1) This course will acquaint me with ancient to early

Renaissance art, allow me to expand my critical and visual analysis skills and provide me with

an art history foundation.

ART 222 (Art History Survey 2) I am taking this course now, and it also provides me

with critical and visual analysis skills. The vocabulary we use will allow me to speak and write

more intelligently about art, helping me learn to write exhibition catalog essays and more.

299 (research course) In the fall of 2010, I plan to research the history, techniques, and

modern relevance of encaustic art with my mentor, Dr. James Boyles. This process will give me

a chance to do original research in art, which I may need to do in a curatorial or educational

programming position.

323 (Topics in Art History) I plan to take various courses of 323, as the topics rotate.

These courses will solidify and enhance my art history knowledge and help me gain more

perspective on world art.

ART 324 (Topics in Modern Art History) The purpose of this course is similar to 323,

but these courses, because they are Modern Art History topics, will broaden my knowledge base

for the period of art I am most interested in.

ART 492 (Art History Theory and Methods) This course will prepare me for my thesis

and future research my giving me the skills to analyze texts and authors more critically and will

also help me find my own mode of analysis.

NCSU – HIS 380 (History of Non-Profits, Philanthropy, and Social Change) This course

is integral to the major because it will thoroughly discuss the workings and history of the

institutions for which I want to work. I will need to understand how these institutions are

culturally relevant and integrated.

ART 494 (Art History Thesis) This course, taken the fall semester of my senior year, will

give me one last undergraduate research opportunity. I will be able to combine the art history

knowledge I have gained over the last three years to produce a critical analysis of a certain art

topic. Though I have not yet chosen what I would like to research, I am interested in working

with the Meredith Archives and the art that is stored there. The thesis writing will allow me to

gain even more knowledge and experience that will help my curatorial skills.

COM 225 (Public Speaking) Public speaking is essential to being able to communicate to

large audiences, at meetings, and at events and other museum functions.

COM 310 (Intro to Public Relations) I believe that exposure to the methods, rules, and

techniques involved in Public Relations will help me become more adept at creating and

publicizing museum programs and functions – essentially what I want to do at a museum.

COM 350 (Business and Professional Communications) This course will give me the

skills and experience needed to communicate and write effectively in a museum setting. I will

need to know the proper way to address people along the chain of command in an organization,

converse and write with other museums, and write to donors.

ACC 220 (Accounting) This course is essential responding to the growing need for

museums to be financially stable and high-functioning establishments. Knowing the basics of

accounting will help me plan budgets, allocate funds, and more.

BUS 300 (Principles of Management) Knowing organizational setup and functioning will

be necessary to performing well in a museum setting.

DAN 455 (Performing Arts Administration) This course will complement COM 350

well, as it will help me learn grant writing, fundraising, publicity and promotion, time

management, and other skills related to working a non-profit setting.

Addition: ENG 358 (Professional Writing) This course will give me ample experience in

writing several kinds of essays and documents. These skills will be vital to a

programming/education career.

Addition: HIS 334 (Historical Research Methods) *Replacement for NCSU HIS 586 This

course will allow me to study methods of research, how to evaluate that research, and how to

present my research. I plan to use this course to develop a “sample” educational program

designed for a specific museum.

Addition: BUS 348 (Organizational Behavior) This course will familiarize me with

processes and functions within an organization, which I can apply to a museum setting.

No new courses need to be formed for me to complete this contract major. Specialized

work will be completed through my research course and the thesis course, as well as summer

internships. I plan to seek different internships in the summers of 2011 and 2012. I may also be

able to seek major-related work at a museum in my junior or senior year.

After graduation, this major will allow me to be more versatile and attractive to museums

because I will have had a generous education in art history, professional practices, and

communication. The research and internships that I will have done as part of the major will also

allow me to produce a healthy resume. My hope would be to begin working as a Program

Director or Assistant, helping to create educational and public opportunities in the museum. My

passion is to enhance the cultural relevance of museums as a whole, and I believe that through

creating public programs, I can begin to do that.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Course ID

Course Title Credits Required/

Elective

When

offered

ART 221 Art History Survey 1 3 R F every year

ART 222 Art History Survey 2 3 R S every year

ART 299 Introduction to Research in Art 3 R F/S every

year

NCSU –HIS 380

History of Non-Profits, Philanthropy, and Social Change*if this course is unavailable, may be substituted with another HIS class?

3 R F every year

HIS 334 Methods of Historical Research (capstone course)

3 R F/S every

year

ART 499 Directed Individual Study 3 R S

ART 930 Internship 1 R S

HIS 250 Intro to Archaeology**if this course is unavailable, may be substituted with another HIS class? (Advanced Museology – NCSU)

3 E Varies

HIS 300 Intro to Public History 3 E S every year

REL 346 Anthropology of Religion** if this course is unavailable, may be substituted with another HIS class? (Honors/AH thesis – gallery manual)

3 E F every year

COM 400 Event planning 3 E

SOC 260 Cultural Anthropology 3 E S varies

COM 225 (public speaking – excused)

COM 310 Intro to Public Relations 3 R F every year

COM 350 Business and Professional Communications

3 R varies

ACC 220 Accounting 3 R F/S every

year

BUS 300 Principles of Management 3 R F/S every

year

DAN 455 Performing Arts Administration 3 R F odd years

ENG 358 Professional Writing 3 R F/S every yr

BUS 348 Organizational Behavior 3 R F/S every yr

Amendments: ART 280, 323, 324, 492, ad 494 were removed, as they are actually part of the Art History Minor; however, as the contract was approved with them included, they will remain “part” of the sequence. However, since the beginning of the major, I have recognized that HIS 334 needs to serve as a thesis preparation course, and a directed individual study needs to serve as a thesis class. An internship period must also be included. I have highlighted these in purple, as they were not originally approved as part of the major. My plan is to resubmit the contract with these additions.

Also, the student must complete all “R” courses and 4 out of the 5 “E” courses. RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE

(see four year plan)