Any student who is currently enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Michigan may apply for admission to the Program. To apply, please follow the set of instructions below that applies to you (current Rackham or non-Rackham graduate student).
The deadline for applications is Friday, February 28, 2025.
We will be hosting will be hosting a virtual open house via Zoom on February 7 at 11:00 am.
Students must commit to enrolling in the two-semester proseminar for the academic year following admission to the program. The proseminar is scheduled during evenings of the Fall and Winter semesters. In addition, students enrolled in the proseminar will be expected to participate in museum site visits. Typically, three all-day visits will be scheduled for Fridays during each semester..
Application instructions for current Rackham students:
Students already pursuing a graduate degree in a Rackham program at U-M must submit a Dual Admission application. There is no application fee. Prior to beginning your application, please note that that you will need the following things:
- Copies of your transcript(s) from all post-secondary education. (A scanned/electronic copy of the official transcript will be used for initial review by our admissions committee. You will be required to provide your official transcript if you are recommended for admission.)
- Current curriculum vitae
- Personal Statement of Purpose: A brief statement (no more than 500 words) addressing how your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue the Museum Studies certificate.
- Academic Statement of Purpose: A statement of purpose should be 500-1000 words that addresses the reason(s) you are interested in the Certificate in Museum Studies, how the certificate program relates to the degree program you are currently pursuing (or have recently completed), your previous experience in museums (and related institutions), and your career plans.
- A Pre-Approval Form for Dual Admission: You must meet with your current program advisor or coordinator and obtain a signature of approval from the authorized signer in your current graduate program. This signed form will need to be uploaded to your application.
- Two letters of recommendation.
To begin your application, navigate to this page and scroll about half-way down to the section called Dual Admission. Please review the eligibility requirements. When you are ready to begin your application, follow the instructions that read “Current Rackham students complete the Dual Admission application using an ApplyWeb account.” Note that although the general instructions reference a $10 application fee, the museum studies dual degree application has been pre-coded with a fee waiver, so there is no cost to apply. Follow the ApplyWeb link above to create your online application.
Upload your completed Pre-Approval Form for Dual Admission.
Upload your transcript(s), curriculum vitae, and statements in the appropriate fields.
Two letters of recommendation are required and should be sent directly to Museum Studies at [email protected].
Additional information can be found on Rackham’s website regarding Dual Degree and Certificate programs
Application instructions for non-Rackham students:
If you are a student pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Michigan in a non-Rackham program, begin your application process at the Rackham Graduate School Application Process page. Please follow the instructions on that page that will guide you through creating an ApplyWeb account to begin your application and uploading files to your application. Prior to beginning your application, please note that that you will need the following things:
- Copies of your transcript(s) from all post-secondary education
- Current curriculum vitae
- Personal Statement: How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational, citizenship status or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan?
- Academic Statement of Purpose: A statement of 500-1000 words that addresses the reason(s) you are interested in the Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, how the certificate program relates to the degree program you are currently pursuing, your previous experience in museums (and related institutions), and your career paths.
- Two letters of recommendation.
To begin your application, navigate to this page and follow the link to Complete Application. All of your application materials (transcripts, curriculum vitae, statements, and requests for two letters of recommendation) will be submitted via this online application system.
Note that although the general instructions reference a $75 application fee, the museum studies application has been pre-coded with a fee waiver, so there is no cost to apply.
It is recommended that students meet with the Program’s Director prior to applying to the program.
If you have any questions about the application requirements that are specific to the Museum Studies Program, please contact us at [email protected] or #734-936-6678.
If you have questions regarding the ApplyWeb online application system, please contact Rackham Admissions at [email protected] or #734-764-8129.
** Application deadline for the 2025-26 school year is February 28, 2025 **
