Prospective Students - Graduate

Museum and Field Studies

Areas of Study and Research

Students in the program have access to the most extensive library of natural diversity in the state and take classes and conduct research in the recently renovated Bruce Curtis Building. The building houses about 3 million specimens from the CU-Boulder’s Museum of Natural History’s extensive collection and includes a specially designed laboratory classroom, three “smart” classrooms, several laboratories and collection libraries, a walk-in freezer for specimen decontamination and a casting lab to replicate paleontological and archaelogical items.

Degrees Offered

MS
The MS in Museum Field Studies requires 32 hours of approved graduate study and 150 hours of internship. Additional requirements are the successful defense of a thesis (thesis plan) or a master's project (nonthesis plan) and successful completion of a comprehensive examination (all students). There is no foreign language requirement.

Admission

Graduate School Minimum Admissions Standards
Individual graduate departments may have additional or more restrictive standards by which they evaluate graduate applicants. However, the Graduate School at CU-Boulder has established minimum standards for graduate admission. Applicants must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, or have done work equivalent to that required for such a degree.
   
2. Show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research, as judged by the student’s scholastic record.
   
3. Have adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen field.
   
4. Have at least a 2.75 (2.00=C) undergraduate grade point average. Note: Applicants who cannot meet this undergraduate standard may still secure regular admission if they have completed 9 semester hours of relevant graduate course work with at least a 3.25 average.
   

Museum and Field Studies Admissions Requirements
Applicants must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university; appropriate fields include anthropology, biology, geology, geography, history, archival studies, classics, fine arts, and education (other major fields will be considered on a case-by-case basis).
2. Have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.00.
3. Provide GRE scores.
4. Provide three (3) letters of recommendation.
5. It is suggested that applicants contact potential faculty advisors (e-mail, call or visit) before the application deadline. Please visit cumuseum.colorado.edu/MFS for further details.

Minimum Standards for Applicants
In addition to Graduate School standards we look for prior museum experience (either paid or volunteer positions) and a clear professional focus for a specific job or position after graduation. We encourage serious conversation between prospective applicants, Musem and Field Studies director, and relevant faculty prior to application to the program.

Financial Support Available
GA positions (vital to the functions of the museum and our best support and experience for students); fellowships; and limited research/professional support from museum funds and endowments.

Application Information and Deadlines   Fall admission Yes Application deadline January 15 International application deadline December 1 Financial assistance application deadline February 1   Spring admission No   Summer admission No

Contact Information

University of Colorado at Boulder
Museum and Field Studies Program
Graduate Program Coordinator
Museum Collections Building
265 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0265
Phone: 303-492-5437
Fax: 303-735-0218
e-mail: mfsinfo@colorado.EDU
web site: cumuseum.colorado.edu