Museum Studies

WHY CHOOSE WIU MUSEUM STUDIES?

Internships and Graduate Assistantships

Our program offers several opportunities for gaining professional experience before graduation. As part of the program, each student completes a 200-hour project-based internship at a Quad City area cultural institution or at a museum. Students completing the degree who are not living in the QC area are encouraged to find opportunities for internships in their community.

The WIU Museum Studies Program uniquely offers several paid Graduate Assistantships to students in the Quad City area. Students receive a monthly stipend and tuition waiver. Positions are held in Quad City museums, where students engage in various projects. The application process is competitive, and interested students must complete the online GA application.

Museum Studies promotes GA opportunities twice yearly, in March for the coming fall semester and November for the spring semester. Stipends and full tuition waivers accompany all graduate assistantships. If you are interested in applying for a GA position, review the policies and inform the Museum Studies Program Director of your interest. Read more about graduate assistantships on the Graduate Studies website. You can also contact the Museum Studies Program Director, Heidi Lung at HK-Lung@wiu.edu.

QC Museum Partners

Since 2008, Quad City area museums and cultural institutions have been valued partners in training professionals for museum work. Students in the WIU Museum Studies graduate program annually support Quad City museums with over 7000 working hours through internships, graduate assistantships, practicums, and class projects.

The WIU Museum Studies program is grateful to collaborate with the following museums to provide students with valuable learning and professional experiences.

Professional Networks

The WIU Museum Studies Graduate program engages with several museum professional organizations. The annual Career Conversations event hosted by the Iowa Museum Association is just one opportunity available to students in the program. The department holds institutional memberships with the following organizations, allowing students access to a variety of professional resources and discounts:

Alumni Engagement and Job Placement

WIU Museum Studies Graduate program alumni are an invaluable resource for training students in the program. Many WIU alumni hold positions in QC are museums and institutions and serve as professional mentors to students. Our program boasts an excellent student placement record in museum jobs after graduation. Graduating students and alumni have gone on to positions at the following institutions and organizations:

  • Curatorial Assistant, U.S.Navy Seabee Museum
  • Event Coordinator, Ellwood House Museum
  • Associate Curator, Ella Sharp Museum
  • Assistant Registrar, Figge Art Museum
  • Director, Pentacrest Museums at the University of Iowa
  • Administrator, Bishop Hill Heritage Association
  • Curator, Amana Colonies
  • Curator of Education, Mid-America Art Alliance
  • Curator of Collections, UArizona Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum
  • Museum Director, Cordova Historical Society
  • Museum Specialist, American Museum of Natural History
  • Exhibit Preparator and Outreach Coordinator, University of Northern Iowa
  • Community Event Coordinator, Portland Bureau of Transportation
  • Director, Rockwall County Historical Foundation Museum
  • Adult Programming Coordinator, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
  • Assistant Director and Curator, German American Heritage Center
  • Manager, Member and Donor Relations Development, Shedd Aquarium
  • Membership Coordinator, Science Museum of Minnesota
  • Vice President Museum Experiences, Putnam Museum and Science Center
  • Visitor Service Coordinator, Quad City Botanical Center
  • Special Exhibitions and Featured Experiences, St. Louis Science Center
  • Visitor Services Manager, Milwaukee Art Museum
  • Museum Outreach Educator, Figge Art Museum
  • Director, Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology
  • Executive Director, Campbell Center for Historic Preservation Studies
  • Assistant Curator, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
  • Associate and Museum Internship Coordinator, Albright Knox Art Gallery
  • Collections Assistant, National Mississippi River Museum
  • Executive Director, Pella Historical Society and Tulip Time Festival
  • Preparator - Northern Arizona University Art Museum
  • Educator, Play Museum of Illinois State Museum
  • Account Manager/Special Events, Field Museum
  • Research Assistant, Grout Museum District