Collections & Research
Museology
The Department of Anthropology, in collaboration with the staff and resources of the Museum of Anthropology, offers theoretical and practical training in museum principles and methods as a component of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Anthropology. This training is also available to UBC students in other related disciplines such as Asian Studies, History, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, and Art History, Visual Art and Theory, with permission of the relevant departments.
The Museum of Anthropology is Canada's largest teaching museum, supporting a variety of courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional level in museology.. The core undergraduate courses for the Museology stream of the Anthropology program are Introduction to Museums and Museology (ANTH 241), Museums, Heritage, and Memory (ANTH 341) and Museum Practice and Curatorship (ANTH 431). Other courses relating to this program option include Art, Aesthetics, and Anthropology (ANTH 331), Anthropology of Media (ANTH 378), Anthropology of Public Representation (ANTH 432), and Conservation of Organic/Inorganic materials (ANTH 451/452).
Wherever possible, these courses combine theory with practical experience, using the museum's labs and galleries. It is recommended that students take additional courses in museum-related subjects offered by this department or by other departments such as Asian Studies, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Art History, Visual Art and Theory, History, Education, First Nations Studies. Additional opportunities for directed readings' courses, seminars, tutorials, workshops and job training are offered to students by special arrangement.
Graduate work in Museology may be pursued at both the Masters and Doctorate levels as a component of the degree programs in Anthropology or in combination with degrees in disciplines such as Asian Studies, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Art History, Visual Art and Theory, History, Museum Education, and Library and Archival Studies in accordance with the degree requirements of those departments. Specific graduate courses available on a rotating schedule in Anthropology include Museum Methods (ANTH 518), Advanced Seminar in Critical Museum Anthropology (ANTH 541), and Advanced Museum Curatorial Practice (ANTH 551).
A current UBC Calendar is available at www.ubc.ca. For details on the graduate program in Museology, please contact the Graduate Secretary, Department of Anthropology at 604.822.2546 or anthhead@interchange.ubc.ca
People already working in the museum community who wish to upgrade their knowledge and skills without entering a formal degree program or becoming full-time students should contact the Department of Anthropology for information about course options. Admission to credit courses is subject to university regulations for admission as an unclassified student or auditor, and the permission of the instructor.
Internships
In addition to coursework, the Museum sometimes offers volunteer opportunities to UBC students enrolled in Museology courses, allowing them to gain important working experience as part of their training.. Applications for internships should be sent to the Chair of the Teaching and Curriculum Committee at the Museum of Anthropology, or emailed to info@moa.ubc.ca.
Research Fellowship
The Museum of Anthropology encourages applications from potential research fellows whose interests correspond to the Museum's mandate and current activities. Acceptance is subject to availability of space and resources. Applications for research fellowships should be sent to the Chair of the Teaching and Curriculum Committee at the Museum of Anthropology.
