Welcome to Museum Studies at Macquarie University

Museums play an important part in our society, not only in preserving our natural and cultural heritage, but also in educating people from all walks of life. Many will remember spending rainy Sunday afternoons with noses pressed to the museum cases letting our imaginations run riot; one minute visiting the kitchens of yesteryear and the next imagining how one would outrun a T. Rex.

Museums of today are lively places with interactive exhibits, computer terminals and places where children and adults can explore almost any topic. They not only reflect community ideas, but can play a vital role in leading the debate on social and scientific issues.

How can you be involved in shaping the future of our museums?

Macquarie University offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Museum Studies. The programs are unique in Australia in providing a bridge between science and arts, recognising the importance of both areas.

Macquarie's undergraduate program combines study in museology with a broad selection of academic disciplines, with choices from Palaeontology, Geology, Biology, Ancient Mediterranean Cultures, Australian History, Environmental and Cultural Geography, and Indigenous Studies. There is an emphasis on integrating information technology with museum studies so as to provide an up-to-date background for museum practice.

The postgraduate programs include studies in museology as well as internships (work integrated learning) and projects that allow students to develop research and exhibition skills.

In all courses there is an emphasis on collaboration with nearby museums and organisations (for example the Historic Houses Trust), which includes visits by guest lecturers who bring state of the art museum practice to the curriculum. Emphasis is placed on "learning by doing" in a friendly and supportive environment, so that students will develop the necessary skills to undertake employment in a myriad of related areas that will include museums.

Explore the web site to gain a wider view of our comprehensive programs and please contact us with any questions.