Museum Studies (with internship) - CLAS7000

Overview

The module will allow the student to acquire knowledge and critical understanding of the fundamental principles related to collecting and interpreting objects within museums and managing these institutions. Students will be required to become familiar and engage critically, during the seminars, with the key references on these topics. Students will then be required to apply concepts and principles learnt in class in the context of their internship.

As part of their internship, each student will devise a special project in consultation with the mentor and the module convenor. Precise objectives and skills to be learnt will be recorded and tracked regularly. Students will keep a weekly log of their activities. The placement may take place either at a set period during the Easter vacation or at regular intervals over the Autumn and Spring terms.

Details

Contact hours

Total Contact Hours: 40
Total Hours on Internship: 70
Private Study Hours: 190
Total Study Hours: 300

Availability

Autumn or Spring

Method of assessment

Main assessment methods
Essay (3,000 words) – 30%
Blog (One entry for each placement day, maximum of 250 words) – 20%
Presentation 1 (10 minutes) – 7%
Presentation 2 (20 minutes) – 13%
Placement Report (2,500 words) – 30%

Reassessment methods
100% Coursework

Indicative reading

The University is committed to ensuring that core reading materials are in accessible electronic format in line with the Kent Inclusive Practices. The most up to date reading list for each module can be found on the university's reading list pages: https://kent.rl.talis.com/index.html

See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)

Learning outcomes

The intended generic learning outcomes
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the well-established principles of museum studies and of the way in which those principles have developed and been applied in practice, through completing their internship;
2. Demonstrate the ability to apply underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, particularly during the internship and assignments related to their internship;
3. Display knowledge of the main methods of enquiry on different topics related to collections care, management and interpretation, and ability to evaluate critically the appropriateness of these different approaches to solving problems through completion of all of the assignments;
4. Show an understanding of the limits of their knowledge, in particular of their biases, and how these influence their analyses and interpretation of collections and decisions related to conservation and management through completion of all of the assignments.

The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:

1. Act as part of a team, maintaining effective working relationships with employers and employees, during their internship.
2. Demonstrate confident communication skills both one to one and during their internship using a variety of methods;
3. Make effective use of source materials, as well as IT skills, to support activities undertaken both in class and during the internship.
4. Display competent organisational, prioritisation, time management and negotiating skills, demonstrated through the completion of their internship, attendance of class and submission of all of the assignments.
5. Engage in self-analysis, problem-solving and critical evaluation