The Only Museum Studies Master’s Degree in English Canada
The Master of Museum Studies (MMSt) is a two-year professional program that brings together leading researchers and practitioners to offer students the theory and professional experience they need to play a leading role in a wide variety of cultural institutions, from museums and galleries to science centres and heritage sites. It is the only master’s degree of its kind in English-speaking Canada.
Museum Studies faculty members participate in ground-breaking, interdisciplinary research in areas covering history, anthropology, visual studies, communication, education, sociology and food studies. The program’s instructors include directors, managers, curators, conservators, interpretive planners and education specialists at museum and heritage institutions.
One of the highlights of the MMSt program is the final-year capstone project. Together with partnering cultural institutions, students develop projects from initial concept to final delivery.
Students can participate in optional internships, developing their skills at museums and heritage institutions across Canada and in other countries.
Collaborative specializations allow students to specialize in a field outside of their main area of study. The courses taken within the collaborative specialization count as electives in their MMSt degree program.
Program Options
Students in the Museum Studies program have two options. They can either do a capstone project or complete a thesis.
The final-year capstone project allows students to partner with cultural institutions to develop exhibits and other projects from initial concept to final delivery.
Students who have a clearly defined topic and wish to gain experience in developing and executing a research project from beginning to end may choose to write a thesis in their second year.
Program Highlights
Students can participate in optional internships, developing their skills at museums and heritage institutions across Canada and in other countries.
Collaborative specializations allow students to specialize in a field outside of their main area of study. The courses taken within the collaborative specialization count as electives.
Academic Requirements
The MMSt program requires students to complete fifteen 0.5 credit courses (7.5 credits). 0.5 credit courses at the University of Toronto last one semester.
Students are eligible to complete their credits based on course work only, including required and elective courses. Alternatively, they can complete a thesis.
All students have to take a shared set of required courses and choose between the capstone course and thesis option. The remaining credits come from elective courses, which can include the 0.5 credit course taken alongside the internship, other Museum Studies electives, and graduate-level courses outside the program.
This is a two-year program, only offered on a full-time basis.
Master of Museum Studies and Graduates
Samantha Summers (CDP, Class of 2021)
Samantha puts her MI and MMSt degrees to use at the ROM where she is Manager of Donor Circles, overseeing renewal fundraising campaigns and the Member to Patron pipeline.
Erica Chi (MMSt, Class of 2019)
Erica credits her internship for providing the hands-on collections experience that helped her land a job after graduation as an Art Administrator at the TD Bank Corporate Art Collection, one of Canada’s largest company collections. She now works as a Public Art Officer for the City of Ottawa.
Defne Inceoglu (MMSt, Class of 2020)
Defne works as a Development and Partnerships Officer at Surrey Place where, among other things, they have worked on the Mashkikiiwininiwag Mazinaatesijigan Wichiiwewin program drawing on the project management, human research and storytelling skills they acquired at the Faculty of Information.
Program Essentials
More details about admissions requirements for domestic and international students can be found on the MMSt Admission Requirements page.
Information about tuition fees, financial aid, and scholarships and awards can be found on the Money Matters page.
Detailed information about Awards, Scholarships and Financial Aid for domestic and international students can be found on the Awards page.
Latest News
Profs champion collections management in new book
A new book on collections management in museums, which highlights new approaches in the field, is now available to download for free. Co-edited by Faculty of Information Professor Cara Krmpotich and Professor Alice Stevenson of University College London, Collections Management as Critical Museum Practice was published last July. “We created this edited volume to show the […]
Queer in the 1860s: New “Discovery Station” reveals hidden history
Black Creek Pioneer Village has developed a new interactive “discovery station” that invites visitors to step into the 1860s and learn about the city’s 19th century queer community. Developed in partnership with Master of Museum Studies students, Pride in the Past uncovers a part of history that was once, by necessity, hidden. The team of […]
Museum Studies invites capstone project proposals
The Faculty of Information invites project proposal submissions for the Master of Museum Studies (MMSt) Capstone Projects course for the 2024-2025 academic year. The Capstone Projects course is a full-year course offered to students in their final year of the program, in lieu of a Masters thesis. Students apply their existing skills and knowledge of […]
Students explore an RCAF Sergeant’s daring escape from a WWII POW camp
Museum Studies students dig up rare ‘diary’ detailing daily life in German POW camps. It’s on display in a new exhibit at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton Vincent Mancini enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1940 at age 28, training as a navigator. Two years later, his aircraft […]