Advanced Academic Programs

JHU Museum Studies Onsite Seminars Summer Seminars 2013 (460.610)
A two-week, intensive, period of on-ground museum study in Washington, DC, or in another location organized by the Museum Studies Program, is a required component for graduation. The seminar includes practicum opportunities in a variety of museum settings; conversations with local museum professionals; observation of and interaction with museum visitors; and class sessions to integrate the daily experiences. Using the rich diversity of museums in the Washington area or an equally suitable site, this course provides students with the chance to use what they have learned in their prior courses, develop networks with fellow students and museum experts, and explore the latest in museum practice, including exhibition design and development, public programming, collections management, conservation, and uses of technology in the museum. Students work on directed activities during the two-week period, and the museum visits during the seminars are very focused on the academic work being accomplished. Some seminars require preparatory work before the seminar and follow-up work after the seminar. Please read the descriptions carefully.

Academic Requirements: Students must have completed a minimum of two courses in the program to register for this class, however four or more courses are recommended. (One of these courses must be 460.601 or 460.602). Requirements may vary for specific seminars, so please read the descriptions carefully.

Enrollment: Most seminars require 14 people to register before they can run. Some seminars may require more than 14. Please read the specific seminar description carefully. (The maximum number of students for each seminar is 20.) If you need the seminar to graduate in that specific semester, please register early. Do not purchase plane tickets or make other investments in your trip until you hear that there are enough participants enrolled. All students will be notified.

Important Note: Students are responsible for travel to and from the location, accommodations, and meals, as well as any specified field trip fees. The museum visits during the seminars are very focused on the academic work being accomplished. Please arrange to spend extra time before or after the seminar in the location if you wish to spend additional time at the museums.

Summer 2013: Seminar Locations and Dates
1. London, England, Onsite Seminar (460.610.91)
Sunday, July 7 – Friday, July 19, 2013
More information below
14 students minimum to run this seminar

London, Onsite Seminar (460.610.91)
Sunday, July 7 – Friday, July 19, 2013

Course Description
An intensive two-week seminar in London led by Alan Morrison and colleagues at the University of Westminster, situated in the West End of London. The seminar will explore the relationship between Narrative and Object through an examination of the collections of London museums and galleries including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, the Museum of London, the Imperial War Museum, the British Museum, the Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Horniman Museum. The seminar also includes a day visit to Oxford to study the recently redesigned Ashmolean Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum.

During the seminar, we will be visiting and critiquing two major exhibitions:
- “David Bowie is” at the Victoria and Albert Museum;
- “Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum” at the British Museum.

During the seminar there will also be special sessions examining the display and exhibition programmes linked to the forthcoming World War One centenary commemorations; and the role of new media in museum practice.

Throughout the seminar you will work with academics and museum & gallery professionals representing a wide range of specialisms, job responsibilities and career opportunities – curators, researchers, archivists, conservators, those working in education and marketing departments.

Assessment will consist of annotations, participation, group project, and final course paper.

Annotations: Students will submit two annotations drawn from the course reading: one before the commencement of the course (free choice) and one during the course (assigned).

Participation: students will submit a daily journal entry on Blackboard of not more than one page. Students will be assigned in groups of two to three to make presentations in the morning sessions that review the previous day’s visit/s. These presentations are designed to develop collaborative work skills. Students will also be assigned to lead the questions on the discussions with museum professionals. (We will ensure that the workload is spread evenly across the two weeks.)

Group Project: There will be a choice between: (1) material drawn from the general Museum of London collections; and (2) material relating to the World War One project drawn from one of the museum collections and the University of Westminster’s archives. Each group will select a display of material which could consist of a single object, a group of objects, or a self-contained exhibit, and critique in relation to subjects discussed in the seminar, e.g. relation of object to narrative; object-based learning strategies; design and presentation; engagement of viewer; how it relates to the museum’s overarching narrative and public profile. Presentations will make use of appropriate visual material and should demonstrate the collaborative work skills gained through the exercise (e.g. an appropriate division and balance in presentational roles), and each presentation will be given a group grade. Presentations of the Group Project will be made on the final day of the course, each lasting for 50 minutes including question time.

Final Paper: This will be a critical reflection on one of the main themes of the seminar, drawing on site visits, seminar discussions and reading. Word count 2000 maximum. To be submitted within ten days of the end of the seminar.

General objectives and assessment criteria:

- Construction and clarity of argument and analysis;

- Use of primary sources;

- Use of secondary/contextual sources;

- Visual presentation skills;

- Dealing with whole-class questions and discussion;

- Demonstrating collaborative work skills.

A reading-list will be posted shortly.

Public symposium and reception
The seminar will include a public symposium on museum policy followed by a reception on the evening of Thursday, July 18. This forms part of the University of Westminster’s 175th anniversary celebrations. The University traces its origins to the opening in 1838 at 309 Regent Street of the Royal Polytechnic Institution under the chairmanship of Sir George Cayley, nineteenth-century inventor and aviation pioneer. The University has an extensive archive covering its history and we will be making use of this during the seminar.

Location
Teaching will take place at the University of Westminster’s historic headquarters building in London’s West End, just 2 or 3 minutes from Oxford Circus Underground station; and at various museum and gallery sites. University of Westminster staff offices are in the nearby Wells Street building. Maps will be available to all enrolled students.

Registration and facilities
Students will be contacted some weeks before arrival and asked to supply detailed information so that the registration process can be completed prior to arrival. On arrival, students will receive a University of Westminster swipecard giving access to all buildings, libraries, IT facilities and catering outlets. The Regent St building has an extensive IT suite. Most of the museums and galleries have internet suites/facilities. There are many internet cafes in the area and wifi facility is increasingly available.

Academic Requirements
Students must have completed a minimum of two courses in the program to register for this class, one of which must be 460.601 or 460.602. Completion of four or more courses is recommended. Students planning to graduate in Summer or Fall 2013 will be given priority. 

London Seminar Team
The London seminar will be organized and led by Alan Morrison, who is Honorary Fellow at the University of Westminster, Coordinator of the scholarly Smithsonian-Westminster Colloquium, and a Lemelson Center Research Associate at the National Museum of American History. Trained in philosophy, his interests lie particularly in the field of aesthetics and the construction and presentation of cultural meaning. He has extensive experience in the field of international education and has developed London Studies courses for the University of Westminster’s European Erasmus exchange, Study Abroad and International Student Programmes. He has lectured at many London museums, galleries and scholarly bodies including the National Gallery, the Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Society, and has curated a number of exhibitions, including “Sir George Cayley the Father of Flight” at the Royal Air Force Museum, London, and several other exhibitions on 20^th-century British art. He is currently working with London and Smithsonian museums on exhibition proposals related to the centenary commemorations of World War One. He will be assisted by colleagues from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Westminster, including: Peter Ride, Principal Research Fellow and Course Leader, MA Museum Studies; and Helena Scott, Research administrator and coordinator of the Group for War and Culture Studies.

We also hope to have contributions during the seminar from two graduates of the JHU Museum Studies program, who are now engaged in research.

Time Commitment
Prepare to be completely “immersed” during the entire two-week period! Students will be busy from 9:00am– 5:00 pm each day, with some evenings and weekend work also required. Do not schedule activities not related to the seminar during these two weeks (including the weekend) until the syllabus becomes available. NOTE: There will be some preparatory work for this seminar. Assignments will be sent out in mid-May to all those registered.

Significant Others
Friends or partners may accompany students to London and may share hotel/dorm rooms. However, they are NOT allowed in class or on field trips.

Accommodation
Students make their own individual bookings. A list of London college accommodation addresses will be posted shortly. Goldsmid House, in Victoria, has proved very satisfactory for previous students.

Travel Information
Passports are needed for U.S. citizens to enter the United Kingdom (UK). Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the date you enter the country. Visas are not required for U.S. citizens for travel to the UK. Non-U.S. citizens should check with the British embassy or consulate in your country for passport and visa information.

Please see the Advanced Academic Student Travel page for information about waiver, liability, and emergency contact forms, travel and health insurance, and international SOS.

Students traveling to London, England, must fill out the following forms:

1.   International Study Release and Waiver of Liability Form – complete if you are attending a course with international travel.

2.   Emergency contact form.

Seminar Cost
The cost of the Onsite Seminar course is the normal tuition rate for one class in the Museum Studies Program, which is approximately $3,361. Students are responsible for travel to and from the location, accommodations, and meals.  There is an additional $350 field trip fee for the London seminar due at registration.

Additional fees onsite for the London seminar include:

1. Oystercard (for travel around London): Two weeks, zones 1 to 3, £71.20 (at current prices, March 2013).
2. Day trip to Oxford: Roundtrip fare approximately £20 – £25
3. End-of-Course party at the top floor restaurant at the National Portrait Gallery with dramatic views over Trafalgar Square, Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. Approximately £15 – £20 per head plus drinks.

Registration
Full payment of tuition and fees is due at the time of registration. If a student decides to drop this course prior to April 8, $500 of the tuition is nonrefundable.  If a student decides to drop this course after April 8, ALL tuition and fees for this course are nonrefundable. If a student decides to drop this course, an add/drop form must be sent to the registration office. A student may not drop the course online. Students will register for this course in ISIS.

IMPORTANT: Students will be charged $500 regardless of their payment method choices (employer assistance, tuition remission, etc. if they later decide to drop this course. *Refunds will be made if there are not enough people to run the course.* The seminar needs 14 people to register before it can run. (The maximum number of students for the seminar is 20.) Students planning to graduate in Summer or Fall 2013 will be given priority.  Students will be required to fill out an International Study Release and Waiver of Liability Form and an Emergency Contact form.

Important Dates
· March 18: Registration opens
· April 8: Last day to register, emergency contact information due, waiver form due
· July 7, 2013: Seminar Begins

Questions
Please contact Alan Morrison with any questions or concerns you may have.

Chicago, Onsite Seminar (460.610.92)
Monday, July 8 – Friday, July 19, 2013

Course Description

Museum Narratives: Museums today are employing a wide variety of narrative strategies to engage audiences with their content. This course will focus on the types and use of different strategies, both as a tool for interpreting the meaning of objects as well as a method of communicating with people. It will also look at the wider context within which those strategies are employed, including their changing character throughout history as well as their growing use to address current social issues. The course will take place in a variety of types of museums throughout Chicago, which exemplify particular topics and practices. The main course project will involve the creation of a new, technology-based interpretive tool for an edible garden outside the Field Museum of Natural History. The garden occupies a space that bridges the museum and the city; its interpretation will be designed to connect the plants both to the collections inside and the wider urban agricultural movement outside, employing narratives that cross multiple genres: anthropological, botanical, social, culinary, and artistic.

Course Objectives

• Examine the use of a variety of narrative strategies employed by museums to interpret collections and communicate with audiences (technology; art; story; etc.)
• Explore how museums are increasingly addressing a range of current social issues and how the notion of narrative supports this work
• Explore these questions through the development of a new, technology-based narrative
• Experience the characteristics, benefits and challenges of working on a collaborative project

Preliminary list of museums
Chicago is home to museums of all shapes and sizes. We will be visiting a wide variety of institutions over the two weeks including major museums such as the Field Museum of Natural History, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Science and Industry as well as smaller, provocative sites such as Jane Addams Hull House, pop up galleries, and Openlands Lakeshore Preserve.

Academic Requirements
Students must have completed a minimum of two courses in the program to register for this class.

Seminar Leader
The instructor for the Chicago seminar is Lisa Roberts.

Lisa Roberts is an educator, writer, curator, and planner. She is the former director of Garfield and Lincoln Park Conservatories and previously worked at the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Field Museum of Natural History. In 2006 she founded naturalia, inc., which provides consulting services for museums, gardens and parks. Her work has taken her to Casablanca, Morocco, where she has directed a number of projects involving community and program development. She is the author of From Knowledge to Narrative: Educators and the Changing Museum as well as numerous publications about the history and philosophy of museums and museum education. She has lectured and taught widely about a range of subjects related to the public dimension of museums. She is a Fellow at the Center for Humans and Nature, a member of the editorial board of the journal Museums and Social Issues and has served as an advisor to a variety of civic and community organizations over the years.

Time Commitment
Prepare to be completely “immersed” during the entire two-week period! Students will be busy from 9:00am– 5:00 pm each day, with some evenings and weekend work also required.

Significant Others
Friends or partners may accompany students to Chicago, and may share hotel/dorm rooms. However, they are NOT allowed in class or on field trips.

Accommodations
Students are responsible for making their own accommodations. The most economical and convenient option is University Center, a student residence shared by several universities located in downtown Chicago. There are a number of options ranging from a private room to a shared double or suite for four. Please note this is a dormitory, not a hotel; so the accommodations are very basic. (Linens and towels, for example, cost an additional $30/week.) But it is clean, economical, and very well located. Furthermore, the students from last year’s seminar recommended that we continue to offer this option!

To book a room, go to: http://universitycenter.com/ and click on Chicago Summer Housing.  If you would like to be placed with a JHU roommate, please indicate this when you register; there will be a place to add a note or comment. If you have additional questions, you may contact LaChandra Simon at 312-924-8089.

Travel Information
Please see the Advanced Academic Student Travel page for information about waiver, liability, and emergency contact forms, and travel and health insurance.

Students traveling to Washington, DC, must fill out the following forms:

4.   Student field trip release and waiver of liability form

5.   Emergency contact form

Seminar Cost
The cost of the Onsite Seminar course is the normal tuition rate for one class in the Museum Studies Program, which is approximately $3,361. Students are responsible for travel to and from the location, accommodations, and meals.  There is an additional $250 field trip fee for the Chicago seminar due at registration.

Registration
Full payment of tuition and fees is due at the time of registration. If a student decides to drop this course prior to April 8, $500 of the tuition is nonrefundable.  If a student decides to drop this course after April 8, ALL tuition and fees for this course are nonrefundable. If a student decides to drop this course, an add/drop form must be sent to the registration office. A student may not drop the course online. Students will register for this course in ISIS.

IMPORTANT: Students will be charged $500 regardless of their payment method choices (employer assistance, tuition remission, etc. if they later decide to drop this course. *Refunds will be made if there are not enough people to run the course.* The seminar needs 14 people to register before it can run. (The maximum number of students for the seminar is 20.) Students planning to graduate in Summer or Fall 2013 will be given priority.  Students will be required to fill out a waiver form and an emergency contact form.

Important Dates
· March 18: Registration opens
· April 8: Last day to register, emergency contact information due, waiver form due
· July 8, 2013: Seminar Begins

Questions
Please contact Sarah Chicone with any questions or concerns you may have.