Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Museum Studies

Careers

The museum job market can be competitive, but candidates who have museum experience and academic credentials tend to get the jobs.

Tufts museum studies graduates (both certificate and degree) have both. Most students come into the program with some museum experience and gain more while they are here: through the internship, through part-time work, and through volunteering. Coursework equips graduates with context and strategy.

In a recent study, we found that over 85% of museum education students (who graduated between 2009 and 2012) held museum jobs within a year of graduating. Anecdotal evidence suggests that graduates heading for other aspects of museum work (such as curatorial, collection management, development) also find jobs.

Positions Held by Recent MA and Certificate Graduates

  • Addison Gallery of American Art: Education Associate and Museum Learning Specialist
  • Bowdoin College Museum of Art: Curatorial Assistant and Manager of Student Programs
  • Currier Museum of Art: Associate Educator
  • Danforth Art: Assistant Curator of Education
  • Decordova Sculpture Park and Museum:Curatorial Assistant
  • Ford's Theatre Society: Major Gifts Officer
  • Gallery of African Art: Interim Gallery Manager
  • Gibbes Museum of Art: Museum Relations Coordinator
  • Great Lakes Science Center: Director of Visitor Engagement
  • Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art: Curatorial Assistant
  • Historic New England: Education Program Coordinator
  • Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston: Associate Curator
  • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Collections Maintenance Technician
  • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Manager of Tour Programs and Visitor Learning
  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts: Coordinator, Visitor Services, Guest Care & Volunteer Programs
  • Lowell National Historical Park: Ranger
  • MIT Museum: Visitor Services Facilitator
  • Museum Academy: Tutor
  • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: Graduate Student Lecturer
  • Museum of Modern Art: Prospect Researcher
  • Museum of Science, Boston: Design Challenges Program Manager
  • National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum: Director of Museum Education
  • National Building Museum: Museum Teacher
  • National Museum of the American Indian: Assistant Collections Manager
  • New Britain Museum of American Art: Coordinator of School and Family Programs
  • New England Aquarium: Education Lecture and Program Coordinator
  • New England Museum Association: Membership and Advocacy Manager
  • Newport Art Museum: Visitor Services
  • Old Colony Historical Society: Acting Director
  • Old North Foundation: Assistant Director
  • Old South Meeting House: Museum Assistant
  • Orchard House, Home of the Alcotts: Director of Education
  • Peabody Essex Museum: Art & Nature Center Programs Coordinator
  • Peabody Essex Museum: Collections Specialist
  • Please Touch Museum: Community Outreach Coordinator
  • Portland Museum of Art: Learning and Interpretation Assistant
  • Richfield History Center: Director
  • Sheldon Jackson Museum: Curator of Collections
  • Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center: Museum Educator
  • Swift River Valley Historical Society: Executive Director
  • The New York Botanical Garden: Associate Director of Interpretation
  • USS Constitution Museum: Collections and Exhibits Manager
  • USS Constitution Museum: Educator
  • USS Constitution Museum: Manager of Interpretation and Visitor Services
  • Utah Museum of Fine Arts: Collections Manager
  • Vermont Historical Society: Public Programs Coordinator
  • Washington County Historical Society: Executive Director
  • Western Museums Association: Programs Coordinator
  • Williams College Museum of Art: Public Engagement Manager
  • Yale University Art Gallery: Assistant to the Chief Curator