Museum Studies Program
Director: Linda Ellis
San Francisco State University
Humanities 515
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 405-0599
museumst@sfsu.edu
Hours: M-Th, 10-4

Application Procedures

The annual deadline for Fall admissions is February 1. The application cycle is open October 1 through February 1 inclusively. After meeting minimum requirements for CSU Graduate Studies, applicants to SFSU Museum Studies must also meet our additional program requirements. To apply for Fall 2009, eligible applicants must complete #1-3 by February 1. Interviews are conducted by invitation only beginning November through end of February for an April 1 admissions recommendation.

1) Submit the CSU Mentor Application

Available for online submissions beginning October 1 at CSU Mentor. Indicate campus as "San Francisco" and major objective as "Museum Studies, major code 49036." The Statement of Purpose is not needed on this application; type in that section: SENT DIRECTLY TO PROGRAM. After successful submission of the online application, send the $55.00 application fee and one set of official transcripts from all institutions attended to:

Graduate Admissions Office
ATTN: Humanities Evaluator
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave (ADM 250)
San Francisco, CA 94132

If an international applicant: you must also include the SFSU Supplemental Application and an official TOEFL score report with a minimum score of 550 or better.

Your file will not be forwarded to the Program for review until all fees and transcripts have been submitted!

2) Submit Dossier Materials to the Program

Submit the following dossier materials in one envelope with a postmark of February 1 or earlier to:
Museum Studies Program
College of Humanities
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132

PLEASE: no plastic or other report covers!

A Current Resume

Statement of Purpose (7 pps maximum, double-spaced): please address your career objectives, the path that led you toward museum work, and any research completed on the field to determine possible areas of focus; relevant educational background and other relevant coursework or workshops; and museum experience(s) or volunteer work. Please also incorporate in the text a comparison of current exhibitions at two museums in your area, telling us what you liked and/or what could be improved in terms of curatorial content, display technique, or visitor education.

Two (2) Letters of Recommendation from faculty or museum supervisors knowledgeable of your academic and professional abilities; at least one of these letters should be from a museum supervisor

GRE Score Report, minimum analytical writing score of 4.0 or better, and taken within five years of the semester you are applying

If an International Applicant: TOEFL Score Report, minimum score of 550 or better, and taken within five years of the semester you're applying

Copies of all transcripts submitted to Graduate Admissions; we will accept unofficial or xerox copies for your dossier

3) Attend our Open House

Required for local applicants as part of the application process; optional, but highly recommended, for out-of-state. Scheduled events this year are:

Fall Open House: Friday, November 7, 2008, 11:00am-1:00pm, Humanities Building, Room 587

Spring Open House: Friday, February 20, 2009, 11:00am-1:00pm, Humanities Building, Room 587

Events are first-come, first-serve until all spaces are filled, and includes a tour of our facility and light refreshments. RSVP required by email: museumst@sfsu.edu.

4) Interview with Faculty

To be eligible for an interview with a Museum Studies faculty member, you must meet all University and program admissions requirements; have submitted a CSU Mentor application online to the University for the current application cycle; and provide unofficial transcripts and current resume to the Program as soon as you make the decision to apply. Program staff will contact and book qualified applicants on a rolling basis beginning November through the end of February.