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Department of History

Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

BA/MA Program in History & Museum Studies

Photo Header, shows students studying stone carving in a museum

Students pursuing a BA in History may apply to the GW Corcoran School's Museum Studies Program in their junior year. As seniors, accepted students take two graduate classes in Corcoran Museum Studies (CMST) over two semesters. These classes will apply to required undergraduate credits in History and to the 36-credit MA in Museum Studies. Students admitted will then begin the Museum Studies MA program in the fall semester after their spring BA graduation, with 6 graduate credits (2 classes) already completed.

Program Timeline

Junior Year: Apply by March 15

  1. Fill out the CCAS Combined Degree Application and submit to CCAS.
  2. Submit two letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors to CMST program head email.

There is no application fee. As in all Grad2Grad programs, no GRE is required, and students receive a 10% discount for graduate credits. 

Senior Year: Register for Approved Classes

These classes are approved by the Department of History for credit in the major and two classes must be taken in the senior year:
  • CMST 6301: Curatorial Research
  • CMST 6306: Race, Gender, Sexuality and Museums
  • CMST 6307: Interpreting Historic Sites
  • CMST 6701: Museum History and Theory
  • CMST 6601: Introduction to Curatorial Practice

Registration must be done through an RTF as the classes are restricted to graduate students. Please contact cmstatgwu [dot] edu (cmst[at]gwu[dot]edu) to request assistance with the RTF.

Contact Information

For more information about the combined program, please contact

  • Museum Studies contact Professor Suse Anderson: suseatgwu [dot] edu (mailto:suse[at]gwu[dot]edu), or 
  • History contact Professor Denver Brunsman: brunsmanatemail [dot] gwu [dot] edu (brunsman[at]email[dot]gwu[dot]edu)