Program Overview

The Museum Studies Graduate Certificate Program at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa offers students the opportunity to learn about museums, acquire professional experience, and develop research skills while earning a certificate.

• 3 Core Courses
• 2 Elective Courses
• 1 Practicum/Internship Course

Significance of Museum Studies in Hawai‘i

In Hawai‘i, many museums, historic homes, and cultural centers work closely with the multi-ethnic communities in the islands to document, display, and preserve immigrant histories, historic objects, and cultural practices. In addition, many cultural institutions consult with Native Hawaiian scholars, practitioners, and community leaders to develop exhibits that accurately and respectfully present Native Hawaiian perspectives.

More and more museums are involved in the repatriation process and the return of Native Hawaiian sacred and funerary objects guided by (and in certain instances going beyond) policies articulated in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1990).

Museum Studies students in Hawai‘i are encouraged to situate and understand the concerns and criticisms voiced by Native Hawaiians and other indigenous peoples about museum practices within the larger contexts of colonial histories and indigenous struggles for political independence specific to a geographic space.