Frequently Asked Questions

For information on campus tours, please visit http://admit.washington.edu/Visit/GuidedTour.

There are three quarters during the academic year, ten weeks each, as well as a Summer Quarter. Currently, Museology courses are not taught during Summer Quarter. Please refer to the UW Academic Calendar for dates of instruction.

To calculate the Grade Point Average (GPA) for the last 90 quarter or 60 semester graded credits:

Working from the most recent quarter/semester add the graded course credits (excluding thesis or dissertation courses) until you reach 90 quarter or 60 semester credits. Use these 90 quarter or 60 semester credits for your self-reported GPA. To calculate your GPA, multiply each course grade by the credits to achieve grade points. Add all grade points and divide by the total number of credits.

Universities that do not grade courses:
For Universities that do not grade courses (example Evergreen College) check the “I do not have a GPA” box within the online application.

Once you have submitted your application, you can check the status of your application by logging in to your application status page at https://www.grad.washington.edu/applForAdmiss/
 

You pay the $75 application fee as the last step of the online application before submitting the application. The fee may be paid by Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, or by electronic check (with a U.S. bank account only).
A limited number of need-based application fee waivers are available for U.S. citizens, Permanent Residents and Immigrants.  The fee-waiver application is part of the online application process.

Official transcripts from all relevant institutions of higher education should be sent directly to:
Museology Graduate Program
University of Washington
Professional and Continuing Education
Box 359485
Seattle, WA 98195-9485

If you attended the University of Washington, you must still request and submit an official sealed transcript. UW students can order transcripts at http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/transcripts.html.

All transcripts must have a degree conferral and diploma date. If your transcript lacks these, please provide an official copy of your diploma or other documentation.

Our students are required to complete at least 180 total work hours (6 credits) of internship work within a museum, zoo, aquarium, garden, historical society or other museum-related organization.  Students are responsible for finding and securing their own internships, but Museology staff may assist with providing specific contact information or other advice.  Students typically complete multiple internships over the course of their two years with the Museology Program, often taking the opportunity to expose themselves to areas of the museum field that they may have little previous experience in.  Many internships can be found within on-campus institutions including the Burke Museum, Henry Art Gallery, UW Special Collections, and the UW Botanic Gardens.  In addition, our students regularly find placements within all of the major museum institutions in the greater Seattle region, as well as many of the smaller ones. They have also been successful in finding placements in other parts of the country and internationally, such as the National Museum of the American Indian in New York, California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, and the Dana Centre in London.

Admission to the University of Washington is necessarily a selective process. Prospective students will ordinarily meet the following minimum requirements:

• Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from a foreign institution.
• Have earned at least a 3.0 or B grade-point-average in the most recent 2 years of study.
• Be proficient in English: Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency. The ways in which proficiency can be demonstrated are outlined in Memo 8: Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements.

Students must meet the University of Washington Graduate School requirement for admissions. Beyond that, there are no discipline specific prerequisites. Successful applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the field of museology and a passion for museums.

Yes, the GRE General Test is required for admission. The Museology Program does not enforce a minimum GRE score, but the average score of successful applicants in the past has been in the 1200 range (for tests taken prior to August 1, 2011).  For information on the GRE test and the new revised test, please visit http://www.ets.org. Applicants may submit valid scores from either test. A concordance table is available at http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/concordance_information.pdf.

We prefer that recommendations be submitted online. However, letters may be sent via regular mail. If one of your recommenders would like to submit a paper document, it should be written on letterhead and sent to the following address:

Museology Graduate Program Admissions Committee
University of Washington
Professional and Continuing Education
Box 359485
Seattle, WA 98195-9485

Computer requirements for on-line applications are as follows:

• Computer connected to the World-Wide-Web.
• One of the following Web browser programs (final releases only, not beta versions) : Netscape version 4 or greater, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or greater, Mozilla 1.0 or greater, or Opera 6.0 or greater. Internet Explorer on the Macintosh is currently not supported.
• Ability to print from your Web browser program.

The Program receives between 150 to 190 applications each year. On average, each cohort will have 30-35 students.