Frequently Asked Questions
Admissions
The Program receives between 150 to 190 applications each year. On average, each cohort will have 30-35 students.
No, admission to the Museology Graduate Program is only offered on an annual basis with a new class beginning each Autumn Quarter.
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.
The GRE reporting code for the University of Washington is 4854. You do not need to specify a department code.
No, only the General Test is required for the admission process.
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.
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.
Your Personal Statement should be between 750-1000 words. More importantly, your statement should communicate to the Admissions Committee your aspirations for your future in the museum field. Among other things, it could discuss:
1. What you hope to achieve through the Museology Program
2. Your reasons for choosing the Museology Program
3. Your previous museum experience
4. Your unique passion and direction
Personal Statements should be double-spaced and clearly list your full name.
All materials for applications must be postmarked by January 15. International students are encouraged to apply by November 1. We encourage all applicants to prepare and submit your applications well before the deadline.
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.
On the Online Graduate School Application you will be asked to provide names and contact information for three persons from whom you have requested recommendations. Your recommenders will be sent an e-mail prompt with instructions for submitting their letter of recommendation online. You should contact these people beforehand and let them know to watch for the e-mail. You will be able to see when the letters have been submitted online. Additional instructions are available within the Online Graduate School Application.
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
You will be able to see when the letters have been submitted online by logging into your application status page at https://www.grad.washington.edu/applForAdmiss/.
Transcripts can be sent at any time as long as they are received before the application deadline. Transcripts should be postmarked no later than January 15.
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.
After you submit your online Graduate School Application, you can expect received transcripts to show up on your status page at https://www.grad.washington.edu/applForAdmiss/. Please allow 2 weeks after submission of your application for staff to track your transcripts.
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.
The application process is self-managed, so you can check the status of your letters of recommendation and transcripts through your application status page at https://www.grad.washington.edu/applForAdmiss/.
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/
Without knowing what you have tried to do to resolve the issue, here are a few suggestions:
- If the file is smaller than 1mb, try using a different web browser.
- Scan each document as a separate file.
- If you are using a scanner, adjust the settings:
- scan pages as documents and not images
- scan pages in black and white
- save directly as a PDF
If these suggestions do not work, please contact us at uwadmis@uw.edu about how to send the files separately.
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.
If the last 90 quarter or 60 semester credits span two or more institutions on different academic calendars use the following formulas to convert grades to a single system. Multiply by 1.5 when converting from semesters to quarters and divide by 1.5 when doing the reverse. For example a 4-credit class under a semester system is equivalent to a 6-credit class under a quarter system (4 x 1.5 = 6) and vice versa (6 ÷ 1.5 = 4).
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.
General
We currently have 65 graduate students in the Program. The total number of students varies from year to year.
In order to maintain full-time status as a graduate student at the University of Washington, students must register for 10 credits.
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.
Visits can be arranged by appointment during the academic year. Visitation between quarters or over the summer is limited. Please contact us at least two weeks in advance so that we can accommodate your request.
For information on campus tours, please visit http://admit.washington.edu/Visit/GuidedTour.
Tuition
No, the Museology Graduate Program is a fee-based program, so there is no residency requirement. Click here for current tuition (also referred to as course fees) rates.
No, the tuition benefit exemption applies only to state-funded programs; since fee-based degree programs receive no state funds, they are not eligible for the tuition exemption benefit.
Financial Aid
Work study opportunities as well as direct student work opportunities are offered on an annual basis. Museology students also can hold work study positions in other departments on campus.
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The Census Bureau ranks Seattle as the most educated city in the U.S.
Did you know?
The University of Washington was recently ranked 24th in the world according to The Times Higher Education Rankings.