Museum Scholarship and Material Culture (MSMC) Certificate
The Museum Scholarship and Material Culture (MSMC) Certificate at the University of Maryland is a 4 course/12-credit hour certificate that augments graduate work in American Studies, Anthropology and Archaeology, Historic Preservation, History, Library and Information Studies, and other degree programs by educating future professionals, scholars, and activists to critically assess museums as political, cultural, and social institutions in order to create twenty-first-century museums that center the values of (social) justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (JEDIA). The MSMC Certificate provides students with practical skills that can enhance their job opportunities and equip them to become agents of change in museums, archives, and other cultural institutions. Students in many graduate programs can complete the certificate without taking any additional credit hours.
Whether you envision a career in museums, libraries, archives, academia, activism, or other cultural heritage organizations, the MSMC Certificate can help you prepare.
Recent News

A new UMD study offers approaches for food banks to strengthen both community well-being and local food systems while giving clients more and better meal choices. (Photo by iStock) via Maryland Today.
Maryland Today: UMD Study: Food Pantries, Clients and Growers Can All Take Steps to Address Hunger
November 10, 2025 | Maryland Today Staff | UMDINFO’s Vanessa Frías-Martínez co-leads a UMD study outlining data-driven reforms to improve food pantry access, equity, and nutriti …
