Curatorial Practices Certificate

This art history, upper division course explores the work of artists of color and how their work critically examines the social construction of racial representation in the United States. Art and Art History have crucial roles to play in the construction of identity, stereotypes, and cultural constructs. By critically examining modern and contemporary visual art, students will gain knowledge that can begin to deconstruct systemic racism found in our visual landscapes. Utilizing art historical methodologies such as formalist and contextual readings, art criticism, critical theory, postcolonialism, and semiotics as well as art movements such as Modernism/post-modernism, feminism, Black/Latinx/Asian/Indigenous arts movements, and contemporary practice, students will learn to critically analyze social messages found in racial representations. Looking at Black, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous artists, students will examine themes such as resistance and anti-racism, community and celebration,…

Full course description for Critiquing Racism in Art

This course considers topics of current or relevant importance in museum studies and is offered for variable credit. Topics will change from semester to semester. If more than one topics course is taken in fulfillment of the major, they must be different course titles. Topics may include, but are not limited to: museum history, curatorial practice, public art, alternative art histories, and decolonization and repatriation.

Full course description for Topics in Museum Studies

This art history, upper division course introduces students to an intersectional approach to gender and art. The course critically examines the complex ways visual art expresses and represents gender. Queer Art and Feminist Art Histories will serve as frameworks for students to learn about artists, art movements, and exhibitions. A fluid understanding of creative expressions of gender that challenge and re-define traditional art historical approaches and art mediums will be prioritized. We will also look at how female-identified, non-binary, and queer artists express gender representation through activism, community and celebration, collaboration, and the body.

Full course description for Art and Gender

Internships offer students opportunities to gain deeper knowledge and skills in their chosen field. Students are responsible for locating their own internship. Metro faculty members serve as liaisons to the internship sites¿ supervisors and as evaluators to monitor student work and give academic credit for learning. Students are eligible to earn 1 credit for every 40 hours of work completed at their internship site.

Full course description for Arts Individualized Internship

Students will explore the history of libraries and special research collections around the world and be introduced to field research in local special library/archive collections at the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis Central Library (Hennepin County) and the St. Paul Public Library. Online research with digital special collections from around the United States will also be a part of the course, including virtual discussions with curators. Students will have an opportunity to develop individual research projects, work as interns or explore other special projects using these unique special collections. All students welcome and supplemental instructional units will be provided for students who have not had library database instruction.

Full course description for Research in Special Collections and Archives