Minot State University is now offering a degree in museum studies.
The program is designed to offer tools for students to pursue careers in museums and art galleries.
Amanda Watts is an assistant professor at Minot State.
"I'm an archaeological objects conservator," Watts said. "That was my field before becoming a faculty member."
Watts said she worked as an archeologist, and then with objects and museums for a number of years.
"Once I got my PhD and came back to work at Minot State, I started working with the art department, teaching art history classes last fall," Watts said.
Watts said the idea for the museum studies grew out of the arts administration degree program.
"It was a great program for creating museum and gallery directors," Watts said.
The problem: Not a lot of students enrolled in it.
"I don't know if the word 'administration' in an art degree just sounded like the worst of all worlds, for accounting folks versus art folks," Watts said. "But we didn't have a whole lot of student engagement with it — even though every graduate we had from it is a successful museum professional."
So Watts was asked to overhaul the program.
"As an objects conservator, I saw an opportunity, that we could actually look at growing it out," Watts said.
Watts said it is a growing career field.
"Museums aren't going anywhere, because it's part of our responsibility as a nation, and each state, toward their heritage objects," Watts said. "Having those professionals here to care for them , and to be able to step up and manage those facilities and collections, is a highly sought after career field. There's always job openings."
