Career Success

The mission of the Heritage and Museum Sciences program is to educate heritage and museum leaders for today and tomorrow. The program's model immersive experience produces academically and professionally prepared graduates who compete successfully in the heritage and museum job markets.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Museum Universe Data File provides an estimate of 35,000 museums in the U.S. In addition, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) 2014 Museums of the World Directory lists more than 55,000 museums in 202 countries.

In the last 20 or so years, certificate and master's level programs have increased in number across the US due to student demand for graduate training or education. This demand has been fueled by increased competition for and job growth in the museum and heritage sectors. Additionally, many positions in the sectors require or prefer an advanced degree as a prerequisite for employment. US Bureau of Labor Statistics figures indicate that the museum and heritage industry is in an economic upward trend. Since 1990, that industry has grown by over 91,000 jobs. That increase translates to a 59.6 percent growth in less than 30 years. Within the last five years, 41.5 percent of Heritage and Museum Sciences graduates have museum or heritage positions upon graduation. These figures indicate great opportunity for employment in the industry for Heritage and Museum Sciences graduates.

Graduates of the Heritage and Museum Sciences program have been appointed to the full range of positions at all types and sizes of museums, heritage, and related institutions across the US and around the world, including:

Local to regional

• Buddy Holly Center (Lubbock, Texas)
• Silent Wings (Lubbock, Texas)
• Llano Estacado/Jimmy Dean Museum (Plainview, Texas)
• Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (Canyon, Texas)
• Amarillo Art Museum (Amarillo, Texas)
• Charles Goodnight Historical Center (Claude, Texas)
• Museum of the Southwest (Midland, Texas)
• Ellen Noel Art Museum (Odessa, Texas)

Texas

• Bullock Texas State History Museum (Austin, Texas)
• Perot Museum of Nature and Science (Dallas, Texas)
• Dallas Holocaust Museum (Dallas, Texas)
• Dr. Pepper Museum (Waco, Texas)
• Fort Bend Museum Association (Fort Bend, Texas)
• Texas Association of Museums (Austin, Texas)
• Texas Historical Commission (Austin, Texas)
• Texas Parks and Wildlife (Austin, Texas)

National

• Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.)
• National Museum of the American Indian
• National Museum of Natural History
• US National Park Service
• US Bureau of Land Management
• New Mexico Historic Sites Division
• Seminole Tribe (Florida)
• Wasilla Museum and Visitor Center (Alaska)
• Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology (California)
• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (California)
• San Diego Natural History Museum (California)
• Yellowstone Art Museum (Montana)
• Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art (Oklahoma)
• Gilcrease Museum (Oklahoma)
• Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum (Missouri)
• Connor Prairie (Indiana)

International

• Museum of Anthropology at University of British Columbia (Canada)
• Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (Mexico)
• Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (Costa Rica)
• National Taiwan Museum (Taiwan)
• Bahrain National Museum (Bahrain)

Students currently in Heritage and Museum Sciences are eligible to become a member and serve on the board of the Museum and Heritage Management Students Association, a registered organization of Texas Tech University. For many, this opportunity is the beginning of their career of service on boards and committees. Graduates of Heritage and Museum Sciences also have gone on to serve in various capacities on numerous professional boards and committees including:

• American Alliance of Museums Accreditation Program
• Mountain-Plains Museum Association
• ICOM – Committee for Education and Cultural Action
• Texas Association of Museums
• Registrars Committee – American Alliance of Museums
• Association of Registrars and Collections Specialists
• Collections Managers Committee – Texas Association of Museums