"Adjunct Instructor: Museum Operations"

Adjunct Instructor: Museum Operations

The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University seeks an adjunct instructor for the Museum Operations course. This is a graduate level required core course within the Master of Arts Management program which is a joint degree program between Heinz College and the College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon University. We highly encourage professionals with deep experience and demonstrated knowledge in museum operations in the nonprofit sector to apply.

Course Description:

The Learning Objectives for this course:

• Articulate museum types and functional operations and indicate how core standards, best practices, and clear policies are key components to effective museum management.
• Examine trends and discuss ethical issues in the museum management regarding governance, collections, visitor engagement, financial sustainability, facilities, and risk management.
• Apply critical thinking skills and propose solutions to museum operational challenges.

In this course, students will gain an understanding of what a museum is and how it is managed by exploring the use of standards and best practices in governance, collections stewardship, education and interpretation, financial stability, and facilities. A range of museum types will be highlighted including art museums, natural history museums, children's museums, science centers, craft centers, Zoos, and others. The aim is for students to develop insight into the many factors inherent in running a museum in the field today including issues in collections ethics, visitor motivation and engagement, toxic philanthropy, challenges facing museum leadership, and risk management.

This class is typically taken in a student's second year of study therefore the instructor should assume that the students have some background in the basic business structures and financial strategies used in the nonprofit arts sector.

The Museum Operations course is a half semester (i.e., 7 weeks) during the Spring 2026 semester. Course times could be afternoons (two 80-minute class sessions per week; example Tuesday and Thursday 4:30 - 6:20pm) or evenings (one 170-minute class from 6:20 - 9:10 PM, inclusive of breaks, per week), as preferred.

The course design should at minimum include relevant readings (textbook, research papers, news articles, etc.), in-class discussions, and appropriate evaluations of mastery of concepts for grading purposes (homework, quizzes/exams, etc.). Given the focus of Heinz College graduate programs, utilization of data, strategic thinking, and application of leadership skills are highly encouraged to be integrated into the course.

Candidate should demonstrate:

• Relevant experience as a practitioner with direct experience in museum operations and not only experience from a consultant's perspective.
• Effective, engaging, and responsive communication, with the capacity to guide students through class discussion and hands-on examples and exercises.
• Innovation, integrity, and expertise in museum operations including experience in navigating challenges in the field such as including issues in collections ethics, visitor motivation and engagement, toxic philanthropy, challenges faced by museum leadership, and risk management.
• Recent experience in teaching is preferred.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree in relevant area or bachelor's degree combined with 7 years+ of museum/arts industry experience directly related to course material.
• Demonstrated commitment to student success, as well as working with broadly diverse communities.
• Experience in responsive engagement with students, mentoring, and/or presenting for the purposes of education.
• Strong familiarity and experience working in museums and nonprofits.

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