Students in this postgraduate professional program are interested in gaining experience in all manners of museum and cultural sector work: projects in collection management/registration; education/programming/outreach; interpretive planning; exhibition planning; preparation; curatorial assistance; cultural sector social media and marketing; project planning and research; and/or, working with archival collections. These students are in the final stages of completing eight-months of intensive professional training, including postgraduate courses in: professional practice; project management; collection management; care of collections; education and programming; interpretive writing; exhibition planning and design fundamentals; social media and marketing; and contemporary museum publics and roles.

2025 placements will be conducted full-time in the second half of the winter semester from March 3-April 17, for a total of 250 hours (an average of 36 hours per week over the 7 weeks). There is some flexibility in the timing of the placement project. Students will have finished all other coursework and been coached on professional practice prior to taking up their placements.

Supervisors will work with the student to develop a Learning Plan for the placement, including regular check-ins on progress toward the learning objectives the student has set for their experience. Placement supervisors should be seasoned museum/cultural sector professionals willing and able to mentor a postgraduate student.

Expected Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of the placement, the student will reliably demonstrate the ability to:

-Implement knowledge of the organization within museum and cultural organizations to comply with policies related to ethical behavior and codes of conduct

-Develop ongoing personal professional development strategies and plans to enhance leadership and management skills for the museum and cultural sectors

-Evaluate their learning experience by maintaining a written, reflective work log.

-Acknowledge and integrate constructive feedback in the evaluation of her/his knowledge and skills.

Timing

The placements are approximately 250 hours, between March 1- April 18. Employers and students may negotiate placement timing (specific start/end dates, hours) and access (on-site, remote or mixed) as suits their mutual needs. In-person placements are the default assumption.

Deliverables

The specific deliverables (in the form of a job description) vary in line with the opportunity but should be of a scope that can be completed in 250 hours. Details are confirmed by the employer and student prior to the beginning of the placement, and vetted by the course instructor to ensure course learning objectives will be met.

Supervisors Commit To:

-Ongoing mentoring.

-Treating the student as part of the employee team (e.g., attends staff meetings).

-Offering a brief written midpoint feedback, as per regular employee review criteria used at the site (student to post this to the course site by late March for their course grading).

-Completing a short Supervisor's Assessment by the end of the placement (due, via student, to the course website by April 15). These will contribute to the grade awarded to the student for this program requirement.

-Reaching out to the course professor with any concerns.

-Job references and referrals will also be appreciated by students who are successful in their role.

Students Will:

-Apply to the experience and be selected by the Employer (*Unless you request otherwise*-- the course instructor will be happy to arrange a match, if preferred.)

-Share with mentor the personal professional development learning objectives they have set for themselves for the experience.

-Conduct themselves as a member of the staff team, while also maintaining the College student Code of Conduct.

-Also submit assignments to their instructor for grading: interim reflections and a final presentation on their experience and learning.

-Be covered by the College for WSIB.