Museology courses and seminars are taught by University faculty and museum staff with contributions from museum professionals and specialists throughout the region. The core museology curriculum consists of a firm grounding in museum history and theory with special emphasis on current ideas, issues, and practice confronting contemporary museum professionals. Coursework in the student's subdiscipline is completed in the specialty department, and courses are chosen under the guidance of a faculty advisor in that department in keeping with Museum and Field Studies curriculum requirements. All students in the program have the option of completing one or more museum practica. The practicum is an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in some aspect of museum work. Practica are offered through the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History in a number of the museum's collections, as well as in areas of the museum's public and administrative departments. Practica are also offered at the Boulder History Museum and the University of Colorado Fine Art Galleries with special arrangement. Students applying to the Master of Science program are required to choose their specialty discipline prior to admission into the program, as well as have a general idea of which track of study, Collections/Field or Public/Administrative, they will pursue while enrolled. The track selection is amendable with consent of the student's advisor, and all students get a firm grounding in both general areas of museums through the required core museology curriculum.