Hello all,

Having both an MA in history (from UW-Madison) and an MA in museum studies
(from the Cooperstown Graduate Program), I wanted to add my $.02 to this
debate.

When I began my MA in history, I was intending to go into academia -- despite
the terrible job market for PhDs.  Yet soon after I began I found that I was
much more interested in teaching than in research, so I got the MA and left
the program.  As I had done some internships in museums as an undergrad, I
thought that I could then get a full-time position in a museum quite easily.
I was wrong!  So I started working a couple of part time jobs in museums, got
to know some people in the field, and found that a museum studies degree
would be helpful in opening some doors.  So I applied, got in, and decided to
go to Cooperstown.  After I finished that MA, I got a position as a director,
and the rest is history...

The moral of the story: based on my own experience, if you want to work in
the museum field, museum studies is the way to go.  My museum studies program
provided me with contacts in the field, coursework that offered practical
training in various aspects of running a museum, and the opportunity to do
internships and other projects for museums.  As a director, I draw much more
from what I learned in the museum studies program than what I learned in the
history program.  My MA program in history was exclusively geared toward
preparing future professors -- a big mistake, if you ask me, given the state
of the job market for PhDs, but that seems to be the way it is in some
graduate programs.

I am very glad that I have both MAs.  However, given the choice, if you want
to go into museums, go for museum studies.  If you are more interested in
academia, go for a PhD.

Suzi
-----------------------------------
Susan A. Dorko
Director
Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center, Inc.
2 Museum Lane
Waterford, NY 12188
Telephone/fax: (518) 238-0809
Email:  [log in to unmask]
        [log in to unmask]

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