Hi Wesley,
Absolutely! Very, very little of my job entails sitting around thinking
about or discussing museum theory. The vast majority of what I (we) do
actually involves doing stuff.
I too have run into many young(and older) graduates who seem to lack basic
skills and understandings right out of their graduation, yet they have a
degree. I am also increasingly running into potential employers and other
museum professionals who do not know the difference between certificate
programs, full graduate/undergraduate programs, and especially museum
science and museum studies. Most people seem to assume they are all the
same.
So many programs focus on curatorial or exhibition theory, while almost
completely ignoring collections care, or vice versa. A great many programs,
of which I am aware, are sorely lacking in a broad based museum education.
Hopefully the students, having fully researched their options ahead of
time, are aware of these issues, and aware that they will be a little
lacking in certain areas of knowledge upon graduation. I tend to doubt
that. Perhaps programs are actually expecting students to pick up certain
types of knowledge in the almost inevitable internship brawl that follows
so many museum studies program graduations. I just do not know enough to
say for sure.
Definitely something the profession needs to be more aware of and more
concerned about.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
Wesley Creel
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Good Morning Mary and Mark,
Good question Mark. If I may build on your observation.........I have seen
(by direct on-the-job observation) a growing trend of graduates from museum
studies programs, receiving high marks in museology (theory, museum
history, ethics, etc...) but low marks in museography (practical museum
skills, ....for example, collection management and exhibit work to name a
few). This begs the question, "How much of the training in a university
degree program should be academic and how much vocational?" Should it be
50/50 theory/practical, or 60/40, or 30/70?
Let's fast forward from graduation to work....some graduates end up in
smaller institutions and are given the responsibility of not only
developing and designing an exhibit, but actually building it....or, to
acquire, register, catalogue, prepare, and research new collections all by
themselves! This is one of the many realities in hundreds of museums.
I would be interested to know, which museum studies programs are preparing
their students for this type of a "hands-on" reality. I would also be
interested to know the opinions of other hiring supervisors/managers on
this issue.
.....My bottom line question is, "Should Industrial "dusty" Arts 101 be in
the museum studies syllabus?"
Best Wishes,
Wesley
Wesley S. Creel
Administrator of Programs
Pink Palace Family of Museums
3050 Central Avenue
Memphis, TN 38111-3399
www.memphismuseums.org
(901) 320-6370 Direct
(901) 320-6391 FAX
>>> [log in to unmask] 09/23/04 10:35AM >>>
Mary,
Erin's response was thoughtful and complete, and should solve your problem.
My question is about the problem itself. I find myself wondering which
program allows its graduates to leave it sheltering arms so underprepared
for the field? Is this a graduate or undergraduate program; certificate or
full degree?
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
Mary Agnes Beach
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We are hiring a new graduate from a museum studies program to do
cataloguing of a collection that includes art, artifacts, and archives. We
also are purchasing Embark software for the cataloguing. I would like to
hear suggestions as to how to minimize supervisory time and have her learn
the program and cataloguing process on her own. Her degree seems to give
her a good foundation but during school they did not do any actual
cataloguing or learn about any of the available programs.
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