Wow, the degree debate is certainly a hot topic!  I am one of the many
considering the higher degree as a way into the museum field.  I got a
B.A. in history in '94 and have been lucky enough to get close to the
museum world in entry-level administrative positions since then. (mostly
because they pay the rent and offer steady employment and health
benefits unlike the museum contract work I could get)

It seems to me that the debate is really all about the value of the
museum studies degree versus the academic degree.  Does an M.A. in
museum studies prepare someone to be a curator or manage collections?
Or is there some advanced MA/PhD knowledge of the subject matter needed?
Can you do the job with one or the other?  Or do you need both?  And who
would be best at running a museum -- an expert in the collection or an
expert in business and fundraising?  What are museums looking for?

The only answer I've been able to come up with is -- it depends on the
place.  It seems to me that all of us looking at getting into the museum
field  need to take the next step and ask ourselves what we are looking
for (and I think this is actually the tricky part).  What specific
museum job do you want? What degree would best prepare you for that job?
How will you get the experience beyond the degree? Now, what would you
be willing to do to get the job?

I'm interested in public programs, so do I get the museum education
degree?  Maybe, but why bother if it won't get me the job I want without
the academic MA/PhD.  I love history and hate writing, so I'm not
willing to get the academic degree.  I decided to go with experience-- I
did volunteer work outside of my museum admin. job and I just spent a
year teaching to see if museum education was really for me.  I'm
thinking about grad school, but I'm not sure if I want to make the
sacrifice for a degree that might not get the job that might not pay the
rent.  So now I'm job hunting for anything that might give me
museum-valued skills (grant writing, fundraising, etc).

Maybe it's round-about, but I want to be sure of what I'm getting into
before I make the investment in time and money.  Does it make sense, or
have I got it all wrong?  And what ARE museums looking for anyway?





>Date:         Tue, 17 Nov 1998 18:21:05 -0500
>Reply-To:     Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>From:         "E.J. Karetny" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject:      Re: experience
>To:           [log in to unmask]
>
>ok, say you have a master's but not in museum studies and youre looking
>for work in natural history, say collections.  you have a little
>experience as a curatorial assistant.  is this "enough" experience (at
>the very very least shows experience and interest or something...)?
>would you benefit from yet another academic debt with a master in
museum
>studies?  when everyone ends up with this degre, what will they demand
>of you next?
>this is not meant to sound bitter but i'm just getting the feeling that
>the educational requirements are ratcheting higher and higher.
>
>looking forward to responses, ejk
>


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