After seeing all of the current responses to this topic, I felt that I should add 
my comments.

I am a museum technician for the NPS. My undergrad degree is a BA in both 
anthropology and history (recieved in 2004), and I am currently pursueing my 
MA in Anthropology (Archaeology).  Because I deal with the Cultural Resources 
of the Park, my job requires me to catalog and run an archaeology lab, act as 
regestrar, do basic conservation, curation, archiving, exhibit planning, and 
tours.  Additionally, I oversee and train interns and new staff in archaeological 
cataloging.  Also, I go out and "do" archaeology when time allows and an extra 
person is needed.  "My" collection consists of film, projectile points, rifles, 
floatation samples, wagons, baskets, ceramics, pottery, slag, and even a 
piece of beef jerky (plus numerous other objects of the area).

I never had a "formal" museum studies course until after I started this position 
and attending grad school.  Instead, I had interned heavily as an undergrad: 
one semester in an archive, one semester with my State Museum's in the 
History Department, one semester with my State Museum's archaeology 
department, and a summer with the NPS.

While Cooperstown was on my mind, I considered location (one of the 
variables Keni brought up) and did not want to leave my park position.  
Additionally, I was worried about being pigeonholed into an inside job.  So, I 
chose for my MA to be in Archaeology. 

The way I see it, museum-specific programs are all well and good, and I do 
wish that I had more indepth conservation training, but experiance combined 
with interest in the topic of the collection seems to be not only what caused 
me to be hired, but also what I try to stress when giving my input on other 
hires.  My interns, in addition are picked on their interest in the topic, in order 
to get them the experiance they need for future jobs in the museum and 
cultural resources industry.  After all, academics and the real world are often 
very very different.

One group to go through for internships, which I highly recommend for any 
student interested in cultural resources museum work is the Student 
Conservation Association at www.thesca.org.

I hope my two cents helps.

Elizabeth Cahill
Museum Technician, Cultural Resources
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg TN 37738
ph: 865.430.0340
fx: 865.436.1220

On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:54:45 -0500, Keni Sturgeon 
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Thanks Marc.  Just a bit about why I asked the most recent permutation of
>this question.
>
>Each year, I have several upperdivision students from a variety if
>disciplines ask me for advice about pursuing their graduate degree in Museum
>Studies, and each year I work with them to help them determine exactly the
>sorts of things that have been mentioned (their interests, ideas about
>future careers, if they want only a museum degree or are looking for a
>degree in a discipline with a museum concentration, where they think they'd
>want to live, availability of funding, etc.) and then i proceed to give them
>my very biased opinions on what programs i think are best.  I was just
>hoping to sort of "take the pulse" of those of us in the museum profession
>as to your own personal thoughts and opinions on not only the "best"
>programs out there, but what exactly it is that you think they offer that
>makes them the "best" and how you determine the "best."  So please, any and
>all biased opinions are welcome, as I want to be sure I'm offering the
>"best" advice to my students, who will hopefully be those future
>professionals who will be looking to you to hire them in the not to distant
>future.
>
>Thanks,
>Keni
>
>Keni Sturgeon
>Curator
>Mission Mill Museum
>1313 Mill Avenue
>Salem, OR 97306
>503-585-7012, ex. 232
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
>
>>From: Marc A Williams <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] A question about US Museum Studies Programs
>>Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:26:23 -0400
>>
>>I believe that that is just the purpose of the question - the "top"
>>programs are subjective opinion.  It is not possible to actually evaluate
>>them, as each offers different strengths and weaknesses, and each 
applicant
>>has different needs and desired outcomes.  So, let's all give our
>>completely biased opinions!!!
>>
>>The original question (back in April or whenever) was about the ability to
>>get a full-time job (or better said, the current inability of the
>>questioner to get a job), and the desirability of completing different
>>programs in helping with this endeavor.  My response sent several days ago
>>was from my observations across many institutions of the relative numbers
>>of professional-level employees from different training programs.  It did
>>not imply that individual graduates of these programs were more competent
>>than those from other programs.  So, let's hear the opinions of the rest of
>>you. Which programs are effective at getting graduates hired?
>>
>>Marc
>>
>>American Conservation Consortium, Ltd.
>>     4 Rockville Road
>>     Broad Brook, CT 06016
>>     www.conservator.com
>>     860-386-6058
>>
>>*Collections Preservation Consultation
>>*Conservation Assessments & Surveys
>>*Low-Tech Environmental Control
>>*Moisture Management Solutions
>>*Collections in Historic Structures
>>*Collections Care Grant Preparation
>>*Conservation Treatment of:
>>     Furniture
>>     Painted Wood
>>     Horse-Drawn Vehicles
>>     Architectural Interiors
>>
>>Marc A. Williams, President
>>     MS in Art Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program
>>     Former Chief Wooden Object Conservator, Smithsonian Institution
>>     Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Simmons, John E" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:37 PM
>>Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] A question about US Museum Studies Programs
>>
>>
>>A caution about opinion as to which are the best museum studies programs
>>in the US--there has never been a published evaluation that compares
>>programs in the US.  Several programs have good name recognition, or are
>>known by the fine students that graduate from them, or are found in
>>universities that are highly rated overall, but there is no comparative
>>listing of museum studies programs.  What are the best or the premier
>>programs is a matter of personal opinion, but programs vary widely in
>>content and requirements.  I recently wrote about this in:
>>
>>2006.  Simmons, J.E.  Museum studies programs in North America.  Pp.
>>113-128 in Williams, S.L. and C.A. Hawks (editors).  Museum Studies:
>>Perspectives and Innovations. Society for the Preservation of Natural
>>History Collections, Washington, D.C., 281 pages.
>>
>>--John
>>
>>John E. Simmons
>>Collections Manager, Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research
>>Center
>>and
>>Director, Museum Studies Program
>>University of Kansas
>>1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
>>Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7561
>>Telephone 785-864-4508
>>FAX 785-864-5335
>>[log in to unmask]
>>www.nhm.ku.edu/herpetology
>>www.ku.edu/~museumst
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
On
>>Behalf Of David Naumec
>>Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:15 PM
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: A question about US Museum Studies Programs
>>
>>I am surprised that no one has mentioned the Tufts
>>Museum Studies Program.  It certainly has to be one of
>>the 'top' programs in the country.  One can pursue a
>>Museum Studies Certificate or one could pursue a
>>Masters Degree in History/or Art History/or Education
>>& Museum Studies, which is nice.
>>
>>David Naumec
>>Historical Research Consultant
>>
>>--- Keni Sturgeon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>>Hello all,
>>>
>>>I have what may be an odd question (or two), but as
>>>I begin to prepare for
>>>the upcoming academic year and teaching my museum
>>>studies courses, it's
>>>something I've been wondering about.  A few months
>>>ago (though it could be
>>>longer...time for me is flying) there was a query
>>>posted to the list about
>>>the value of getting a graduate degree from one of
>>>the top museum studies
>>>programs, verses the lesser known ones.  I'm
>>>wondering in your professional
>>>opinion(s), which do you consider to be the "top"
>>>museums studies programs
>>>in the US and why (and I'm thinking of the more
>>>general museum studies
>>>programs as opposed to more specific ones focused
>>>solely on museum education
>>>or conservation or collections or exhibition)?
>>>
>>>Thanks for your input,
>>>Keni
>>>
>>>Keni Sturgeon
>>>Curator
>>>Mission Mill Museum
>>>1313 Mill Avenue
>>>Salem, OR 97306
>>>503-585-7012, ex. 232
>>>[log in to unmask]
>>>
>>>
>>________________________________________________________________
_
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