Yes, I would like to restate my thank you. I never even realized that there
were full MA Museum Studies programs online and that is a very good option
to consider and look into.

-Melanie

On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 6:58 AM, Kathie Gow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Brian, and everyone who's contributed to this thread, thanks so much for
> your thoughtful and concrete insights, not just for Melanie but for all of
> us, even if our museum job vs. masters/certificate decisions are not so
> close at hand!
>
> --Kathie
>
>
> Kathie Gow
>
> Oral History Producer
> http://www.wordspicturesstories.com
>
> Curator, Hatfield Historical Museum
> http://hatfieldhistory.weebly.com
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf
> Of Brian Rayca
> Sent: Friday, September 07, 2012 8:45 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Continue working in a museum vs. Museum studies
> Master
>
> Melanie,
>
> Just to finalize my thought and re-reading your situation.  I'm a big
> believer in practical learning.  I feel that the time I spent
> volunteering and then working for museums informed my studies for my
> MA as much as having the MA now informs my work.  since you are
> already working, I think your question is will an MA help in your
> work.  The short answer is yes.  Why should you get it?  Well it
> shouldn't be because employers will hire you, although that is a
> factor.  The answer should be because this is the career you want, and
> an MA will make you a better professional.  That being said, ANY
> museum studies program will help you do that.  However, as you said
> you are in a bit of a situation stuck with the unenviable choice
> between an in-person program and a job in the field.  It is my belief
> that right now, in this economy, a job in the field is more valuable.
> As we have mentioned there are other programs, online and distance
> learning that would not require you to make this choice.  You can work
> and go to school, with another program.
>
> Your job right now is teaching you through experience.  It has value,
> and is putting food on the table and a roof over your head.  If the
> in-person program where closer then I'd say your situation was
> different.  The registrar here at West Point Museum went the NYU while
> I was at Hopkins.   Hers was in person, mine online.  We compared
> notes and found them comparable, but I wasn't making a two hour
> commute every day to Manhattan.  We both worked full time during our
> studies and got excited when reading and projects and discussions
> could be applied at work sometimes within hours of learning them in
> the classroom.
>
> For your situation Melanie, I would definitely hold on to the
> invaluable experience of working in the field.  The MA will come when
> you think you need it, and there are programs that don't require you
> to leave your job to attend them.
>
> Brian Rayca
> Museum Technician
> West Point Museum
>
> On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 12:55 PM, Melanie C Deer
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > Hello everyone,
> >
> > I'm stuck in a sticky situation and I was hoping some of you had some
> > advice. I volunteered/internship/did independent studies at the
> > undergraduate level at the Arizona State Museum (ASM) in Tucson, AZ (as
> > Southwest archaeological museum) for about two to three years and then
> > managed to get a student position in the Repository and held that for a
> > year, graduated with a BA in Anthropology and Creative Writing and I am
> > currently employed full time at ASM working on a major repatriation
> project
> > as well as working on finishing an article on a research project I did
> with
> > Southwestern Prehistoric pottery that I hope to get published. Before I
> got
> > the full-time position I had applied to Arizona State University's Museum
> > Studies Master program and was accepted. I am scheduled to start classes
> > Fall 2013 (I've already postponed enrollment the max amount of time, due
> to
> > a different situation). My employers already knew about my plan to attend
> > graduate school in a year before they hired me, so that is not a factor.
> >
> > I am wondering whether it would be better to stay at my full-time
> position
> > and pursue a Masters later (in other words tell ASU I will not be
> attending
> > classes in Fall 2013, potentially closing that door permanently) or if I
> > should leave my full-time position to attend classes as originally
> intended
> > risking not having a job when I graduate.
> >
> > An idea I had was to get an online Museum Studies Certificate while still
> > working full-time at ASM and possibly do night classes to get an
> > Anthropology MA. But I'm not sure how highly or lowly Museum Studies
> > Certificates are viewed in the museum world.
> >
> > Any advice/opinions would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Melanie Deer
> >
> > ________________________________
> >
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