On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 11:25 AM, Katherine Kuhl <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Does anyone have any experience with this school/program or have opinions
> on it?  I currently hold an M.A. in Public History, but finding that it
> doesn’t provide me with any real marketable skills, I’m thinking of
> returning to school (after several years in the field) for a more useful
> degree.  Any and all opinions would be appreciated!

Like I've told others before on this list, in today's economy and
going into the museum field, more student loan debt is a very, very
bad thing. You already know what the salaries are like and what the
job requirements are. I'd suggest getting those missing skills some
other way. Certificate programs are a much cheaper alternative to
another degree, especially when you already have a masters degree.
Most likely you will need some project management skills and there are
plenty of project management certificates out there, some of which are
focused on non-profits. Certificate programs also allow you to work
while taking classes so you don't rack up mounds of debt.

I'd also suggest taking a break from the museum world for a bit and
getting some job experience in the non-profit or corporate world. Not
all for-profit companies are horrible and there are many which work
with non-profits and museums. Working in a different environment can
get you valuable job skills and many companies will help pay for
training for a program management certificate program. You can
continue to work or volunteer for museums part-time to keep up with
the field and network. After a few years, you will have gained
valuable job experience, which quite frankly is worth far more than
another degree, don't have to worry about more student loan debt from
another degree, and will be in a good position to go back into the
museum world.

Hope this helps!

Deb Fuller

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).