In my experience with dozens of museums of all sizes and types, the premier 
graduates are those from the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture 
(degree through University of Delaware).  These graduates seem able to find 
jobs in museums when others can not.  I would imagine that this is due 
partly to the program's reputation, partly to the small class size (10 
students per year) generating extreme competition for admission, and partly 
because so many graduates are already out there working in museums (going on 
50 years of training), and thus influence hiring decisions.  Ironically, the 
program is not truly a museum studies program, but rather a decorative arts 
history program.  Never-the-less, it seems to open more doors than any other 
program.

The Cooperstown Graduate Program (degree through SUNY Oneonta) is also a 
long-standing museum studies program with numerous graduates in museum 
positions.  It self-claims to be the premier museum studies program in the 
country, but based upon my personal experience, graduates are not quite up 
to the level of the Winterthur program.  In the earlier years, it was only a 
1-year program (it is now 2-years), and this may have hurt the performance 
of the graduates, and therefore reduced the program's reputation.

There are certainly many other programs, but these are the two that stand 
out for me based upon my 30 years in the museum world.

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: "Keni Sturgeon" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 12:22 PM
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] A question about US Museum Studies Programs


> 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]
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtextlinkjuly07
>
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