There's something about this thread that bothers me a little bit.

It is very easy for a person who has had success climbing the museum ladder
without an M.A. in Museum Studies to make the statement that an M.A. is not
ncessary, in that you have had success.  You made it without an M.A.  I can
honestly say that I am happy for you--you are obviously one of those very
talented, very flexible people capable of succeeding in many areas of the
work force.  A lot of others, unfortunately, have not had that same success.


It is also very easy for those of who have degrees in Museum Studies to say
(after the fact of course) that we really did not need all of those classes
to do the jobs we do.  And, nine times out of ten we would be right.

My argument here is that a good graduate program will teach more than what is
in the books.  For instance, discipline--knowing how to accomplish 1001
assigned tasks when you have enough time to complete 500.  A good graduate
program will also familiarize a student with the literature in the field, the
history of the field, and current trends or thoughts about the direction the
field is taking.  While a person in graduate school may not know it at the
time, the people you are in the program with can become invaluable contacts
in the future, as can the professors you study under.  A good program will
also require some field experience which will likely give one a perspective
that climbing the ladder at a single instution will not.  Perhaps as you are
working as an intern you may realize that you want your career to go in a
different direction than you previously thought.

So the log way around the barn leads me to this point:  An M.A. in Museum
Studies, or Public History, or Applied History, should be seen as something
more than just getting your union card.  If you are awake through graduate
school, and you don't put on blinders, you can make it something that is
rewarding in the short term (in that you get the job you want) and in the
long term (you have a more thorough understanding of your field and the
things you want to do with your career in the field.)

My two cents.

Jay Smith
Executive Director
Reno County Museum
Hutchinson, Kansas

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The opinions expressed here are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of
the folks who authorize my paychecks.)
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