Some institutions offer certificates as one year programs versus the MA degree's 2+ years. George Washington University's programs work that way. I think the certificate program is often used by professionals already in the field but might never have taken a degree. Rebecca L. Fifield Collections Care Specialist Department of Textile and Fashion Arts Museum of Fine Arts, Boston www.mfa.org -----Original Message----- From: Darlene Richardson [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 10:48 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Certificate vs. Degree The "certificate" is normally a specialization (or minor) within a master's degree that requires certain coursework or practicums. At UVa, for example, you can get a M.A. in History with a "certificate" in Historic Preservation. At 10:27 AM 7/11/2001 -0400, you wrote: > Good Morning- I've seen many posts to the list that mention a >"certificate" in Museum Studies. I had never heard of this before. Can >anyone please explain the difference between a certificate and a degree >such as a MA? I'm guessing that the former takes less time to acquire. Do >many universities offer a certificate now? Also, do the employers out >there have an opinion on the issue when it comes to interviewing and >hiring a potential new employee? Thank you- Julie Clark Dairy Barn >Cultural Arts Center Darlene Richardson Historian & Archivist Virginia Museum of Transportation 303 Norfolk Avenue, SW Roanoke, VA 24016 Direct Phone #: (540) 767-4642 Fax: (540) 342-6898 mail to: [log in to unmask] ========================================================= 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). ========================================================= 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).