Kim, Lots of great responses already for you to think about. Obviously an important issue. A similar discussion went through the lists a few weeks back. Mike and Timothy are right, specifically in that you do not necessarily need a museum background to work in a museum. If you want to stay in or near communications, then another degree in that or specifically education might serve you better. Our outreach and publications coordinator has no museum background at all, and actively avoids working with the artifacts(with which I am fine). Unless you are going to be doing serious collections care or other specific specialized functions, then a more diverse education will likely serve you and your institution better. To be quite honest, a basic understanding of the various museum functions can be had in a number of ways. Academic programs are the best ways, but certainly not the only ways to acquire that training. Many certificate programs provide exactly that, a basic understanding, and are certainly not the equal of their more intensive full-degree cousins. Certificate programs also tend to focus on narrower aspects of museum work than full degree programs, such as curatorial practice or exhibit design, and often do not provide balanced experiences in terms of the range of museum work. I think marketability and flexibility are far more important to prospective employers than the depth of your museum knowledge, especially in today's museum-certificate-glutted market. A masters is certainly not necessary to work effectively in a museum or to make a valuable contribution, but it is necessary to compete for the few jobs that are out there. You will certainly not be wasting your time with a certificate in museum studies, but you will likely find that the parent degree, to which that certificate is attached, will be of more import in determining said marketability. Variety seems to be the key in many circumstances, as most museum positions require broad based knowledge and ability. For a little training, or a basic introduction to general museum work in lieu of a program, you might consider just volunteering a little. I realize time spent is a big factor, but a little volunteering can go a long way to helping you pin down where you might want to focus your efforts, in terms of museum career directions. At the very least it will allow you to eliminate some areas you definitely do not want to entertain. Let the institution(s) you volunteer in know up front about your interest in getting a good feel for the field and they should be able to help you hit all the high points. Good luck. Mark Janzen Registrar/Collections Manager Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection Wichita State University (316)978-5850 Kim Steffgen <[log in to unmask] COM> To Sent by: Museum [log in to unmask] discussion list cc <[log in to unmask] SE.LSOFT.COM> Subject Certificates vs. Master's Degrees 10/15/2004 12:18 PM Please respond to Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask] SE.LSOFT.COM> Hello, Everyone, I am considering whether or not to apply to a Museology program. I have a degree in communication and have been a freelance writer for many years. I want to turn my love of research, communication skills, writing skills, etc. toward a museums career; preferably education. I live in Portland where there are no museum programs, nor any in Oregon as far as I can see. .The University of Washington has a wonderful program. Joining that program would require me to move and uproot my family. The U of W also has a certificate program; one which I could manage without disrupting my life too much. I realize that most jobs require the Masters. What is the general consensus out there among you hiring managers about certificates? Would I be wasting my money and time with a Certificate? Or, would it afford me some immediately marketable skills, qualifying me for a job in the field? How can I start training in this field before waiting another three years to begin and complete a program? Thanks for all feedback. : ) Kim Steffgen ========================================================= 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] . 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