Hi Kim; Unfortunately, there are no easy answers to your questions. The good news is, you might be mistaken is thinking most museum jobs require a Master's degree--I know I don't have one, neither does my boss, or most of the people I know working in small to medium-sized museums across Canada. I do have a post-graduate diploma from the University of Victoria, which helped enormously in narrowing my focus in museology, as well as giving me a basic understanding of other aspects of museum work that I don't usually engage in (which has proved helpful, as I inch further away from collections management into exhibit design, budgeting, and granstmanship). However, I don't think my diploma has necessarily been of much consequence in gaining employment--by that same token, there are lots of Master's in Museums Studies on unemployment lines as well, I'm sure. Rather than investing too much in a candidate's educational credentials, I'm sure most museum employers will be looking for solid experience related to the position they're trying to fill. The museum job market is so saturated, just being qualified for a job in the field isn't enough. A further word of caution--the museum job market is fairly small, and may require you to shift around a fair bit until you get established (in the past 10 years, I've moved 4 times, all across Canada and back again, to pursue my museum career). If education pursuits would be too disruptive on your family, you might find that a museum career could be, as well. I don't want to sound full of doom and gloom here, it's just that breaking into the museum field is tough, and you'd best be prepared for that reality as soon as possible. If you want to minimize disruption for your family, perhaps your best bet would be to visit some museums in your area and find out what qualifications they expect for the positions you aspire to. Volunteer at your local museums as much as you can, and be willing to take on challenging work--it'll get you known among the staff there, familiarize you with the daily work of a museum, and give you valuable museum experience (be aware, though, that although some museums are able to hire from their volunteer corps when a job comes up, best not to put too much stock in this as a way in the door--more valuable will be the experience you gain, and the contacts you make). Best of luck; ------------------------------------------------------------ Tim McShane, Assistant--Cultural History Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery 1302 Bomford Crescent S.W. Medicine Hat, AB T1A 5E6 (403) 502-8587 [log in to unmask] >>> [log in to unmask] 10/15/2004 11:18:15 AM >>> 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] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). Disclaimer: The information transmitted is intended only for the addressee and may contain confidential, proprietary and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, distribution or other use of or the taking of any action in reliance upon this information is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete or destroy this message and any copies ========================================================= 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).