Melanie-

All Museum Studies programs are not created equal and which one you go to should reflect what work you want to do.  Certificate programs are largely either introductory for people without much museum experience who want to get a jump on it, or someone already in a position who wants to move up the ranks where they are.  Do you want to do collections, exhibits, education, audience research, development, specialize in NAGPRA, etc?  Even if you decide to go with an online program, evaluate the actual syllabi to know what content areas they specialize in or purport to develop.  No matter what degree or non-degree you wind up pursuing, treat it as professional skill development that is based on you developing the skills you identify as desirable for the future you want to have, not an ambigous "Museum Studies" package of courses that may not be very applicable to you.  I do, by the way, love the program I'm in after having worked for eight years before going back to school.  I think having worked as much as you have, you will be better positioned than most students in any program in which you enroll as to asking specific questions and seeking focused learning opportunities rather than just getting what luck sends around.

Lissa Kramer
Museology MA Candidate
University of Washington

On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 6:14 PM, conchi sanford <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Melanie-
I was once in the same situation you are in and decided to postpone on several occasions. 10 yrs later I made the commitment and have not regretted it since. I regret not doing it sooner because by now my student loans would have been paid off. Do not wait to take a leap of faith into your future.
If thats to philosophical for you then try this; ten yrs ago my masters would have cost me $30k. I graduated owing $70K.
The sooner you do it, the sooner you will have the tools necessary to move forward with your life.

Good luck. 


-- 
"The vision must be followed by the venture. 
It is not enough to stare up the steps -- 
we must step up the stairs."

Concepcion Sanford 



On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 12:31 PM, Miller, Marcia <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi Melanie,
Most NY museums that I have communication with look for at least a masters when hiring, even at the assistant level.
That would be my preference. Why in any case, would you get a certificate and then a masters, why not just go for it!
Good luck!

Marcia Miller
Director of Membership
The Jewish Museum
1109 Fifth Avenue (@ 92nd Street)
New York, NY 10128

Tele   212-423-3261
Fax   212-423-3233
[log in to unmask]

Become a member of the Museum or Renew Now, at:
http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/JoinSupport


From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Melanie C Deer
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2012 12:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Continue working in a museum vs. Museum studies Master

Hello everyone,

I'm stuck in a sticky situation and I was hoping some of you had some advice. I volunteered/internship/did independent studies at the undergraduate level at the Arizona State Museum (ASM) in Tucson, AZ (as Southwest archaeological museum) for about two to three years and then managed to get a student position in the Repository and held that for a year, graduated with a BA in Anthropology and Creative Writing and I am currently employed full time at ASM working on a major repatriation project as well as working on finishing an article on a research project I did with Southwestern Prehistoric pottery that I hope to get published. Before I got the full-time position I had applied to Arizona State University's Museum Studies Master program and was accepted. I am scheduled to start classes Fall 2013 (I've already postponed enrollment the max amount of time, due to a different situation). My employers already knew about my plan to attend graduate school in a year before they hired me, so that is not a factor.

I am wondering whether it would be better to stay at my full-time position and pursue a Masters later (in other words tell ASU I will not be attending classes in Fall 2013, potentially closing that door permanently) or if I should leave my full-time position to attend classes as originally intended risking not having a job when I graduate.

An idea I had was to get an online Museum Studies Certificate while still working full-time at ASM and possibly do night classes to get an Anthropology MA. But I'm not sure how highly or lowly Museum Studies Certificates are viewed in the museum world.

Any advice/opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Melanie Deer

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