Hi all, as a student currently obtaining my advanced degree, I have been watching the advanced degrees string with some interest, and I have been finally motivated to throw in my two cents. My point is simple: Times have changed. 20 years ago I think someone who emerged from the higher education system with only a B.A. was better prepared for a career. In some ways, esp. in the business school or computer science, this is still the case. However, things have changed a bit in other ways. I have a B.A. in history with a concentration in classical civ. All of that stuff about a well-rounded, liberal-arts education preparing you for a variety of careers aside, I was in no way prepared to do what I wanted to do, namely work in a museum, without a professional (advanced) degree. I spent my undergrad years taking classes all over campus and really taking some time to investigate my interests. Someone pointed out that undergrads make fabulous interns... well, they do. I worked in my first museum job as an undergrad and I know from my rec letters that they thought I did a good job, but they weren't prepared to hire me. Those of us who emerge with undergrad degrees in liberal arts, or even a focused studio arts degree really need to go pursue a professional degree to really focus our education so we are more fully qualified to pursue our passions. (becuase face it, you shouldnt be going into the arts for money, but that's another 2 cents) That being said, I would also advocate advanced degree programs because, when structured well, they can provide limitless opportunities for experiential learning that I dont think can be found with equivalent ease in the undergraduate setting. I myself have worked extensively with the UOregon Museum of Art in registration. I have also put in time at the UOregon Museum of Nat. History. In the spring I have plans to augment my knowledge about bedgets and financial planning with practica with developments offices in local non-profit organizations. In addition to that, I am volunteering as archivist at the Hallie Ford M.A. at Willamette Univerisity. (AND writing my thesis, thank you) These experiential learning opportunities are invaluable, and the graduate level is the best forum for them becuase the ability to immediately apply recently learned knowledge with sometimes result in a finer understanding of the processes involved. With just a little diligence, no grad student will emerge over-educated and under-experienced. I know I won't. So maybe, just maybe, when employers today are using an advanced degree as a cutoff tool, it doesnt mean that they are looking just for a bunch of education, but rather for this unique mix of education and hands-on experience that those vetrans of the advanced degree system have had access too. Them's my cents :) Vanessa ******************************************************************** Vanessa L. Ward Laurel Intern The University of Oregon Museum of Art (UOMA) [log in to unmask] http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~valkyri ********************************************************************