To Karen:
Good questions!!!  I have just finished a 2yr. program offered by the Univ. of
Nebraska-Lincoln that conforms to your inquiry fairly well. It is a new program
and still working out some bugs.  I understand Texas offers the best program in
Natural History museology however. WhichTexas I'm not sure (perhaps Texas
Tech.)  As for spending two years in the class room to up your salary potential
go for it, it took me only 1.5 years to complete my program, and I more than
doubled my salary and benefits as a result. I believe I am an exception, not
the rule.  I can say, that with museum experience under your belt before you go
into a museum studies program helps while you are there and helps when you get
out. A lot of my class mates are still unemployed, and the competition for
museum jobs is stiff.  The competition for well paying jobs is even stiffer,
right.  Hope this sort'a helps.