Good Morning, Having been in the museum business for over 30 years, working in a variety of different kinds of museums, it is my humble opinion that there is no right/wrong responses to the "experience vs. degree" or "best graduate program vs. not-so-best graduate program" or the "degree vs. certificate" conundrums. It boils down to what particular set of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) does the employer need the applicant to possess.....to do the job (and the work). Sometimes the KSAs require a very specific set of on-the-job experiences; and sometimes the KSAs are better met by someone with a specific set of academic credentials......and sometimes the job/work requires both. These employer issues are further blurred by the applicant having the "right attitude" and will the applicant "fit the team?" Every job is different and every employer sees every job (and applicant) differently......that's why it is a conundrum, or should I say,....a mystery. Like I tell my kids, "Sometimes questions don't have answers." Wesley S. Creel Administrator of Programs and Interim Director of Museums Pink Palace Family of Museums Memphis, Tennessee www.memphismuseums.org ========================================================= 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).