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.