tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post3954266619502174964..comments2024-03-07T06:04:27.839-08:00Comments on Museum 2.0: Warning: Museum Graduate Programs Spawn Legions of Zombies!Nina Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11723930679606298550noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-36665880279093731402015-07-21T06:50:32.555-07:002015-07-21T06:50:32.555-07:00Hi Nina,
As a design student, hobby painter and f...Hi Nina, <br />As a design student, hobby painter and future student of Museum studies, I believe you have to know the rules in order to break them. What you are saying about Museum studies is what a lot of kids said about painting and anatomy classes while I was an undergrad. I remember being in a figure drawing class where every kid that got the anatomy wrong would say, I draw this way because it is my style. To me if it is not intentional, it is not your "style" it just means you don't know how to draw it correctly. To me, you have to know anatomy in order to deform it, same as you have to know academic theories, like how to properly curate and lay out exhibitions in order to change them. I guarantee you there will be some zombies in my studies, following everything they learn to a T, same as there was in my program while I was at art school, but that is not the fault of the program, that is the fault of the student.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-39268738742789969882014-08-11T15:25:06.515-07:002014-08-11T15:25:06.515-07:00Julie Margaret- I did night school at Harvard Univ...Julie Margaret- I did night school at Harvard University Extension to get my master's degree in Museum Studies. Luckily, I was able to earn my degree while working full-time for a museum design and planning consultancy: no loans needed. Harvard's is an inexpensive degree and it did not require specializing in an ivory tower: art, natural history, history, or science. I did the schooling because Harvard was on my way home from work, because it wasn't (too) expensive ($12,000), because I think it is fun to be a student, because I got to experience the myth/reality of Harvard first-hand, and because I thought the degree might open some doors down the line to my 50 yo self that could otherwise get in the way. <br /><br />I do believe that credentials don't matter if one's vision, work, and teamwork is awesome and demonstrable. I am also painfully aware that some people who get into bureaucratic systems (like museum work) do so because they operate at their best in a measured hierarchy. Certainly some people talk to this designer differently after they learn I have a Master's degree. I don't think it's changed me much but for a few things:<br /><br />• The degree certainly helped me to better understand the internal workings of my clients, the origins and histories of "the museum" as a cultural institution, and how all of that's fed into today's museum culture (general hierarchy, responsibilities, purpose, mission). <br /><br />• Having to write a scholarly thesis helped me to understand what a lot of the curators/scientists daily work is like and what authentic research is all about, in general. My undergraduate industrial design degree hadn't really taught me those things.<br /><br />• I especially loved the leadership courses I took in the business school as part of the electives; they lent me insight that improved my teamwork: my favorite part of museum work. <br /><br />My museum studies coursework was not nearly as innovative as the endeavors I am able to take on as a consultant. That said, it did ground me so I have the language I need to understand how my team's ideas might be received and why. There is a rigidity to museum practice. Am I better off knowing about it? I think my clients appreciate my understanding and I do believe it helps me steer them away from unnecessarily conservative approaches, sometimes to the end of fully embracing risk.<br /><br />I do think museum studies programs have the potential to become think-tanks for museum innovation; however, that would certainly have to be the goal of the program. <br /><br />Does anyone know of any particularly innovative museum studies programs? Julie Margaret, if that's the sort of thing you are into, that may be the one you want to find.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-81476977380280810262014-08-11T15:23:18.648-07:002014-08-11T15:23:18.648-07:00Julie Margaret- I did night school at Harvard Univ...Julie Margaret- I did night school at Harvard University Extension to get my master's degree in Museum Studies. Luckily, I was able to earn my degree while working full-time for a museum design and planning consultancy: no loans needed. Harvard's is an inexpensive degree and it did not require specializing in an ivory tower: art, natural history, history, or science. I did the schooling because Harvard was on my way home from work, because it wasn't (too) expensive ($12,000), because I think it is fun to be a student, because I got to experience the myth/reality of Harvard first-hand, and because I thought the degree might open some doors down the line to my 50 yo self that could otherwise get in the way. <br /><br />I do believe that credentials don't matter if one's vision, work, and teamwork is awesome and demonstrable. I am also painfully aware that some people who get into bureaucratic systems (like museum work) do so because they operate at their best in a measured hierarchy. Certainly some people talk to this designer differently after they learn I have a Master's degree. I don't think it's changed me much but for a few things:<br /><br />• The degree certainly helped me to better understand the internal workings of my clients, the origins and histories of "the museum" as a cultural institution, and how all of that's fed into today's museum culture (general hierarchy, responsibilities, purpose, mission). <br /><br />• Having to write a scholarly thesis helped me to understand what a lot of the curators/scientists daily work is like and what authentic research is all about, in general. My undergraduate industrial design degree hadn't really taught me those things.<br /><br />• I especially loved the leadership courses I took in the business school as part of the electives; they lent me insight that improved my teamwork: my favorite part of museum work. <br /><br />My museum studies coursework was not nearly as innovative as the endeavors I am able to take on as a consultant. That said, it did ground me so I have the language I need to understand how my team's ideas might be received and why. There is a rigidity to museum practice. Am I better off knowing about it? I think my clients appreciate my understanding and I do believe it helps me steer them away from unnecessarily conservative approaches, sometimes to the end of fully embracing risk.<br /><br />I do think museum studies programs have the potential to become think-tanks for museum innovation; however, that would certainly have to be the goal of the program. <br /><br />Does anyone know of any particularly innovative museum studies programs? Julie Margaret, if that's the sort of thing you are into, that may be the one you want to find.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-32633425546179622552014-03-14T20:12:59.499-07:002014-03-14T20:12:59.499-07:00Postgraduation courses are pushing themselves up t...<a href="http://www.cimtcollege.edu.in" rel="nofollow">Postgraduation courses</a> are pushing themselves up the agenda on both the demand and supply sides of education.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15522671272952866260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-39864372991348298862014-01-23T08:38:55.162-08:002014-01-23T08:38:55.162-08:00I was directed to your blog by an instructor in my...I was directed to your blog by an instructor in my Grad Public History course, we are going to discuss your open letter to Ariana Huffington et. al. and I am looking forward to what my fellow students think. Before I continue, let me note that I am 45 years old and have worked for museums since I was a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I'm taking these courses to further my career and I have found (also note that these are online courses through SUNY) that no one "school" of thought is favored or engendered, in fact, since most of us are professionals, we are encouraged to offer our insights to educate each other in best practices and methods. <br />Just from reading a couple of your posts, I am often immediately put on the defensive- mostly because you choose to take provocative stances using witty language that can be off putting (talk of trepidation is pointless since you know you WANT to rile people up long before you begin to post!) I don't think you mean to attack, but you sure do light the fire for discussion, which is great! And so I would like to take this opportunity to give you my worldly opinion about the status and future of museums:<br /><br />Funding is scarce and therefore programs that remove barriers and engage new audiences can garner resources more easily than traditional programs. It's a slightly cynical view, but in the end, most museum boards and directors understand that today to keep the institution growing, it must operate as a business- and we are in fact in the business of educating, therefore we have to capitalize on that role.<br />Corporations and government love to fund programs that engage under served communities so the formula works very well. Don't you think?<br /><br />That said, there is a danger of alienating the traditional museum-goer (and make no mistake, we are still out there and we are breeding a new generation!). I am in the boat with dear Ariana on the museums as places of contemplation. I virtually grew up in museums and as an employee have had the great privilege of being able to interact on a level that the public does not; after hours, behind the scenes and one on one with the collections. I can also tell you that a visit to the Campin altarpiece room at the Cloisters in NY can be a transcendental experience, a trip through time- but not when there are school groups or hordes of tourists with you. On a recent trip to Italy, I inadvertently was taken behind the scenes at the Uffizi and saw several famous artworks off the wall in private and under restoration because I was with someone in a wheelchair and we had to be escorted to a staff elevator...needless to say, that one on one, special access was the highlight of our visit!<br /><br />My point is this- museums cannot afford to be exclusively hands on- interactive, educational and social meeting places for the underprivileged and under served any more than they can afford to be bastions of high culture for the elite. <br /><br />There must be a balance between education, outreach, interactive exhibits as well as traditional museum going experiences. I am sure you understand that, but in order to push the agenda you are choosing to favor one side. Perhaps you are underestimating your museum colleagues when you assume that it has to be an all or nothing shift in ideology. I for one have encountered numerous institutions that carefully plan and develop their exhibitions and programs to attract the widest, possible, most diverse audience their community can provide. <br /><br />Exclusive, ticketed jazz concerts in a sculpture garden or lectures with celebrity designers, authors can do a lot to fund interactive websites and after school programs as can that full price ticket that I buy on an early Sunday morning to visit the Campin Altarpiece and steal a few moments alone in contemplation.museumshopperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13531173313325648456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-2653355717719627052013-10-16T20:51:09.841-07:002013-10-16T20:51:09.841-07:00The only reason I am going to get an MA in Educati...The only reason I am going to get an MA in Educational Studies (not Museum studies) is so that I can remain competitive in this field. I have found that not only are HR folks requiring MA's in most job postings but also I know a curator who wanted to hire a BA with lots of experience and was stopped from doing so because the salary required an MA. It's total crap but there it is. Without my MA I will be earning below what I should be and feeling like someone else always has that dream job because they have the education.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-26715566635639203832013-10-10T09:04:01.270-07:002013-10-10T09:04:01.270-07:00Nina, it's now been several years since you ma...Nina, it's now been several years since you made this post about Museum Studies programs. Has your opinion changed? Do you think they are better now? nerdyastronomerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08881391411734817973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-44650419754312914242013-10-07T11:23:45.123-07:002013-10-07T11:23:45.123-07:00I found a link to this post while searching for mu...I found a link to this post while searching for museum studies grad programs. This is exactly the kind of thing I want to see while looking into whether or not diving into a program is a good idea. Also, anyone out there have a museum studies masters and work in a non-museum setting?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03435773551116378342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-77747055267482624622013-09-25T07:11:12.372-07:002013-09-25T07:11:12.372-07:00I know I'm late in the game on this conversati...I know I'm late in the game on this conversation, but I found this post and the comments to be really great at seeing how people look at MA students coming into the museum world. <br /><br />I understand the trepidation at the homogenizing aspect of hiring MA students, but I also recognize the importance of choosing a school that "thinks outside the box" so to speak. I will admit, the decision to go to graduate school for me definitely had a strong basis in the fact that most of the jobs I looked at required some sort of MA degree. <br /><br />Going to grad school, I was at first a little disappointed that I was not getting the rigid background in rules and regulations things like conservation and design, but I realized over the semesters that I am receiving that through the projects my program works on. An added bonus is that the program at my school is community focused, so the students really are getting a grounding in situations they will encounter in the real world after graduation. <br /><br />I think that graduate students become what they make of their grad school experience. I know that the Public History program I am in, while very small, invites people from different backgrounds to become public historians and engage in the museum field, and this makes our program stronger and we learn from each other. There is also an international focus in the program, which broadens our thinking to how museums and visitors effect the communities around them on a larger scale and has brought up some really interesting and difficult discussions. <br /><br />I think you are right that there is a problem with requiring MA degrees for a wealth of the museums profession positions out there, and there might be some disillusionment between spending 2 years in grad school and then picking up an entry-level job. But I also think that the MA's do a good job of preparing us for the things we might encounter, and foster a way of critical thinking that channels our creativity instead of taking it away. Maybe this is a Public History compared to Museum Studies difference, or a small program vs. a large program; either way it will be interesting to see how this progresses in the future. I know through my MA I gained the experience required to apply for many museum job postings, although I'm not sure there should have been that requirement to begin with. Elannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-14834544884012315652013-08-31T22:04:36.289-07:002013-08-31T22:04:36.289-07:00As a new grad of a museum studies program and a BA...As a new grad of a museum studies program and a BA in history (with a few years to an education degree thrown in for good measure) I must admit that the job market is tough. I can actually make more as an administrative assistant than I do as a collections assistant. That said, I'd rather work in a museum than in an office. Was my program enriching and necessary? Enriching, yes. I know many people who just have a BA and work in the same field and I know some who have an MA and have managed to land a great gig. What I have noticed and what cannot be disputed in Canada is that the more education you have behind your name, the more options are available in the market. Experience is still necessary but I don't think experience can trump education. Education is never a waste of money or time. It is an investment in your personal capital and eventually it pays off. I know many other grads in other professions who have just as much struggle in the job market. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-22089001864987608472013-08-02T08:58:47.876-07:002013-08-02T08:58:47.876-07:00I'm glad this topic is coming up over and over...I'm glad this topic is coming up over and over again because let's face it, there are too many grads in the museum studies/public history/museology field for too few jobs at non-profits with increasingly shrinking budgets. <br /><br />But frankly, museum studies programs are not alone - they've simply caught up with the rest of graduate academia. Do you know how many people I know with PhDs who can't find a job? People who also have experience in the field? People 10 or 15 years older than me? It's systemic to the entire academic system - higher education is simply not enough to serve as job preparation ALONE. Particularly since the ivory tower seems to hold a grudge against "professional" degrees. Or worse yet, actively try to discredit or stifle them (yeah, it happens). <br /><br />I almost have an MA (let's face it - I haven't found the time to do my comprehensive exams yet because I'm working). I went to school part time (commuting nearly 2 hours each way, I might add - thank god for night classes) and worked part time in the field. I had volunteered at historic sites and museums and other nonprofits in high school and undergrad. So I already had some of that experience so necessary to landing a job these days.<br /><br />THAT BEING SAID. There are a LOT of things about museums (particularly collections management, archives, and curation) that are much easier to learn in an academic setting than in an informal, on-the-job one. My curatorial practices class was eminently helpful for understanding collections storage, handling, and standardized labeling. <br /><br />My one complaint about my Public History program (which is different from most museum studies programs as it focuses entirely on history museums and historic sites) was that it wasn't professionally-oriented ENOUGH. Two thirds of my classes were academic history classes. Which, y'know, was fun, but I felt were a total waste of time when I was paying big bucks for them and could have been taking more classes on the practical application of history, rather than the theory. No one curator or education director knows everything there is to know about history anyway, and many of them have to be generalists rather than specialists, so taking classes with such a narrow focus was not as useful as it could have been.<br /><br />I also think that while museums studies programs can be a cop-out for history buffs who don't know what to do with their lives and get an MA in museums studies as their "fall back" (or worse - social studies education grads who do the same), MAs can also help discern who is truly SERIOUS about museums. You don't blow $30,000 on a whim (usually). <br /><br />And while you, Nina, may enjoy the diversity of backgrounds which people claim when they find museum work, it sort of drives me nuts as someone who has pretty much devoted her life to history museums when other people say, "Oh yeah I used to be a healthcare administrator and then I saw this job listing and thought - hey! Museums could be fun!" <br /><br />I feel like it trivializes all the experience and effort I've put into my career. <br /><br />So while I love your blog and I understand you want people to think outside the box, I've gotta say, museum program grads can think outside the box, too - it's just that as young people we're rarely given the chance to make a difference before we're downtrodden into bitter cynics by 15 years of part-time work as an "assistant" something or other, despite all our ideas and experience and efforts. Or worse yet, roped into full-time salaried positions with little pay, no time off, and a mountain of responsibilities that result in 70+ hours of work per week. <br /><br />I try not to be bitter and cynical, but I'm only on year 5 of part-time work. So we'll see what the future brings.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11252892875671593413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-73734406123343512692013-06-23T10:27:29.160-07:002013-06-23T10:27:29.160-07:00I just came across this very interesting and thoug...I just came across this very interesting and thought-provoking conversation. I am considering attending a museum studies certificate program this fall. My concern is that MS certificate programs are not as valuable as MS masters programs. (I have an MA in Medieval Studies) From what I have been reading in this conversation, it may be better for my to continue with my volunteer/work approach instead of spending the (frankly outrageous amount of) money to attend this program. Does anyone have thoughts about the value of certificate v masters programs in terms of actually finding employment?<br /><br />Thanks!Sorenkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00499698690864393434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-54555194649230623362013-05-13T11:56:36.842-07:002013-05-13T11:56:36.842-07:00I know you wrote this post several years ago, and ...I know you wrote this post several years ago, and I hope you've found that these programs are a bit different than when you first experienced them. I am about to finish my own Master in Museology. I come from a Marketing Management background and would make a rather fine Museum Director--I have been told this to my face by multiple museum professionals--yet no one will hire me because I had no "background in the arts, education, or museums". Which is untrue, because my Associates was in Art History, and I have been working as a volunteer in museums for about a decade and a half, and have worked with multiple non-profits. They wanted an education. And already having a BS and not willing to go through another 4 years of undergrad work to get another one, I pursued this Master's degree. I am a business owner, a PR professional, a graphic designer, a database manager, a business analyst, and a well respected media professional. Now I have this new degree and people WANT my talents and my experience for a Museum Director where they wouldn't even look at me before. I don't think that standardizing a degree for MANAGEMENT is a bad thing and I think that these types of degrees do just that. They teach students to be administrators. There are a good few museums I can think of right now in the next five seconds that need an excellent administrator to come in and provide motivation to the staff and the community, who can get everyone on the museum's side. It's great to be passionate about what you do in a museum but it's equally as important to have a strong leader. I am certainly improved in my leadership skills and analytic abilities for having taken these courses, and when I land a job as a Museum Director in the very near future I will be successful because of what I have learned and how I am able to pair it with my background and apply it to the present.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-65565568137319428622013-05-09T11:35:12.515-07:002013-05-09T11:35:12.515-07:00On the topic of student loan debt, I just want to ...On the topic of student loan debt, I just want to add that not all Masters programs will cost you tens of thousands of dollars. I got my Masters from a very reputable school that provided a tuition waiver and a stipend for their Museum Studies students. <br /><br />They also let in only a few students each year so as not to flood the market with new graduates, and this allows them to provide funding for the few students they DO take. <br /><br />I also feel like my education was well-rounded and allowed me to not only be creative, but to get a LOT of hands-on experience. The bottom line is that not all Museum Studies programs are created equal. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-49356067532265788342013-05-09T11:34:13.562-07:002013-05-09T11:34:13.562-07:00On the topic of student loan debt, I just want to ...On the topic of student loan debt, I just want to add that not all Masters programs will cost you tens of thousands of dollars. I got my Masters from a very reputable school that provided a tuition waiver and a stipend for their Museum Studies students. <br /><br />They also let in only a few students each year so as not to flood the market with new graduates, and this allows them to provide funding for the few students they DO take. <br /><br />I also feel like my education was well-rounded and allowed me to not only be creative, but to get a LOT of hands-on experience. The bottom line is that not all Museum Studies programs are created equal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-12258685705246203932013-04-10T06:18:20.079-07:002013-04-10T06:18:20.079-07:00It's been quite a long time since you wrote th...It's been quite a long time since you wrote this, but I was wondering about your feelings on more specialized programs - I went to one specifically for fashion and textile museum studies, which focused on the history of fashion/clothing/textiles as well as the practical skills to deal with objects, and things like catalogue entries & label writing, etc. that are applicable to a range of subjects.<br /><br />My personal experience is that it's borderline impossible to get a job in a museum unless you have extensive experience <i>and</i> the degree, even for a low-level curatorial assistant position. Or else you need to have the perfect connections/references. It's not fair that people with experience get completely overlooked because of their lack of degree, but it seems equally unfair to bar degree-holders with some internship work from entry-level positions because they don't have five+ years of work under their belt. It hurts the field to make it so difficult to get into.Cassidyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03596345781746342408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-61823804133345014482012-12-03T17:46:41.716-08:002012-12-03T17:46:41.716-08:00Finally, finally... it is possible to be critical ...Finally, finally... it is possible to be critical of this particular academic field. I graduated from my masters programme in Museum Studies, 6 years ago. It didn't help me to get a better job/better pay, instead people have been suspicious - 'Why Museum Studies'? I think they are right - museum studies do have a reputation for creating 'professionals' with all the 'right' set of attitudes, beliefs and views on museums, the visitor and the collections. And it is a bad reputation, that I'm sorry to say, is well earned sometimes. <br /> <br />Being also a conservator and an archivist, (now also preparing for a PhD in Musicology), and already had a solid ground of experience as a professional, I was told constantly that working with conservation/preservation was not <br />the 'right' thing to do. Conservators was seen as the big problem category in the museum<br />environment, and should rather be eliminated, along with the archivists. I could not take this seriously, it was a terrible narrowminded view on our profession and the work that we do in museums.<br />And I did not like (as I'm raised in the 1960's) to be 'ordered' to think and say all 'the right things'. No critique was allowed. But, the University authorities came one day for an inspection, and to them I told all my concerns. After 2 more years the ptogramme was closed down for some years, the critique was overwhelming. Now it has started again.<br /><br />But, the main critique is that mainly this programme for newly invented generalist professions in the museum field, does not accept critical thinking at all.As a student you are only expected to accept all this, even when you know teir idea and they are wrong. Not such a a good start at an internship ! I got distnce now to all this, but do think that a poor university should stop this program. It does not fill a function and there are new myths created to replace the old ones.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-37402816180662572392012-11-20T12:46:42.147-08:002012-11-20T12:46:42.147-08:00Even though this is an old post, I found it quite ...Even though this is an old post, I found it quite interesting. It's now November 2012 and a lot has happened since 2007.<br /><br />I'd be interested to know what your thoughts are about all of this today. Any changes? New concerns? Has Michele delCarlo's cutting edge creativity help to ease your fears of squashed innovation? We can't all be Michele, but we're also a long way from being standardized, regulated followers. There's a lot of good work being done by graduates of museum studies programs. Sherrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06132620770940388394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-517524977685327602012-11-20T12:43:32.489-08:002012-11-20T12:43:32.489-08:00Even though this is an old post, I found it quite ...Even though this is an old post, I found it quite interesting. It's now November 2012 and a lot has happened since your post.<br /><br />I'm entering my final semester of a master's program in Museum Studies. capriciousmuse's list of benefits echoes my sentiments. The comment in response to her list that said the same could be gained from a job was true...IF you can get the job without the degree. It seems to take a Master's degree to even get your resume read. I think your concern that it would become a requirement has come to pass in most cases. <br /><br />I'd be interested to know what your thoughts are about all of this today. Any changes? New concerns? Has Michele delCarlo's cutting edge creativity help to ease your fears of squashed innovation? We can't all be Michele, but we're also a long way from being standardized, regulated followers. There's a lot of good work being done by graduates of museum studies programs. <br />Sherrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06132620770940388394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-68368670594572486542012-10-24T13:35:01.327-07:002012-10-24T13:35:01.327-07:00It really does depend on the programme of that MA....It really does depend on the programme of that MA. <br /><br />I'm at Newcastle University in the UK, at the International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies- http://www.ncl.ac.uk/sacs/icchs/ It was one of staff members that actually pointed me to your blog. <br /><br />My course has both people out of uni, and those already doing museum work. One brilliant fellow student, told me she helped run a economy museum in Africa! Another, did camera documentaries and interviews for the Baltic. They seem really satisfied and passionate about course. <br /><br />In regards to cookie cutter graduates, I think the diversity within people means that I could never have the same approach my fellow students, and they will never have the same approach as me. <br /><br />My course has people from all round the world, from different backgrounds, with different expertise, and different kinds of museum experience. I look at my classmates, and I know that they all going to go down different paths to me. <br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02350882573252634084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-28857756583242961452012-08-08T12:38:44.031-07:002012-08-08T12:38:44.031-07:00Way to kick the hornets' nest! I also noticed ...Way to kick the hornets' nest! I also noticed that almost all jobs in the market state "Masters" preferred... what are they supposed to say, "amateurs need not apply?" <br /> It's always a matter of connections, skills, and timing isn't it!? Often I've thought of "going back to school" since it seems that is the next step after having worked in the field for 6 years. I've even talked to folks at least 10 years my senior who have doctorates and they don't recommend getting into as much debt as they did. I personally have been working since my sophomore year in some sort of creative work while attending classes. It worked for me by keeping more doors open and debt down. If I can do something like Bankstreet it will be ideal. Wish me luck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-46655443634831060012012-03-16T21:10:06.572-07:002012-03-16T21:10:06.572-07:00Nina you wrote in another blog post:
"Heroe...Nina you wrote in another blog post: <br /><br />"Heroes I admired from afar became friends and mentors. I'll never forget when Elaine Heumann Gurian cold-emailed me in 2007 to ask if I would consider reviewing a new paper she was writing. It was like the God calling to see if I could give my opinion on a new planet. I've been struck again and again by how generous people in this field have been towards me. Instead of seeing me as a threat or a young person not worthy of their attention, experienced members of this field have given me their time, conversation, and guidance."<br /><br />MA Museum Studies program at JHU hosted Gurian at a Summer Seminar (2010). Also, the program should not be seen as a threat, or unworthy, but as an oppurtunity for thirsty minds to quench their thirst "with expereinced members of this field". Irregardless, if someone works in a museum, or is a student in a MA Museum Studies program, they are still being taught by museum professionals...we all still have museum mentors.<br /><br />I think that is the connection we all have and should celebrate. Thanks for reiterating why MA Museum Studies are indeed important, one look at previous comments has surely shown that we all are passionate about the field. The same passion you have, we have.<br /><br />Also, did teaching change your perspective on Museum Studies programs?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-11342311809561677872011-12-22T15:50:16.608-08:002011-12-22T15:50:16.608-08:00Nina,
I met you when you came to the UMA confere...Nina, <br /><br />I met you when you came to the UMA conference in Logan, Utah in 2011. I have been in the field as both a volunteer and an intern for over two years now. I have even taken some of the certificate courses offered in Utah on both the Graduate and undergraduate levels. While I see their importance, I have learned more by working hands on than through the theory presented in courses. I have been thinking of doing an MA in Museum Studies/Public History, but I am no longer sure that I want to do so as it will limit what I can do (since it is museums I am okay with that). I also know it is a field that is hard to find a job in. I love working in the museum field and I too hope that an MA does not become a requirement for the field. Like you I think the backgrounds of various museum professionals is what makes the field so appealing to so many students.Kdawnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13087758815706597185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-32474593525020391222011-12-14T21:47:44.851-08:002011-12-14T21:47:44.851-08:00I am a museum studies student in my city. It got i...I am a museum studies student in my city. It got into the program ( and indeed went back to school) because I volunteer in our Science Museum and want to be more involved. At this point I have more experience than the "kids" graduating the Master's program because the requirements for actual participation<br />in a museum is miniscule. The theory is good, the preservation and practices course was great - but why are there only 20 hours participation required? Museums are educators just as much as schools but we have less practice dealing with our audiences. As a student I had hoped the program would teach me how design effective programs, for all audiences, how to incorporate recent discoveries into the museum's programs, so on and so forth, so far I have gotten more on the history of museums and how to run a business than I have had participation. It's nuts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-81244332979140136292011-09-24T07:29:02.712-07:002011-09-24T07:29:02.712-07:00Late to the discussion, but thought I'd post a...Late to the discussion, but thought I'd post anyway with my two cents, especially for those not sure if a museology MA is right for them...<br /><br />If I knew what I know now about the myriad of ways to get started in museums, would I have gone for the Masters? Probably not, but here's the thing: I only learned about these other options through my masters program, and through an introduction to the museum field. <br />I'm one of those who came in (almost) straight from undergrad. My BAs in film and biology were not getting me anywhere, mostly because I didn't want to specialize in either, and I was looking for a field where I could combine art, science, and education. I knew close to nothing about museums despite having worked in a museum prep lab, so for me this masters has been an essential introduction to the field. Because of the things I've learned in my classes about what museums can be, the history of museums, and the variety of specializations within the field, I feel more sure that this is the right field for me. I probably could have found out a lot of information on my own about museums, but I'm not sure I ever would have known where to start. I wouldn't have known that evaluations are so cool, and I certainly would not have found this blog!<br />Some of the other respondents noted that they started in a museology program and quit partway in order to actually work in museums, and that's great. I could have gotten a taste for museums, and then quit the program to find museum work, but I liked it enough to decide to stay. Not everyone does, and that's ok, as long as you like the field. <br />Will the MA help me get a job? It's quite possible that it won't, considering the glut in the market and the dire financial state of museums. Even a degree won't qualify you for most jobs, since they all want 3 years of experience. What the MA has given me is the passion to follow my museum dreams, the certainty that I've found the right field for me, and the energy to pursue leads. If all that fails, I'll just start my own museum. <br />Many other posters have pointed out that not all programs are created equal, and that's certainly true. I purposefully avoided the on-campus museum programs in favor of the Johns Hopkins distance learning program where all of our classes are online, and my classmates come from around the world with an array of experiences. We're not all competing for the same jobs and internships in the same geographic area, and we can brainstorm and share stories about what museum x is doing compared to museum y. This online network is already incredibly valuable to me, and sure, I could have tried making these contacts on my own if I had known, but the masters made it easier. My professors also come from all over, which again helps with networking and getting a better idea for the field. I don't know if/how museology programs located on a physical campus deal with the effects of the internet and digital technologies on museums, but that's certainly been a major part of this program.<br />I'm not trying to push the JHU program on anyone, I'm just saying that these were the reasons it made sense for me. Similarly, if you really want to pursue the degree, you can find a program that fits all your needs. Just don't hop in to have the letters after your name, that's a stupid reason to go through any graduate program. <br />To wrap up, the masters may not provide actual opportunities for me, but at least I now know what's out there. If you already know you're going into a career in museums say in exhibition or curation, a museum studies degree won't really be helpful to you. Just like law school, it's not for everyone, and unfortunately just like law school, it looks like more and more young people are pursuing the MA just as something to do, an expected next step.Juliananoreply@blogger.com