I realize this is largely a North America-centric forum, but I have aspirations of working there once I finish my MA (or PhD), and right now I'm in a peculiar situation and I'm wondering how this may affect my CV in North American terms.
I'll quickly explain the BA system here: once you start university you start your major/bachelor's degree right off the bat; this is the program you apply to post high school. There are no general college courses as those are covered in high school. As a result a BA takes three years, where each full time semester is worth 30 ECTS points (= "credits" in US terms), so 180 ECTS in all.
The first two years are comprised of predetermined, set courses. The final year is 15 ECTS that is one's bachelor thesis (0.5 semesters) and the other 45 ECTS (1.5 semesters) consist of a subject within AH of your choosing. In my institution you may, for instance, choose something like:
- Museology, three successive courses of 15 ECTS
- Visuel culture
- Design
I'm in a peculiar situation because I did one year of business school before dropping out and now my current program has asked me if I want to use the ECTS credits attained there and basically 'knock off' the 45 ECTS of the elective subject in the third year. It would mean all I have to do is write my thesis third year. Since I got started late I feel like it would be great to omit 1.5 semesters.
Before I make my decision I'm contacting the admissions office for art history MA at my institution and if they confirm that it will have no bearing that this side subject is completely irrelevant to the AH discipline itself when the time comes and I'm to apply to the MA program, I think I'm going to do it. Even though I'm focusing on museology because I'm aiming for a career in this field*, I've gathered that in Europe when applying for jobs, they will only look at your MA and what you've done there. The BA is but a stepping stone to the next level you could say, and once you're there the BA doesn't really matter.
1) Is it similar in North America? Will employers reviewing my CV find it odd that I have 45 credits of business classes in my BA, even though my MA would be completely relevant?
2) *Another, more general, question I have. In North America to build a good CV capable of competing in the museum industry (curatorial positions) is the consensus that it's good to focus on an area of expertise within AH or to focus specifically on museology/museum studies? In Europe the latter seems to be preferred.
3) I could easily see myself doing a PhD. If I did start an academic career how would it affect my opportunities of a career in the museum/gallery sphere?
BONUS 4) Since AH in its traditional sense is generally westernized, how will a BA degree yield job opportunities in Asia; what about Australia (I guess that's pretty western)?
That's it for now. I hope someone will be kind enough to help me out. Remember, I just finished my first semester, so it's all relatively new to me. I'm just trying to take it all in and prepare myself for the road ahead in good time.
Thanks,
EXAYBACHAY.