MA/PhD in Art History or MA in Museum Studies

[melmar838]

Hello - I'm trying to chart my next steps as far as grad schools.  Currently, I'm in my final year of school in Library Science, and I had hopes of working in a museum or cultural institution as a librarian.  I am finding however that I'm not into the technical end of things, and I feel more and more that I want to return to my art roots, and am considering either a grad degree in Art History or Museum Studies.  Do any of you have experience advice on choosing between the two?  What degrees are more helpful when applying for museum jobs.  I'm not sure I want to be a curator.  I also wouldn't mind teaching at say the community college level.  Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Seeking]

MA in Museum Studies would be more helpful if you want to go into museum jobs. But increasingly, they are asking for a PhD qualification. So, perhaps you can go for a PhD in Art History and take some courses from the Museum Studies Department.

 

Alternatively, you can register for a PhD that allows you a Curatorial or Art Conservation track such as at Delaware or a Cultural Studies PhD that allows a Museum Studies concentration - such as at Claremont University.

 

PhD in Museology is more popular in the UK than in the US and UK has several Museology PhD programs, but I don't know how they stand in the US Museums job market.

 

If you have time, you can also get an MA in Museum Studies followed by a PhD in Art History. 

[ArtHistoryandMuseum]

Hello there!

 

Given my screen name, I couldn't help, but be compelled to write :-) 

 

While I do not think you intended to be casual in your post, I would take your decision entering the museum field very carefully. Have you researched today's labor market for museum work? The picture is not attractive in terms of the job market right now; for example, some museum jobs in metropolitan areas are receiving several hundred applicants for entry and mid-level work. Even the museum that I work at now in a New England state received a couple hundred applicants for a single position. In other words, the competition is intense, and the "hanging in there" to get a job definitely seems to require sustainable passion and drive. I'd recommend an internship or volunteering in a museum if you haven't already. This will also help you get the institutional clues needed to apply for work, and some work experience.

 

You've written that you are unsure about curatorship. There are many roles in a museum that aren't "curatorial": development/fundraising, museum education, human resources, conservation, marketing/public relations, social and web media, collections... Do you have any idea which kinds of professional roles in a museum setting, which best fit your interests and abilities?

 

In addition to "museum theory," museum studies programs do train you and teach you a little about each professional role, so you can determine an appropriate fit for yourself. However, actual museum experience will probably tell and teach you even more whether or not it's a fit for you, and what an actual day-to-day is like. Generally, at smaller museums you'll be more likely wearing "all hats" (i.e. you may update the collections database AND give tours AND mail gift acknowledgments) and at larger museums you may be more niched, and limited (say, curator of decorative arts).

 

Based on your description of not wanting to do the "technical," I could only guess that you might not enjoy the data entry and the computer heavy work that collections technicians and managers do. Although, your library training would be probably most transferrable to collections manager, collections technician, cataloguer, and archivist kinds of roles in a museum (well, mostly -- you'll still have to know the particular databases of the institution, such as Past Perfect and Multi-Mimsy, and possibly, their ways of processing metadata). 

 

You did remark about connecting with your art roots, however.  Do you have enthusiasm for art and/or history, and want to share it with people? Do you think you'd like to plan programs, tours, or interpret collections for visitors? Maybe a track, or focus, in museum education is for you. In any regard, it is absolutely ideal you have passion for what you do. Unless you are working for an upscale museum (like the Getty or the Met), generally museum positions are not highly compensated, so you'd be doing it for the love, really. 

 

At the museum that I work for...

 

... the HR staffer is PASSIONATE for employment law.

... the curator is PASSIONATE for minute details about objects.

... the education team is PASSIONATE for museum education theory -- and based on current studies, how multigenerations learn best in museums.

... the collections manager is PASSIONATE for deciding things like, whether in the database it is "medicine, bottle"... or "apothecary, bottle."

 

And on and on...

 

Our museum has a lot of fine art, but as you can see, it's not simply that they are connecting with their "art roots". Hence, my earlier comment on not being casual about entering the field -- this is a serious career, and there are many paths that you can elect to take, each with specific responsibilities. 

 

So, should you matriculate in a Museum Studies MA, over Art History? That will depend on your interest to study for a year or two a topic, and  on a few other things that you want. If you seek to enter museum work, you can honestly work either degree to your advantage, especially if you couple it with actual museum experience (make sure any museum studies program you do enter supports internships or connects you in some way to the workforce). 

 

Although, as I think about it, an art history MA may be slightly better for fulfilling work duties, even as a museum educator or what have you, because you have that important background of art. So much easier to develop a tour on a certain movement of art when you know it! Regardless, though, while depending on the job description, a MA in Art History, or a MA in Museum Studies, should get at least you considered for a job in museums, AND if all goes well, hopefully to the interview stage. Keep in mind, also, that museum jobs like HR, marketing, development -- you won't necessarily need a MA. You might, however, need other professional training. Maybe community college or business courses?

 

Finally, I offer my personal experience. I hold a MA in Museum Studies, and I am employed in a museum. Because I seek ultimately to research and curate American decorative arts in a museum or university museum, a further degree in material culture or art history would serve me better in my job search. While I am currently less competitive for academic museums or curatorial positions, with my MA in Museum Studies, and extensive museum experience, I do still receive invitations to interview for other professional roles in museums, which is great because it is so hard to get a museum job these days. However, for me, sadly, the degree that I have is generally not sufficient for curatorial jobs, of which role seek demonstrable academic knowledge/background in a particular subject or topic. Lastly, a PhD in Art History, or even a MA in Art History, might "over-qualify" you for a position like collections or database-driven development... which I like, too, so I have to weigh that when I apply to MA/PhD in Art HIstory.

 

Anyway, I truly believe that further graduate school in Art History would prepare me well particularly for the museum roles that I desire to fill. I couldn't imagine another career for myself, but to study dec arts in depth. Hence, why I'm on grad cafe, interested to learn more about the process myself :-)

 

My bottom line? I hope these rambles of some help to you, and I do wish you the best of luck deciding!

[melmar838]

Hi Double Shot

 Your post was extremely helpful, thank you!  I'm going to contact you directly, as I have a few more questions.  But, this is a wonderful summary.  And yes, I need to find a way to make my current studies work with a future MA Museum Studies degree.  I am looking into Museology programs in the UK as well.

[ArtHistoryandMuseum]

 Your post was extremely helpful, thank you!  I'm going to contact you directly, as I have a few more questions.  But, this is a wonderful summary.  And yes, I need to find a way to make my current studies work with a future MA Museum Studies degree.  I am looking into Museology programs in the UK as well.

 

I just PM'd you!

 

Haha - I think my response is longer than the reply above....

 

Have fun & do let me know if you have further questions. 

[hayhale]

Hi all! I want to give my two cents, as I come from an art history/museum/public art background. Don't be fooled by the allure of The Getty. My brother's girlfriend was a research assistant there and the compensation was not generous in the least. Health insurance wasn't offered until after the first year. On the other hand a good frined's sister has worked in two separate well known museums in New York in the events department, and she has done well. She also got her foot in the door to these institutions by participating in a MoMA internship. With my experience in museum collections (college internship), public art collections management, and commercial gallery registration experience, I could not for the life of me break into the museum world. I did receive an offer for an interview in a public art organization, but by the time I received the email, I had been accepted to grad school for arch. If you absolutely love the museum, I say go for a master's degree or PhD that offers some kind of museum studies certificate. And definitely check out what kinds of connections the school has to local/on-campus museums. One of the top terminal masters programs would probably be Williams College, as a museum internship is mandatory and they have three local institutions to choose from. I second the above about Delaware's PhD, as a former boss received her masters in modern/curatorial studies at Delaware. Good luck with your search!