[Bcma-l] vocational advice needed
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Wed, 11 Apr 2007 17:32:42 -0700
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Dear Lindsay,
A big decision ahead, that's for sure! Here's what I know:
a.. Only the very largest research-oriented Canadian history museums =
look for candidates with doctorates; a MA will do just fine in the large =
majority of institutions.
b.. Where do you want to work - in a social history museum or one =
specializing in technology? Good idea to choose a thesis topic that fits =
with your general employment goal.
c.. Get the MA, then volunteer if you have to. Don't try to do it the =
other way round. The master's degree will separate you from the herd; =
the part time, unpaid effort won't - except in the case of a small =
community museum where its possible to befriend someone who'll give you =
the first opening that comes along. The danger is that you'll be stuck =
there.
d.. Finally, wherever you enter the museum field, make a name for =
yourself quickly by writing articles, serving on committees, and even =
running for office.
Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!
Dan Gallacher, MA, PhD
----- Original Message -----=20
From: bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca=20
To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca=20
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:24 PM
Subject: [Bcma-l] vocational advice needed
I am considering returning to school but unsure at what level. I =
currently have a Master of Archival Studies but would like to move into =
the museum field. Would an MA in history, a PhD in history or a diploma =
in Museum Studies be more beneficial/desirable? Or is experience enough =
on it's own? And if experience is enough, how do you find a museum =
willing to take on volunteers (Yes I know, young, able bodied, willing =
to work, it shouldn't be that difficult, but you'd be surprised). Also, =
how do you support yourself while volunteering? Any and all advice =
would be greatly appreciated. ellebe2@yahoo.ca
Lindsay Bergen
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Now you can have a huge leap forward in email: get the new Yahoo! =
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Dear Lindsay,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> A big decision ahead, that's for =
sure! Here's=20
what I know:</FONT></DIV>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Only the very largest =
research-oriented Canadian=20
history museums look for candidates with doctorates; a MA will do just =
fine in=20
the large majority of institutions.</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Where do you want to work - in a =
social history=20
museum or one specializing in technology? Good idea to choose a thesis =
topic=20
that fits with your general employment goal.</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Get the MA, then volunteer if you have =
to. Don't=20
try to do it the other way round. The master's degree will separate =
you from=20
the herd; the part time, unpaid effort won't - except in the case of a =
small=20
community museum where its possible to befriend someone who'll give =
you the=20
first opening that comes along. The danger is that you'll be stuck=20
there.</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Finally, wherever you enter the museum =
field, make=20
a name for yourself quickly by writing articles, serving on =
committees, and=20
even running for office.</FONT></LI></UL>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hope this helps a bit. Good =
luck!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Dan Gallacher, MA, PhD</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dbcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca=20
=
href=3D"mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca">bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.b=
c.ca</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dbcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca">bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, April 11, 2007 =
3:24=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bcma-l] vocational =
advice=20
needed</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I am considering returning to school but unsure at what =
level. I=20
currently have a Master of Archival Studies but would like to move =
into the=20
museum field. Would an MA in history, a PhD in history or a =
diploma=20
in Museum Studies be more beneficial/desirable? Or is experience =
enough=20
on it's own? And if experience is enough, how do you find a =
museum=20
willing to take on volunteers (Yes I know, young, able bodied, willing =
to=20
work, it shouldn't be that difficult, but you'd be surprised). =
Also, how=20
do you support yourself while volunteering? Any and all advice =
would be=20
greatly appreciated. <A=20
href=3D"mailto:ellebe2@yahoo.ca">ellebe2@yahoo.ca</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Lindsay Bergen</DIV>
<P>
<HR SIZE=3D1>
Now you can have a huge leap forward in email:<A=20
=
href=3D"http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=3D40705/*http://mrd.mail.yahoo.com/try=
_beta?.intl=3Dca"><B>=20
get the new Yahoo! Mail.</B></A> </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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