Which Graduate Program Is For You?
Exploring the Options of Schools and Programs
This is the third article in a series about applying to graduate programs in museum studies or related field.
After completing your first internship, and pondering the best path to your future museum career, you may have decided that the next best step is to apply for graduate school. Whether you have decided to apply for a master's degree in museum studies, or a post-graduate degree in a discipline like history, anthropology, or art history, the process will be similar and this article intends to guide you through that process.
The first, and probably most significant step, in applying to any graduate program is talking to your undergraduate advisors about the process. This is especially true if you plan on applying to a graduate program in a discipline like anthropology, biology, history, or art history instead of applying to a museum studies program directly. If you are applying directly to a museum studies program, it would be wise to consult a museum professional who attended a museum studies program. In consulting these advisors, it would be wise to ask for their opinion as to what programs would be a good fit for both your background and future goals. Your advisors will no doubt name various programs, however, it is important to pay attention to any overlapping ideas that they may offer, and it would be wise to explore all of their suggestions.
Once you have spoken with your advisors, it might be possible to create an extended list of programs that have might be of possible interest. This list could be upwards of double the number of programs to which you will actually apply. Once you have compiled a list of potential schools, your next stop will be either a guidebook, or the internet. If you are applying to graduate programs in a discipline like anthropology, professional organizations such as the American Anthropological Association (AAA) will have books available which both list describe graduate programs. The AAA guide for example, lists all of the North American programs in anthropology and detail potential coursework, available degrees, and resources for graduate students. Be sure to ask your undergraduate advisor if such a guide exists in your discipline.
If used in conjuncture with your advisor's advice and disciplinary guides, the internet can flesh out the information available about potential graduate programs. When exploring the webpage of a specific department or program it is important to ask yourself several important questions. Is this program a good fit for me? Do they offer coursework and degrees that will help me attain my goals? What sort of resources does the campus offer to students - does the campus have a museum, for example? What are the backgrounds of the faculty that I will be working with? What do they require in their application? When are the applications due?
The final article in this series will detail how to compile your application materials.
