<p>Although I'm currently only a sophomore in college, I've always had the aspiration of attending graduate school. Currently, I'm majoring in history, although I also plan on minoring in art history. My ultimate career goal is to work in a museum, so I've been researching museum studies programs at different schools across the country. Most notably, I've become interested in Brown's public humanities program and Georgetown's museum studies/art history program. Obviously these two schools are tier one and extremely competitive, but what does it take to really gain admission at one of these places? What type of GPA is recommended? Obviously the higher the better, but how high (will a 3.5-3.7 suffice?)? Also, I realize that outside experience is also recommended. I plan on applying for internships this summer at various museums to gain experience and to illustrate my passion for the field. </p>
<p>I realize some of these questions are redundant, so I apologize in advance. Any tips/recommendations would be really appreciated, though.</p>
<p>Think twice about museums. Jobs are rare because they’re non-profit so it’s hard to hire people on regular basis. Once you do the (unpaid) internship, ask the people in the field to about their jobs and careers. They will be extremely helpful. I’ve worked in museums as well but more in research capacity where PhD is highly recommended (in history), not necessarily administrative, development, or education areas, where your MA in Museum Studies would be more beneifical.</p>
<p>Thank you for your response. You’ve brought up another point, something I’ve been battling with: how far will a museum studies degree carry me? From my research, a Ph.D. would obviously allow me ultimate versatility and make me a more qualified candidate for a job. This is a large commitment, though, and I have to wonder how much it would really benefit me. The school I currently attend offers a rather renowned museum studies masters program, maybe I’ll see if I can schedule and appointment with a faculty member to address my field-related questions.</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend library science/information schools. You can specialize in archives and records management and/or pick up a museum studies certificate. That professional master’s degree will make you more marketable. Do not get a degree in museum studies.</p>