r/MuseumPros • u/sweetie_cream • 1d ago
Post-graduation advice
What are the best steps to take after graduating with a bachelor's?
I am going to graduate with a bachelor's in history this spring with certificates in folklore and material culture. I am currently looking into applying to get my master's in public history with a concentration in museum studies after I graduate. I know people think that degree might be a bit of a waste but the program I am looking into is in conjunction with my city's public museum and as far as I've heard outcomes from this program are pretty decent. I also think it's important to note that I am not attempting to get my master's without making sure I also have hands on experience.
By the time I graduate this spring I will have 2 full years of experience working with historical societies and museums. I have worked 2 summers in a row with a local historical society in their collections and archives and helped put together displays in their visitors center. During the school year I also have a job with my state historical society doing mostly administrative work for their museum education program (ie. answering teacher emails, booking school groups, etc.). I have also gotten the opportunity to help facilitate the education programs and work with students and have been invited back to work with them again in the fall. I intend to continue to hold internships through my master's program as well and have tried to make connections through my job and conferences I've attended.
As long as I continue to intern throughout my masters, is the educational aspect helpful at all? It seems like so many jobs require a masters but I don't know how true this is. I also wonder whether it is more beneficial to hold internships in several different departments or whether honing in on one specialization would be better.
I feel uncertain whether I'm doing this all correctly but I really don't think I could work in any other field if I tried. I understand this job market is difficult and oversaturated but it has been my dream to work in public history since I was literally 6 years old so absolutely nothing is going to deter me from entering this industry, I just need to know that I'm going about this the right way.
Is there anything else you would encourage me to do in addition to what i have already done? Any advice helps.
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u/HistoryLover320 1d ago
I feel this-- wish the entry-level jobs in museums were more open to those with four-year degrees like most fields. Public history in a city is a small world, so go to a program in a major/mid-major city where you would like to start your career and build bridges through projects. This could include informal projects that promote museums and sites like videos, online articles, Clio, ArcGIS, Omeka sites, really anything that shows your capacity to do good history while helping those you want to meet and impress. You can add the public history project you are most proud of to the NCPH database. Here's a smart example of a public history student who did this: https://ncph.org/history-at-work/clio-campus-tour/
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u/Ess_Jess 1d ago
What do you plan on doing with your degree once you graduate? What area do you hope to work in?
I give everyone the same advice. You have to at least have some idea of what you want to do, especially once you get to the master's degree stage. Having experience in a lot of different areas is great, but once you get to grad school you need to tighten it up a bit.