should i continue school and get a phd??

Question

i got my BA in june of 2006. i started grad school in september of 2007. i have one more year to go with grad school before i graduate with an MA. im a little tired of going to school non-stop but at the same time, i think i'll have a better chance of getting a good job with a phd.....but thats another 4 or so years....what to do??

ba in art history
ma in anthropology/musuem studies
if i get a phd it would be in art history.

ooops, i meant to say september of 2006 is when i started grad school.

i already know that i want to work as a museum professional. to do collections management i dont need a phd but to be a curator i most likely do. and eventually id like to teach art history at the university level.

i go to school and live in the united states.

Answer 1

Realize getting a PhD is alot of commitment, time, money (or lack thereof). You need to see if having that doctorate degree will actually help you with getting a job. Having that title may accelerate your career in a field that is specialized or it may limit your career options because employers would have to pay you more as opposed to hiring a BA or MA to do the same work.

If you are like me (2nd year PhD in chem because I didn't know what else to do after BSc), and you're not sure whether you are ready for 4 more years of school, try taking a few jobs and see if it's what you really want. You may find that the 'real world' is different than how you envisioned it. If you do love working and want to get further ahead, go for the PhD.

The problem is of course, if you get used to the working life and get comfortable, it's hard to go back to school.

But just remember, PhD is much commitment and if you realize it's not for you even two years into it, you'll feel the need to finish and you'll be more inclined to be 'stuck' in that field (kind of where I am right now).

Bottom line is, be absolutely sure it's what you love doing before investing a large portion of your life in it.

Answer 2

If you want to be a senior curator in a musuem, you will most certainly need a Ph. D. If you want a tenure tract teaching position at a university, you will also need the higher degree.
But you have a point, school non-stop for dozens of years can take a toll. At some point, to get the jobs you ultimately want, you will need some real world experience and that experience doesn't necessarily have to be in the art world.
In America, most musuems have to be self-funding. They have to raise money from foundations, wealthy patrons, and earn revenue from ticket sales, parties, and exhibition merchandising.
You might consider working for international banking or law firms who deal with issues about the movement and ownership of art. Auction houses need experts. It's commerce, but the art world is a commercial arena. Stepping outside academia for a few years could give you a skill set that would make you more valuable to a museum or university when you come back. After a year or two, and in the meantime doing some writing and research on your own time, you can go back and start your next degree. Some of these employers would probably be open to giving you flexible work schedules and/or financial aid as well.
Start making inquiries now. You will find you have more career options than you might think.

Answer 3

No harm in taking a year or two off to work. It probably won't be well paid, but you should be able to get something interesting in a museum or such.

Just make sure that it's only a year or two. These things have a way of being five, then ten, and then they just don't happen. You know yourself, whether you need to plow on through or if a short breather is best.

(Had to leave for health reasons. Struggling now to get back.)

Answer 4

make sure you investigate the degree as fully as possible realizing that just because you have a phd does not mean anything. some people have phds and can't find jobs so then you hvae to question if it was worth the financial debt, the time sacrificed etc

Answer 5

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Answer 6

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