How To Become a Curator

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How Long Does It Take, What Degree Do You Need, and More

Curators

Curators administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution.

Salary
$61650
Becoming One
Very Hard
Education
Master's degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality



What degree do you need

Recommended degree level

Master’s Degree

We did a survey to ask other Curators what degree they had when they became a Curator. Here are the results.
Master’s Degree
44.05%


PhD
34.75%


Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
8.09%


One of the most common questions that we always get is what major or degree do I need to become Curators or what courses do I need to take.

We also asked Curators what did they major in college or university and here are the top 5 most popular majors that came up.

Museology or Museum Studies
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Public or Applied History

Most museums require curators to have a master’s degree in an appropriate discipline of the museum’s specialty—art, history, or archaeology—or in museum studies. Some employers prefer that curators have a doctoral degree, particularly for positions in natural history and science museums.



How hard is it

Difficulty
Very Hard

You will need an extensive amount of skill, knowledge and experience to be a Curator. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, a surgeon must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Careers in this difficulty category may need some on-the-job-training, but most of these careers assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, and work-related experience and training. These careers usually involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Similar careers include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, neurologists, and veterinarians.


Related work experience required
4 to 6 years

4 to 6 years
32.03%


6 to 8 years
30.57%


8 to 10 years
9.33%


Job training
6 months to 1 year

6 months to 1 year
42.16%


Up to 1 month
22.54%


1 to 3 months
10.05%



License and certifications

Do you need any license or certification
Recommended but not required

The Academy of Certified Archivists offers voluntary certification for archivists. Archivists with at least a master’s degree and a year of professional archival experience can obtain the Certified Archivist credential by passing an exam. They must renew their certification periodically by retaking the exam or fulfilling continuing education credits. At this time, only a few employers require or prefer certification.


Skills required

We asked other Curators if they could only have 5 skills, what would they be. Here is what they said.

1. Speaking what does this mean
2. Reading Comprehension what does this mean
3. Active Listening what does this mean
4. Writing what does this mean
5. Critical Thinking what does this mean

= Hot in-demand that most employers are looking for


Knowledge required

Just like any other job, you will need certain know-hows to excel at your job. Curators are generally very knowledgeable in these 5 key areas.

1. English Language what does this mean
2. History and Archeology what does this mean
3. Education and Training what does this mean
4. Administration and Management what does this mean
5. Customer and Personal Service what does this mean


Learn more about Curators

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Job Description
Salary
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Curators requirements, how to become Curators, degree required to be a Curator, Curators license and certifications, majors to be a Curator, is it hard to become a Curator and how long does it take


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