These questions are for recent MLA graduates (within the last 10 years) as well as people who work for a firm or studio on a team (eg. not someone running their own solo studio).
I am looking at different MLA programs, planning to apply this fall. Some programs offer graduate “certificates” in things like GIS, Urban Sustainability, Conservation Ecology, or Historic Preservation (UGA). Other schools offer “concentrations” in the program for things like Community Design & Planning, Landscape Conservation, Landscape & Urban Ecology (SUNY ESF).
Here are the questions running through my mind:
Is one better than the other? Is certificate training more robust or focused than a concentration? Do people list concentrations on their resumes as they would graduate certificates? Are folks with concentrations not certificates at a disadvantage? Would employers rather hire someone with a graduate certificate in something like Planning vs. a study concentration in Planning? On your teams, have you felt like your coworkers having training as certificates or concentrations were better/worse prepared? Or does it not matter at all? Does it make no difference if you have certificates or concentrations?
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