The design of this research applied both qualitative and descriptive quantitative research techniques. This research utilized multiple research methods: document-based content analysis, survey, and telephone or person-to-person interviews. Descriptive research was used to gather and document "form, structure, activity, change over time, relation to other phenomena" (Bog & Gall, 1989, p. 5). This data was then used to analyze museum studies programs and determine their consequences -whether or not they succeeded in meeting the museum environment's demands. This strategy is similar to Wholey's definition of evaluation, which is to compare the "actual program performance with some standard of expected program performance, and the drawing of conclusions about a program's effectiveness and value" (Wholey, cited in Shadish, Cook & Leviton, 1995, p. 227). However, I was more interested in the relationship and effectiveness between museum studies programs and art museums rather than drawing conclusions on the value of museum studies programs. The primary focus of this study was to compare museum studies programs' performance against a standard set by museum professionals.

Content analysis is employed throughout the study. Borg & Gall (1989) recognize content analysis as "a research technique for the objective, systematic, and quantitative description of the manifest content of communication" (p. 519). Although content analysis can be quantitative in nature (Merriam, 1998), it also can be used inductively to merge themes and patterns of meaning. From the content of data, I developed categories for further interpretation. The process of charting possibilities from variables resulted in creating a typology (Merriam 1998). In addition, a constant comparative method was used to compare and contrast the three sets of results from document-based analysis, surveys, and interviews.

My procedure was as follows: First, I conducted document-based research on the existing art-related museum programs and art museum job requirements gathered from publications and resources. After obtaining a general understanding of the nature of museum studies and demands in art museum realities, I conducted a survey that addresses issues and patterns found from the results of document-based research as described below. Finally, interviews of museum studies program personals were conducted to gather more indepth information. By comparing and contrasting the findings, the relationship between artrelated museum studies programs and art museums emerges.