Archives and Special Collections Graduate Certificate

Overview

The Archives and Special Collections Graduate Certificate prepares students for careers in archives and related fields such as special collections, museums, and digital libraries. The 18-credit hour certificate combines online coursework related to archival history, theory, methods, organization, and ethics, with an archival practicum. The certificate may be earned with or post-MLIS degree or as a post-master’s certificate for those holding a master’s degree in a related field. If earned together with the MLIS, 12 hours may be counted toward both the certificate and the MLIS degree. Non-LIS graduate students are required to take LIS 505 - Cataloging and Classification  as a prerequisite.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the requirements detailed in Admission Requirements and Procedures , applicants must submit the following documents:

1. Statement of Purpose - In a 1-2 page essay, describe your interests in the archival certificate, types of special collections, archives, or repositories of interest, and your potential contributions to the career field.
2. Résumé

Program Requirements and Academic Policies

After successfully completing the required coursework, students are required to write a 2500 to 4500-word paper on a pre-approved topic related to archives, special collections, or digitization.

See General Degree Requirements  and General Academic Information  for graduate requirements and expectations.

Course Requirements (18 hours)

• LIS 645 - Digital Preservation 3 hrs. OR
• LIS 649 - Preservation of Documentary Materials 3 hrs.
• LIS 646 - Archival Foundations and Theories 3 hrs.
• LIS 647 - Introduction to Archival Organizations 3 hrs.
• LIS 648 - Archival Practicum 2-4 hrs. (3 hrs. required)
• LIS 652 - Metadata for Digital Collections 3 hrs.