The demand for archivists is expanding as society becomes more aware of the value of preserving our heritage. Archivists collect, appraise, and preserve documents and materials found in manuscripts, moving images and photographs, oral-history recordings, multimedia, government records, and literary correspondence. They work in varied settings, such as public archives, colleges and universities, museums and cultural heritage sites, photographic and film collections, public libraries, foundations, government agencies, and corporations. For the Archives Management concentration, course requirements include: Introduction to Archival Methods and Services (LIS 438), Archival Access and Use (LIS 440), and Managing Records in Electronic Environments (LIS 456).

The Profession

The archival profession has been growing steadily since the 1970s as the number of records and the knowledge and social consciousness about saving them have increased. As a result, new and improved jobs have been created in public and private organizations, where archivists establish and maintain proper repositories for larger and more diverse collections of records. Some of these positions have grown out of field placements from archives programs like the one at Simmons College. In fact, due to its location in historic New England, Simmons offers students access to resources for study and research not found in other parts of the country.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the 15 semester hours of required courses for the master's degree (LIS 403, LIS 404, LIS 407, LIS 415, and LIS 488), students entering the program Fall 2005 and thereafter take the following core courses for the GSLIS Archives Management Concentration. (Students who were enrolled in GSLIS prior to Fall 2005 should see my.simmons.edu/gslis/communities/archives.shtml.)

• LIS 438 - Introduction to Archival Methods and Services (internship required)
• LIS 440 - Archival Access and Use (internship required)
• LIS 456 - Managing Records in Electronic Environments
• One of the following preservation courses:
• LIS 439: Preservation Management for Libraries and Archives
• LIS 444: Archiving and Preserving Digital Media
• LIS 448: Preservation Technologies

Internships are required in LIS 438 and LIS 440. Current standards in the archival profession require knowledge of the practices and theories taught in the core curriculum.

In addition to the core courses noted above, students must take one of the following archives electives:

• LIS 441 - Appraisal of Archives and Manuscripts
• LIS 442 - Establishing Archives and Manuscripts Programs
• LIS 443 - Archives, History and Collective Memory
• LIS 462 - Digital Libraries
• LIS 471 - Photographic Archives and Visual Information

For the additional semester hours required to complete the degree, archives management concentrators work with their adviser to design a program to meet individual backgrounds and goals. The remaining two elective courses (6 credit hours) may include:

• Additional archives or preservation electives
• Other electives from the GSLIS program

Contact us

Dr. Jeannette Bastian
Program Director
Room P-204G
617-521-2808

See also

Careers in Archives Management

Dual-Degree Program in Archives/History

Archives Brochure (PDF)

 

 

 

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