Archives

Use archival principles and practices to make available documentary materials and historical evidence with long-term value to researchers and the public.

The Advanced Certificate in Archives prepares students to become archivists. Archivists collect, manage, preserve, and provide access to records with enduring value, including records creating by individuals, families, and organizations, in analog and digital formats. Archives serve as memory institutions for culture and support scholarly, historical, legal, genealogical, and personal research.

By the end of this program, student will be able to:

1. Understand the social function of archives, and how it differs from and intersects with libraries and museums.
2. Demonstrate extensive knowledge of core archival principles and practices, such as collection development, appraisal, donor relations, arrangement and description, legal/ethical issues, access/reference and instruction/outreach.
3. Process an archival collection and use archival descriptive standards, specifically DACS and EAD.
4. Demonstrate familiarity with digitization and managing born-digital materials. 
5. Discuss trends in the field of archival practice and archival studies.
6. Think critically about the role of archives for sustaining personal, social and public memory.

To read more about archives projects completed by Pratt School of Information students and alumni, please visit the following resources:

• Student projects tagged “Archives” on the #infoshow website (annual showcase of student work)
• Archival Outlook: Sounds from the Past: Archives Students Give Voice to World War II Ambulance Drivers
• New York Times: Leaving Cloister of Dusty Offices, Young Archivists Meet Like Minds
• Library of Congress, The Signal: Students Saving Sounds: An Interview With Anthony Cocciolo
• Evidence Based Library and Information Practice: Situating Student Learning in Rich Contexts: A Constructionist Approach to Digital Archives Education

Advanced Certificate Requirements

The Advanced Certificate in Archives consists of 12 credits (four 3-credit courses): two required courses and two electives, which must be completed with a B average or better. The program can be taken as a stand-alone program or within the School of Information's MSLIS program.

Required Courses (2 courses, 6 credits)
INFO 625 Management of Archives & Special Collections
INFO 698 Practicum/Seminar (Internship and project must be at an Archives)

Elective Courses (2 courses, 6 credits)
Choose two courses from the list below: 
INFO 632 Conservation & Preservation
INFO 634 Conservation Lab 
INFO 635 Archives Appraisal, Acquisition and Use
INFO 655 Digital Preservation & Curation
INFO 661 Art Documentation
INFO 662 Advanced Cataloging & Classification
INFO 663 Metadata Design
INFO 664 Programming for Cultural Heritage
INFO 665 Projects in Digital Archives
INFO 668 Projects in Moving Image & Sound Archives
INFO 669 Digital Asset & Media Management
INFO 670 Linked Open Data for Libraries, Archives & Museums
INFO 689 Rare Books & Special Collections

Changes for Fall 2020

Beginning in fall 2020, the Advanced Certificate in Archives will be changing from a 12-credit certificate to an 18-credit certificate. Students who have entered the School of Information before fall 2020 will be able to select if they would like to complete the 12-credit or 18-credit certificate. However, students entering in fall 2020 or after will only have the option of taking the 18-credit certificate.  The requirements for the 18-credit certificate are the following:

Archives Core (3 Credits)
INFO 625 Management of Archives and Special Collections

Conservation Core (3 Credits)
INFO 632 Conservation and Preservation

Digital Materials (3 Credits)
Select one course:
INFO 665 Projects in Digital Archives
INFO 655 Digital Preservation and Curation

Fieldwork (3 Credits)
Select one course:
INFO 698 Practicum/Seminar (fieldwork in an archives)
INFO 9600 Summer Internship Zero credit (fieldwork in an archives)*

* For students undertaking the archives fieldwork in the summer as a Zero-credit option, they should satisfy the required 3-credits by taking an additional Archives elective (below).

Archives Electives (6 Credits)
Select two courses:
INFO 613 Government Information: Sources, Access and Democracy 
INFO 628 Data Librarianship and Management 
INFO 631 Academic Libraries & Scholarly Communication
INFO 633 Strategic Leadership & Management
INFO 634 Conservation Lab
INFO 635 Archives Appraisal, Acquisition and Use
INFO 647 Visual Resources Management
INFO 655 Digital Preservation & Curation
INFO 657 Digital Humanities
INFO 661 Art Documentation
INFO 663 Metadata Design
INFO 644 Programming for Cultural Heritage
INFO 665 Projects in Digital Archives
INFO 667 Art Librarianship
INFO 668 Projects in Moving Image & Sound Archives
INFO 670 Linked Open Data for Libraries, Archives & Museums
INFO 673 Literacy & Instruction
INFO 674 Genealogy and Local History
INFO 675 Museum & Library Outreach
INFO 684 Museum Information Management: Collections Cataloging & Digital Technology
INFO 689 Rare Books and Special Collections
INFO 697 Special Topics (by permission)

Admissions Requirements

Use archival principles and practices to make available documentary materials and historical evidence with long-term value to researchers and the public. This advanced certificate can be taken within the School of Information's MS in Library and Information Science or it can also be taken as a post-master’s program.

Applicants to the post-master’s advanced certificate program must:

• hold a master's degree in library science, information science, or similar, from an accredited university
• submit the online application form, non-refundable application fee, and official transcripts (uploaded online at application)
• submit a statement of purpose (approximately two pages) online
• submit a current resume online
• request two letters of recommendation online from employers, professors, or others able to judge the applicant’s potential for graduate study

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Questions? For admissions inquiries, please contact Graduate Admissions at 718.636.3514 or admissions@pratt.edu. For all other inquiries, contact the School of Information at 212.647.7682 or si@pratt.edu. For more information, you may also request a catalog and sign-up to attend an information session.    

Curriculum

Adv Certificate in Archives