Archival Management and Public History

The History Department is teaming up with the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College to offer new M.A. minor fields in Archival Management and in Cultural Heritage/Public History. The GSLIS is ranked as one of the best in the country and was recently named Number One in Archives. The department is pleased to embark on this venture and to make these options available to our MA students.

The Minor Field in Archival Management

The Minor Field in Archival Management consists of two courses:

LIS 438. Introduction to Archival Methods and Services [offered in Fall and Spring]
The fundamentals of a wide range of archival activities, including appraisal, acquisitions, arrangement, description, reference, and access. Course includes a required 60-hour internship completed in an archives or manuscript repository

LIS 441. Appraisal of Archives and Manuscripts [offered in Spring]
Archival appraisal, or the assessment and evaluation of archival records to determine their continuing value for long-term retention, is one of the central and most critical challenges and responsibilities of the archivist. Building on the introductory exposure to appraisal offered in LIS 438, this course will focus on developing a theoretical framework for appraisal by introducing students to the strategies and methodologies of appraisal.

The Minor Field in Cultural Heritage/Public History

The Minor Field in Cultural Heritage/Public History consists of two courses:

LIS 531V. Concepts in Cultural Heritage Informatics [offered in Fall]
A foundation course for students who seek careers as information professionals in archives, museums, libraries, and other cultural heritage settings.

Sites of History (currently taught in CAS but crosslisted in GSLIS) [offered in Spring]
Examines the theory and practice of public history for those who plan to apply their academic historical studies in public settings.