Archives Studies Certificate

To apply for the Archives Studies Certificate, please use the Archives Certificate Program Application form located in the ASC Handbook or apply online here.
(Please note that the ASC handbook is currently being updated)

The Archives Studies Certificate Program (ASC) is an 18-credit hour certificate program through the School of Library and Information Management (SLIM) and Emporia State University’s Graduate Office. The goal of the Archives Studies Certificate Program is to prepare students for a career in an archives or special collections setting. Students learn:

• ways of providing access to and preserving materials that are of enduring value and serve as the cultural memory of a society;
• the uniqueness of archives materials and library special collections and the techniques and processes that are necessary to manage and maintain these materials and collections; and,
• the diversity of the formats in which information is organized and delivered and the resulting complexity of information organization, storage, maintenance, and preservation.

Course requirements

The ASC Program consists of the following courses:

• LI 809 (3 credits) - Introduction to Archives.
• LI 818 (3 credits) - Arrangement and Description. Prerequisite: LI 809
• LI 827 (3 credits) - Preservation Strategies. It is recommended that you complete LI 809 prior to enrolling in this class or that you enroll in LI 809 concurrently.
• LI 849 (2 credits) - Information and Records Management.
• HI 815 (3 credits) – History Research Seminar. Another related course may be substituted for this course, upon approval by the ASC Program Coordinator.
• LI 873 (3-4 credits) - Archives Practicum. Consent of the ASC Program Coordinator is required. Students may not enroll in this course before completing LI 809 and LI 818. Students must adhere to the practicum guidelines set forth in the LI873 Archives Practicum Handbook (PDF)

Who may enroll?

Current SLIM M.L.S. students may begin enrolling in the ASC Program while they are in the M.L.S. Program. They may officially apply to the program and begin the admissions interview process, as well as enroll in some of the courses. After they have earned their M.L.S. Degree, they may return to SLIM and complete the remaining ASC Program coursework.

Other graduate students at Emporia State University or another institution may begin enrolling in the ASC Program upon admission into the program.

SLIM alumni

SLIM alumni may begin taking any of the required ASC courses upon admission into the ASC program.

Other post-graduate students

Students who have a graduate degree in Library and Information Science from another institution may begin taking any of the required ASC courses upon admission into the ASC program.

Students who have a graduate degree in a related discipline from Emporia State University or another institution may begin taking any of the required ASC courses upon admission into the ASC program.

Non-graduate students

Students who do not wish to obtain a graduate degree may begin enrolling in the ASC courses upon admission into the ASC program.

Application process

All prospective students, including current SLIM M.L.S. students, must complete an application available from http://www.emporia.edu/grad/appinstr.htm (Note: this application form is the same form completed by students applying for graduate studies at Emporia State University. A separate application form for the certificate is required by the Graduate Office. Be sure to indicate on Question #20 that you are applying for the Archives Studies Certificate Program.)

Transcripts and fees

Transcripts are required for admission to the ASC Program. Please have your transcripts sent to the Graduate Office, as instructed on the application form. SLIM and other ESU graduate students who had already sent in their transcripts do not have to send separate transcripts to the Graduate Office. Students who previously paid the application fee for graduate studies at Emporia State University are exempt from paying an additional application fee for the Archives Studies Certificate.

Admissions interview

The ASC Program Coordinator will contact prospective students, once their application has been processed by the Graduate Office, to schedule an admissions interview. Admission into the ASC Program is determined following this interview and a review of submitted materials (application and transcripts) at the Graduate Office. Non-SLIM students may be required to submit a sample of their written work as part of the admissions interview process.

Notification of admission

Students will receive notification about their admission application within one month after receipt of all required materials and the admissions interview.

Questions?

If you have any further questions about the ASC Program, please do not hesitate to contact Candy Boardman at or cboardma@emporia.edu.