- M.A. Program
- Ph.D. Program
- Archival Program
- Prospective Graduate Students
- Courses
- Academic Honesty Policy
- Awards and Fellowships
- Graduate Handbook (.pdf)
- Forms
- Phi Alpha Theta
- Career Opportunities
- Former Graduate Students' Dissertations and Theses
- AU Graduate School
- Costs and Financial Assistance
- Office of Financial Assistance
Archival Program
The Archival Studies Program in the Auburn University History Department
The Archival Studies Program curriculum trains graduate students for careers in a wide variety of archival organizations. Archival training at Auburn dates to 1973, when Allen Jones taught the first course in archives. Today, Auburn offers four content courses and a for-credit internship:
- History 6710: Fundamentals of Archival Theory and Practice
- History 7720: Seminar in Archival Theory and Practice (Advanced Archival Appraisal)
- History 7730: Seminar in the History of Records and Archives
- History 7920: Archival Internship
- History 7970: Special Topics in History: Archival Management
In addition, students in the program have access to courses offered through the Southeastern Archives Education Collaborative (SAEC)—students meet on campus as a group for classes using video-conference software, encouraging student and faculty interaction. Formed in 2002, the collaborative currently consists of the Auburn University History Department, the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science, the Louisiana State University School of Library and Information Science, and the Middle Tennessee State History Department. Courses regularly offered by SAEC members include:
- Advanced Archival Access
- Collections Management for Archives and Museums
- Electronic Description of Archival Materials
- Management of Electronic Records
- Public Programming for Historical Organizations and Archives
- Records Management
Graduate students at both the master's and doctoral level are eligible to participate in the program. Students seeking a MA degree can specialize in archives via the archival program, while those enrolled in the direct track PhD may select Archives as a minor or breadth field. Students in the MA program should consult the Archival Studies Checklist (to be added to this site soon). The Society of American Archivists recommends that students enrolled in archival programs accrue 18 credit hours of coursework. Students who complete at least nine hours in the Archival Studies Program and earn a MA or PhD degree may apply to take the Certified Archivist exam, and upon earning a passing grade on the exam gain Provisional Certification from the Academy of Certified Archivists. Provisional candidates have up to three years to gain one qualifying year of work experience in an archive, after which they will be awarded full CA status.
Alumni of the Archival Studies Program work in a variety of settings, including state archives, presidential libraries, academic archives, museums, and historical societies.
Archives as a Profession
Education
Most professional archivist positions require completion of M.A. in history or a MLIS in Library and Information Science. While the M.A. or MLS considered the terminal degree for archivist, some archivists do hold doctoral degrees. The Society of American Archivists publishes an annual Directory of Archival Education that discusses educational standards and other issues relating to the field.
Careers in Archives
Archivists work in a variety of repositories in various institutional settings, including:
- Governmental (federal, state, and local)
- Academic institutions
- Corporations
- Religious groups
- Museums
- Historical societies
Salaries vary widely, but positions for entry-level MAs have been competitive with entry-level teaching positions for new PhDs. A survey of Archival Salaries conducted in 2004 by the Society of American Archivists can be found on their site.
Links to employment can be found at:
- Society of American Archivists Online Employment Bulletin
- American Association of State and Local History Jobs Online
- H-Net Job Guide
- Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference Job Listings
- National Archives of the United States Employment
- National Council on Public History Jobs Page
- Society of Georgia Archivists Job Site
What Type of Work Does an Archivist Perform?
An archivist's primary tasks can include:
- Establish and maintain physical and intellectual control over records of enduring value.
- Select records for preservation (appraisal): must assess historical context in which records were created to assess long-term value.
- Prepare records for research (arrangement and description): must be completed according to accepted standards and practices of the repository and the profession.
- Preserve records: establish and implement programs and practices to control or arrest the physical deterioration of records, regardless of condition or format.
- Assist researchers (reference): serve as a partner in research.
- Manage archival programs and repositories: develop long-range plans to insure the adequacy of historical documentation; publicize holdings to encourage use; seek funding and public support for archival programs.
For further information on the archival work see "So You Want to Be an Archivist: An Overview of the Archival Profession."
Professional Organizations
Faculty, students, and alumni of the Archival Studies program belong to a number of professional organizations. A brief listing of these organizations include:
- Society of American Archivists
- Society of Alabama Archivists
- Society of Florida Archivists
- Society of Georgia Archivists
- Society of Mississippi Archivists
- Society of Tennessee Archivists
- Southern Archivists Conference
For more information, contact:
For more information about the Archival program contact:
Archival Studies Program Officer
Reagan Grimsley, Assistant Professor
Department of History
Thach 313
Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
(334) 844-4636
Email