Master of Archival Studies

Located next to the National Archives at Atlanta and the Georgia Archives, and near other major archival repositories, Clayton State University offers students an exceptional opportunity to learn about a profession that is committed to preserving the records of the past for future generations.

The Archival Studies program focuses on the new opportunities and challenges of digital archives, preserving contemporary records of lasting value, records that are born digital. Correspondence is now email, diaries are blogs. Books, news, and entertainment are online. Many are records of enduring historical value, but preserving and providing access to digital media rapidly becomes difficult as time goes by. Formats change and software become obsolete — even if you have the hardware to read a 5¼ inch floppy disk, will you have the program to make sense of the data?

Founded in 2010, the Archival Studies program is committed to training archivists for the digital era. The program also welcomes practicing archivists who want to take selected courses to expand and update their knowledge and skills.

Starting in fall 2012, the program will be fully online, offering live video lectures through the Web. The program does not require on-campus visits, making it a great opporunity for individuals who cannot relocate to pursue graduate studies.

Vision

Graduates of the Archival Studies Program will be successful digital archivists who are committed to curating comprehensive, trustworthy collections of records that merit long-term preservation. They will be well-grounded in theoretical knowledge and practical skills of archives. They will understand the impact of technology on the profession and will have the knowledge and skills to work with information technologists and to manage digital information. They will know how to work in a rapidly changing environment, finding innovative solutions to the challenges of digital archives.

Mission

The Master of Archival Studies Program at Clayton State University provides students with a broad education in archival theory and practice. Graduates will master the core archival functions, of appraisal and description, arrangement and description, reference and access, outreach, preservation, and management of records in all formats, especially digital formats, in accordance with best practices, law, and professional ethics.

Outcomes

Through a combination of lecture, discussion, research and reports, and experiential labs and internships, graduates will be able to

• Explain and apply archival principles to appraise and acquire records in all formats to build comprehensive, trustworthy collections of accurate, authentic records with enduring value that provide a balanced, diverse understanding of the past.
  
  
• Discuss the history of archives and their role within society, including the use of records as evidence and cultural memory.
  
  
• Determine and apply archival best practices and standards to arrange, describe, and support discovery to archival materials, while protecting their intellectual and physical integrity.
  
  
• Provide reference service to patrons by promoting equitable access and use while balancing the constraints of privacy and the law.
  
  
• Evaluate the most appropriate approaches to preserve and protect traditional and digital archival materials from degradation, theft, or alteration.
  
  
• Explain the value and promote the use of archives to potential users and donors, to the general public, and to governing bodies.
  
  
• Implement strategies to manage archival repositories, including effective and efficient ways to accomplish these archival functions given available fiscal and human resources.
  
  
• Explain how the application of these functions differs in the context of collecting, business, and government archives.
  
  
• Explain how technology has transformed the nature of records and archival practice, and demonstrate a variety of ways to use technology to facilitate archival functions.
  
  

Support

Support for development and implementation of the Master of Archival Studies Program at Clayton State University was provided through Congressionally-directed grant awards P116Z080101 and P116Z090105. However, the curriculum and course content does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education or endorsement by the Federal Government.