MA

Archives and Records Management

Key Facts

Course Code P132

  • Qualification

    MA

  • Course duration

    1 year

Available for September start 2025

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By studying this degree, you will learn professional principles and techniques and acquire the core skills which will enable you to play a part in the preservation, management and exploitation of invaluable informational and historical resources.

This course is designed to prepare you for work in any archive or records management environment. It is accredited by both the UK’s Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and the Archives and Records Association (ARA), providing the professional training required for entry into these professional areas. Graduates from the course go on to work in a wide range of local, national, and specialist organisations.

A significant proportion of your learning on this course takes place in study visits and fieldwork, where you will need to observe and relate what you have learnt to the practice in a number of recordkeeping environments. Practical experience gained before embarking on the course provides a very important foundation for the training experience of the course itself.

Typical Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements 2:2 Bachelors (Honours) degree in any subject, or equivalent, with 6 weeks (around 200 hours) work experience in a relevant sector.  Non-graduates will be considered individually based on relevant work experience.

English Language Requirements IELTS 6.5 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent

Other Requirements Applicants should provide details of previous relevant work/volunteer experience at the point of application and include an up-to-date CV.

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Course Overview

Department of Information Studies

The department has a well-established international reputation in teaching and research in information studies; studying in a town with a rich information history and range of cultural organisations with which the Department has close links including: the National Library of Wales (one of the UK’s five copyright libraries); the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales; the Welsh Books Council; Ceredigion Archives; and Ceredigion Museum.

About this course

  • Why study Archive and Records Management at Aberystwyth University?
  • hands-on project working with professional archivists
  • in-depth study of palaeography using documents in different hands
  • medieval and post-medieval palaeography pathways
  • training in industry standard cataloguing and preservation software
  • intensive dissertation workshop to support research topic identification and develop research skills
  • professional conferences, visits and lectures.

Modules September start - 2025

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

This course will also equip you with a wide range of general work skills such as research, analysis, writing, presentation and management, ensuring your employability is improved across all areas. Upon graduation, you will have proven your abilities in structuring and communicating ideas efficiently, writing for and speaking to a range of audiences, evaluating and organizing information, working effectively with others and working within time frames and to specific deadlines.

Teaching & Learning

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study:

  • Recordkeeping Theories and Contexts
  • Recordkeeping Process and Practice
  • Access, Outreach, and Advocacy
  • Collections Care
  • Archives and Records Practical Project
  • Research in the Profession.

Choose from a list of optional modules including:

  • Manuscript Skills
  • Digital Collection Development
  • Rare Books Librarianship.

How will I be taught?

A wide variety of teaching methods are used. You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops and practical classes. High quality teaching and supervision will enable you to realise your full potential. You will be encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning and work on projects both individually and in groups.

A number of different types of assessment are used throughout the programme. In addition to essays and written exams, you will give individual and group presentations. You will receive constructive feedback on all coursework assignments.