Historical & Archival Studies Degrees at Aberystwyth University
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Historical & Archival Studies Degrees at Aberystwyth University
Historical & Archival Studies Degree - 3 year Degree (VP31)
with the Department of Information Studies (DIS)
Historical & Archival Studies Degree
The innovative Historical & Archival Studies degree scheme is for those students who are interested in both the study of history and in the management of the archives and records that history depends on. The archival studies element also focuses on the wider ‘information world’ with associated practical and technical skills promoted as preparation for those interested in future employment in this field.
We offer valuable opportunities for those interested in combining history with archival studies. As well as the international reputations of the Departments of History and Welsh History and Information Studies, Aberystwyth is also the location of the National Library of Wales, the Ceredigion Archives, and the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments in Wales, all of which provide vast potential for students.
The Historical & Archival Studies degree scheme also includes a short work placement in the third year, for which your tutors will help you find an interesting host organization, and you can also explore an opportunity to spend a year in employment.
DIS is the largest postgraduate training school in archives and records management in the UK and this enables it to provide unparalleled experience to its undergraduates as well, including opening up the chance for further professional training after the degree.
Historical & Archival Studies Degree Year 1
As a student on the Historical and Archival Studies degree scheme you will divide your time equally between the Department of History and Welsh History and DIS.
Both departments have core modules that seek to ease the transition to undergraduate studies and provide an introduction to key skills and approaches. Otherwise, you will enjoy the opportunity to choose modules in both departments.
In History and Welsh History, these include:
- Cradle to Grave? Welfare and Society in Modern Britain
- Stuart England: War, Political Crisis and Social Change, 1629-1714
- The Landed Gentry of England and Wales, 1750-1832
- Environmental Protest in 19th and 20th Century Britain
In DIS, these include:
- Foundations of Information Studies
- Social Context of Information Studies
- Computer Tools for an Information Age
- Foundations of Information Retrieval and Organization
Historical & Archival Studies Degree Years 2 and 3
Both departments seek to build on the principles of study established in Year 1 with a range of different types of modules in the second and third years.
In the Department of History and Welsh History, students will choose a mixture of modules, from surveys of a particular period or theme to in-depth studies of sources. Current modules include:
- War and Society in History
- Sport, Leisure and Popular Culture in Britain since 1850
- Diary Wars? Political Memoirs and Diaries as Historical Sources
- Oral History: The Past in the Present
- The Medieval Parish Church in England and Wales
The remaining modules will be taken from the full range offered by DIS, including:
- Information and Society
- Archive Management
- Records Management in an Electronic Age
- Local History in Wales: Sources and Services
Historical & Archival Studies Degree sample module - Module Example
Diary Wars? Political Memoirs and Diaries as Historical Sources
Historians of contemporary politics view political diaries and memoirs as an invaluable source for research. They can establish the detail of significant historical events and highlight the political decision making process and the complex nature of political change. But the use of these sources is not without its pitfalls. How do we differ between personal diaries and those intended for publication? What about deliberately one-sided memoirs and the advantage of hindsight? In short, historians must be aware of the ‘diary wars’: politicians are aware of their role in history and want to influence the writing of it accordingly. This module examines how historians can make use of published political diaries and memoirs, taking into account the inevitable problems and challenges.