Module Information

Module Identifier
DS34520
Module Title
Archive Management: Principles and Techniques
Academic Year
2026/2027
Co-ordinator
Jennie Hill
Semester
Distance Learning
Reading List
View example reading list on Aspire
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Essay  2000 Words  40%
Semester Assessment Report  2000 Words  60%
Supplementary Assessment Essay  2000 Words  40%
Supplementary Assessment Report  2000 Words  60%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

state the principles of archive administration

define the nature of archives

list the major considerations to be taken into account in planning and designing an archive building

discuss archive preservation and conservation management

outline the basic principles and standards for the arrangement and listing of archives

identify the user services commonly available in archive repositories

Brief description

This module will enable students to understand the nature of archives, the principles of archive administration, preservation and conservation management, national standards for care, arrangement and listing, and the legislative framework.

Aims

This module aims to introduce the principles of archive administration and provide the necessary information to allow students to apply them to the management of archives, to appreciate current trends in archive management, and to understand the development of archive theory.

Content

Archives form part of a nation’s heritage. They tell us about the policy-making of the past and the reasons behind those decisions; they reveal the existence and activities of individuals; they provide us with an insight into the lives and circumstances of past generations.
For the administrator, records are the basic tools of business or administrative transactions. They are used to justify official actions, to record proceedings, to explain and record policy decisions, and to establish and maintain rights under the law for citizens, corporations and governments. When set aside for permanent preservation as archives, they act as the corporate memory of institutions, associations and businesses and represent an essential research tool for the historian.
This module will explore the nature of archives and explain the principles of archive administration, preservation and conservation management, national standards for care, arrangement and listing, and the legislative framework.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Creative Problem Solving Review literature about archive management standards issues and debates and apply to assessment criteria
Professional communication Professional communication in practice and assessment through archive visit and written report.
Real world sense Subject is directly applicable to professional archive management and service delivery, through study and assessment of standards, context, and application in in practice.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6