Module Information
Module Identifier
DSM2820
Module Title
Archive Management: Principles & Techniques
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Distance Learning
Reading List
Other Staff
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Archive office project equvalent to 4,000 word essay in terms of the enquiry | 60% |
| Semester Assessment | Essay approx 2,000 words | 40% |
Learning Outcomes
After completing this module, you 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
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 introduces the principles of archive administration and provides the necessary information to allow you to apply them to the management of archives, to appreciate current trends in archive management, and to understand the development of archive theory.
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 introduces the principles of archive administration and provides the necessary information to allow you to apply them to the management of archives, to appreciate current trends in archive management, and to understand the development of archive theory.
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7