School of Information Sciences - Library and Information Science Program

Archives and Information Science Pathway

(will appear on transcript)

Fall Term of Entry only.

Recordkeeping, from governmental to organizational to personal, is one of the most ancient and essential human and institutional functions. Records are created and maintained for purposes of evidence; accountability; and personal, social and corporate memory. Archives serve a crucial cultural function, providing society with a sense of identity and memory. Records management programs help organizations to be compliant with regulatory agencies, responsible to constituent groups, and effective and efficient in the use of informational resources. Critical to the administration of records is the maintenance of records over long periods of time, traditionally called preservation and now being influenced by discussions concerning digital curation and stewardship.

Our Archives and Information Science program is one of the leading programs of its kind in the United States. You can earn your MLIS degree here, gaining an in-depth knowledge of:

The career opportunities available to those students in this pathway are expanding beyond the traditional archives setting. Many of our graduates work in government agencies, institutions of higher education, professional organizations, corporations, and not-for-profits. For a selected list of employers of our graduates, please click here.

Our program will give you the skills and knowledge to identify and analyze recordkeeping systems from legal, evidential, historical, and cultural perspectives. Students study in an engaging and intellectually stimulating environment, taking courses in diverse topics including:

Field Experience Opportunities

You may also have the opportunity to work on research projects and publications. This program is designed to provide you with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills for managing and making decisions concerning records in a variety of traditional and non-traditional settings requiring archival and preservation expertise. As part of your course of study, you can gain critical experience through a for-credit field experience in an archives, library, arts or related organization. Before beginning a field experience, it is expected that the AIS student will have completed or be in the process of completing all the required AIS courses offered in the first two terms.

Required Program of Study

Students follow a prescribed program of study over a one-year (full-time) or two-year (part-time) program. This is an on-campus program of study, providing ample opportunity for face-to-face interaction with faculty.

These courses provide a rigorous grounding in archival, preservation, and records management theory, methodology, and practice. Each course offers a careful building on theoretical knowledge and practical applications.

Students will take the required core courses:

Students in this pathway will take additional required courses.

For their remaining electives, students may choose from the list below; Courses not listed require prior permission from your academic advisor to count as an elective.

 

To view the term in which a class is offered, please see the Projected Course Offerings.

Click here for the current plan of study.

Faculty

The Archives and Information Science pathway is supported by a cadre of full-time regular faculty and adjunct faculty who are leading scholars and practitioners in the field. This program is among the small number of graduate programs in archives featuring more than one regular faculty member dedicated to teaching and research in this area. 

Richard J. Cox, Chair, Information Culture and Data Stewardship; Professor

Alison Langmead, Assistant Professor

Miriam Meislik, Media Curator, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh

Resources

Professional Organizations

 

For more information about this pathway, please contact our Recruitment Team at lisinq@sis.pitt.edu or 412-624-5130. 

Strong Foundation

The blend of theory and application at the iSchool distinguishes its graduates in the job market, giving them a strong foundation of theoretical knowledge and practical experience.