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Archivistics
University College Dublin has pioneered the training of archivists and records managers on the island of Ireland for half a century. Beginning with a short course in Archives offered in the summer of 1972, this developed into a Higher Diploma in Archival Studies which was the benchmark qualification for archivists in the country for over 30 years. The first MA in Archives and Records Management was offered in UCD in 2006-2007 representing the introduction of an explicit research dimension to the curriculum. Two part-time undergraduate certificates, one in archives and the other in records management, and a doctoral studies programme were introduced in 2009-2010. The first PhD in Archivistics was awarded in 2013.
The high quality of archival education offered in UCD is reflected in the consistent accreditation of its programmes by the Archives and Records Association, formerly the Society of Archivists UK and Ireland. The Diploma in Archival Studies was part of the first cohort of archival training courses in Ireland and the UK that was given professional recognition by the Society of Archivists in 1984-1985. Archival training offered in UCD has been continuously accredited by the professional association since this time, recognizing its ability to train professionals to manage records in all formats from manuscript to digital.
The development of archival education was pioneered in the UCD Archives Department by the ground breaking contribution of Kerry Holland with the huge support of Robert Dudley Edwards, then Professor of Modern Irish History. Since Ms Holland's retirement in 2011, Dr Elizabeth Mullins and Dr Julie Brooks have formed the core teaching and research staff in the discipline.
Now located within the School of History, the archives training programmes in UCD have strong collaborative relationships with archivists and librarians across UCD's Cultural Heritage Division (UCD Archives, UCD Special Collections, UCD Folklore and UCD Digital Library) and with colleagues in the School of Information and Communication and the School of English. The programmes are also enriched by close relationships with fellow archival educators, practitioners and repositories across the country and internationally.
Our alumni have gone on to establish archives services in Ireland and around the globe. A record of some of these graduates can be seen in the video created to mark our 50th birthday -
The current programmes are:
MA in Archives and Records Management Full Time and Part Time
Certificate in Archives Management