Archives and records management research degrees

Our postgraduate research in archives and records management including entry requirements for PhDs and other research degrees.

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The Centre for Archive and Information Studies (CAIS) provides opportunities for doctoral research (including part time by Distance) in archives, records management, memory & identity, family & local history and related subjects. CAIS offers a supportive and stimulating environment for postgraduate research and welcomes enquiries from all students interested in studying in the above areas.

CAIS is the leading international provider of professional educational programmes in recordkeeping, family and local history and related disciplines by online distance learning. Since 2004 over 1000 individuals have undertaken professional education or training with CAIS and the quality and breadth of CAIS provision is unrivalled. All CAIS programmes are accredited by the UK Archives and Records Association and The Records and Information Management (RIM) Professionals Australasia. CAIS has a successful track record in offering doctoral study by distance.

CAIS staff participate in a number of national and international professional and academic organisations. Teaching Fellows have a wide range of research interests and the Centre has developed a global interdisciplinary research network focusing on aspects of recordkeeping in the context of memories, identities and communities. This builds on five international conferences held by CAIS on the theme of ‘Memory and Identity’, funded initially by the Royal Society of Edinburgh Arts and Humanities Research Awards.

CAIS offers a supportive and stimulating environment for postgraduate research, including by distance learning, and welcomes enquiries from all students interested in studying for a PhD.

For more information please visit the CAIS website.

Propose your own PhD topic

If you want to propose your PhD topic, you can use the contact details below to contact a staff member to discuss your proposal.

How to write your best postgraduate research proposal

Entry requirements

You should have an honours degree at 2.1 or above, and/or a Masters degree in a relevant discipline.

English language requirements

IELTS (overall) Reading Listening Speaking Writing
7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0

We also accept other English language qualifications

You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you are a national of certain countries.

Don't meet the English language requirements?

English language programmes

Prepare for university study and benefit from extra English tuition with an English language programme.

Archives and records management PhD tuition fees

Academic year of entry Scottish/Rest of UK fee status International fee status
2023/24 £4,712 
per year of study		 £20,895 
per year of study
2024/25 £4,786
per year of study		 £21,940 
per year of study

Tuition fee per year of study (subject to a 3% annual increase for Scottish/Rest of UK students and a 5% annual increase for International students).

Part time study, where available, is charged on a pro-rata basis.

Scottish/Rest of UK fee status annual increase

Each year, UKRI sets a recommended fee and stipend level for Scottish/Rest of UK students, which we use as the basis for fees charged to this group.

UKRI usually increases its fee and stipend levels in line with inflation, based on the Treasury GDP deflator. 

Therefore, the Scottish/Rest of UK fees detailed in this table for 2025/26 (and beyond) can only be estimated according to the typical increase. 

The fee charged to you may differ, though only slightly, from the figure given.

Apply for a research degree

You can apply for a PhD or other postgraduate research degree using our Direct Application System.

We have three start dates per academic year.

PhD Archives & Records Management

PhD Archives & Records Management (part time)

Humanities (non-graduating) (research)

See also: Humanities (Professional Doctorate) DProf

The University of Dundee welcomes applications from disabled students.

Enquiries