Pre-entry experience accepted for archive and information studies courses

To be accepted onto an archives or records management course at the University of Dundee, you need to be employed or active as a volunteer in a professional archive for a minimum of half a day per week and have appropriate pre-entry experience.

For PGDip and MSc level courses you will also need academic qualifications. Details available on each course page.

Examples of relevant experience

• Understanding of the role of records and archives in organisations
• Knowledge of appraisals and issues that might impact decisions 
• Experience accessing a small collection
• Experience of cataloguing different kinds of items, and preferably of cataloguing a small collection. Awareness of cataloguing standards and principles of arrangement an advantage
• Awareness of different on-site and remote services for users
• Knowledge of how a archive search room operates
• Awareness of how copyright, data protection and freedom of information legislation might impact on services
• Understanding of how archives may approach promotion and outreach
• Experience of handling archives and basic preservation (re-housing and boxing) with an awareness of environmental and other threats to archives
• Awareness of basic records management functions (file plans, retention schedules etc.)

Additional resources 

• UK National Archives provides a tool for locating potential work or voluntary opportunities in the United Kingdom.
• Archives and Records Association is a professional body for archivists, archive conservators and records managers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. They also have a page on careers in recording keeping. 
• Information and Records Management Society is a professional association for those engaged in the management, governance or utilisation of information and records.
• International Council on Archives is a non-governmental organisation which exists to promote international cooperation for archives and archivists.