Cultural Heritage: Libraries, Archives and Museums

Cultural heritage: libraries, archives and museums addresses the disciplines and professions responsible for preserving, organising and making accessible the records, objects and knowledge that constitute our collective memory. Libraries, archives and museums each approach this responsibility differently, but all three are concerned with how information and cultural artefacts are described, stored, retrieved and interpreted, and all three play an essential role in sustaining the documentary and material heritage on which education, research, identity and accountability depend.

At Aberystwyth University you will explore the principles and practices of all three professions, gaining an understanding of how heritage is defined, collected and managed, how information is organised and made findable, and how institutions communicate their collections to different publics. You will engage with the history of these professions alongside contemporary debates about digital preservation, access, community engagement and the social responsibilities of heritage organisations. Aberystwyth has a distinguished reputation in library and information studies, and the programme benefits from that depth of expertise.

The course runs over three years full time.

Graduates are well placed for careers as librarians, archivists, records managers, museum professionals and heritage officers in a wide range of settings, including public libraries, national archives, university libraries, galleries, local authority record offices and the private and charitable sector. Progression towards professional qualifications with bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals or the Archives and Records Association is well supported by this degree. Postgraduate study in library and information science, archives, museum studies or cultural heritage management provides further specialisation for those seeking more senior or specialist roles.