First Online Master's Degree in Archives and Records Administration

December 2008: 

The San Jose School of Library and Information Science is now accepting applications for Fall 2009 for the nation's first fully online Master of Archives and Records Administration (MARA) degree. The first group of students in the new MARA degree program started their studies in August 2008, and the application deadline for admission in Fall 2009 is March 30.

MARA students take two courses a semester and graduate in just under three years. They will be among the few information professionals specifically trained to manage the irreplaceable, yet highly vulnerable digital materials now produced by corporate, government, and nonprofit institutions.

MARA students can live anywhere while enhancing their career options in a rapidly expanding field that will play an important role in the digital information age. They will learn how to help organizations preserve and provide access to their growing volume of digital assets, and they will focus on understanding the critical role electronic records play in preserving institutional memory and ensuring corporate accountability. They also prepare for successful completion of the certification exams administered by the Academy of Certified Archivists and the Institute of Certified Records Managers. (Work experience is also required to sit for the ICRM exam.)

MARA graduates will be prepared to work in a variety of settings, including corporations, government agencies, libraries, museums, historical societies, archives, and other non-profit organizations.

The MARA program is delivered in a cohort model, where a small group of students share the learning journey together. Together, they complete 14 required courses, including a course focused on preparation for professional certification exams and a culminating experience in the form of an electronic portfolio, where students learn to store and organize their own digital assets.

To learn more about the MARA program or apply, visit http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/mara/index.htm or contact Dr. Patricia Franks, MARA Program Coordinator at pfranks@slis.sjsu.edu