Skip to main content
What Are the Current Issues in Digital Curation?

Curating digital materials so as to ensure their continued access has emerged as a major initiative for information organizations such as libraries, archives and businesses. Providing long-term access to digital materials has a number of challenges. Digital materials require constant and perpetual maintenance. Technologies change, equipment ages and software is superseded. Digital materials are not fixed and can easily be changed, either intentionally or unintentionally. The SOIS Certificate in Digital Curation prepares students to curate digital materials in knowledge organizations.

The SOIS Certificate in Digital Curation provides:

  • A theoretical foundation of the technical and social aspects of curating digital materials including the environments in which digital objects exist, the possible strategies for preservation, and curation lifecycles 
  • A practical foundation which includes evaluating the curation needs of digital materials, understanding specific technical issues of curation, developing curation plans for digital materials, and creating digital materials for long term preservation.

Students may combine this certificate with other coursework toward the completion of the Master of Professional Studies.

Degree Requirements

The certificate is offered for students currently pursuing an MLIS, MSIM, or MPS at the School of Information Studies (SOIS) or to returning students who want to add the specialization to a completed post-graduate degree. Candidates work in collaboration with a faculty advisor to shape a plan of study. Certificate completion requires 15 graduate credit hours.

Curriculum

Certificate completion requires 15 graduate credit hours, including:

  • LIS 775 Introduction to Archival Principles, Practices and Services
  • LIS 882 Metadata for Digital Resources
  • LIS 889 Digital Curation

Complete six semester hours from the following courses:

  • LIS 717 History on Display
  • LIS 737 Library and Data Management Systems
  • LIS 750 Information Storage and Retrieval
  • LIS 751 Database Management
  • LIS 754 Systems Analysis and Design
  • LIS 759 Digital Libraries
  • LIS 762 Critical Race information Theory (CRiT): Power of the Capture Moment
  • LIS 799 Practicum
  • LIS 801 Independent Study in Library and Information Science
  • LIS 805 Special Topics
  • LIS 885 Cultural Heritage Resources and Services
  • LIS 886 Records and Information Management

View course descriptions.

Back to SOIS Certificate Programs