Archivist Training and Archival Studies Course
Osaka University began the Archivist Training and Archival Studies Course in the 2021-22 academic year in cooperation with the Graduate School of Letters, Graduate School of Law and Politics, and Graduate School of Economics.
Due to reorganization of the Graduate School of Letters into the newly established Graduate School of Humanities in April 2022, Osaka University has changed a part of the graduate school’s curriculum.
Following the completion of the Basic Outline for a Public Certification System for Archivists by the National Archives of Japan in December 2018, Japan's Archivist Certification System officially began in fiscal 2020.
This course helps students to obtain their certified archivist license and perform archival research.
In this course, students can acquire the basic knowledge and skills necessary for acquiring archivist certification and learn about the latest trends in archival science.
The Osaka University Archives will confer a certificate of completion for the course to those who earned a total of at least 16 credits: 12 credits in compulsory subjects and 4 or more credits in elective subjects.
Individuals who earn 12 credits in the 6 compulsory subjects in this course will be recognized by the National Archives of Japan as having fulfilled one of its requirements for becoming a certified archivist.
The National Archives of Japan will begin a system to certify associate archivists from 2024. Individuals who earn 12 credits in the 6 compulsory subjects in this course will be recognized by the National Archives of Japan as having fulfilled one of its requirements for becoming a certified associate archivist. For details, reference the National Archives of Japan’s Handbook for Associate Archivist Certification.
Reference: Outline of the Osaka University Archivist Training and Archival Studies Course (link in Japanese)
Course Summary (from April 2022)
Compulsory subjects (each subject worth 2 credits)
Subjects offered by the Graduate School of Humanities
- Introduction to Archives Science
- Basic Exercise of Archives Science
- Archives Management Theory L.
Subjects offered by the Graduate School of Law and Politics
- Information Management Law
- Legal and Political Informatics
- Copyright Law
Elective subjects (each subject worth 2 credits)
Subjects offered by the Graduate School of Humanities
- Early Modern History of Japan S. 1
- Early Modern History of Japan S. 2
- Early History of Japan L.
- Medieval History of Japan L. I
- Medieval History of Japan L. II
- Early Modern History of Japan L.
- Modern History of Japan L.
Subjects offered by the Graduate School of Law and Politics
- Japanese Legal Law
- Seminar Work (Qualitative Research of Theories and Methods)
- Japanese Political History
Subjects offered by the Graduate School of Economics
- Japanese Economic History I
- Japanese Economic History II
You can look up the syllabus for each subject via the link below:
Points of Caution
- Students are recognized by the Osaka University Archives as having completed this course when they have acquired 12 credits in compulsory subjects and 4 or more credits in elective subjects (for a total of at least 16 credits).
- Some subjects are only held every other year. For more information, please check the website of the respective graduate school and/or KOAN. (KOAN is only available to OU students.)
- Graduate students at Osaka University can take this course by registering via KOAN.
- This course is included in Osaka University’s Graduate Minor Program. Procedures for the Graduate Minor Program are conducted via KOAN.
- Individuals from outside of Osaka University can take this course as credited auditors.
*Procedures for credited auditors are conducted at the respective graduate school for each class. Please peruse the website for each respective graduate school and contact the Educational Affairs Section of that graduate school if you have any questions (not the Archives).
- Online classes will be held at the discretion of each faculty member. Note that it may be difficult to complete this course entirely online.
- In order to be authorized as a certified archivist by the National Archives of Japan, students must complete the compulsory subjects in this course and fulfill the certification requirements mandated by the National Archives of Japan.
- The aforementioned certification requirements are as follows:
(1) Work Experience
- Have work experience using the knowledge and techniques mandated in the Basic Outline for a Public Certification System for Archivists for 3 or more years.
(2) Knowledge and skills necessary for archival work
- Have a master’s degree or equivalent and wrote at least one paper on an archival research project.
- For more details, please refer to the National Archives of Japan’s Handbook for Archival Certification.
For information regarding Certified Archivists and Associate Certified Archivists, please view the National Archives of Japan's Archivist Certification page linked below. (link in Japanese)
Contact
Osaka University Archives
Tel: 06-6879-2421
Email: office[at]archives.osaka-u.ac.jp (Please replace [at] with @ when contacting this address.)