Master Archives

Archival science (Archives) is the discipline concerned with appraising, organizing, preserving and providing access to records and documents of lasting value, and this master's program is delivered by Université d'Angers in Angers, France. Students in an archives program typically study the history and theory of archival practice, records management, preservation techniques for paper and digital materials, cataloguing and description standards, and the legal frameworks governing access to public and private records. Coursework often combines classroom instruction with practical work handling documents, projects involving the classification and digitization of archival collections, and placements within archive services or institutions holding historical records. Graduates from archival science programs typically work as archivists in public archives, libraries, museums, corporate records departments, or government agencies, managing collections and helping researchers and the public access historical and administrative documents. The program is a two-year master's degree, taught in French, so candidates need solid academic French for both coursework and the detailed cataloguing and documentation work central to the field. Classes begin in September, and yearly tuition is 250 euros. Students interested in this path should have an appreciation for detailed, methodical work, since archival science combines historical curiosity with the practical discipline of organizing and preserving records so that they remain usable and accessible over time.