School of Archival Science, Palaeography, and Diplomatics of the State Archives of Milan
Specialization Course for Archivists – Two-Year Program 2025–2027
COURSES – SYLLABI AND BIBLIOGRAPHY – ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
MANDATORY COURSES
General Archival Science: Archival theory; history of archives and archival studies; archival legislation; organization, protection, and administrative practices of archives.
Technical Archival Science: Critical study, discussion, and application of traditional and innovative archival methods for the acquisition, management, classification, appraisal, disposal, reorganization, description, processing, and accessibility of archives; descriptive standards.
Methodologies for the Critical Edition of Medieval, Modern, and Contemporary Documents
History of Pre-Unification and Post-Unification Institutions
Elements of Public Law with Aspects of Public Accounting
Digital Archival Systems: Systems for the digitization of documents and images, networks, databases and research tools, cybersecurity, software evaluation, tools required by the Codice dell’Amministrazione Digitale (CAD), proprietary and open formats, data reuse, online collaboration methodologies, and digital preservation.
Design and Organization of an Archival Service: Analysis and discussion of case studies; internships or placements in external institutions.
PALEOGRAPHIC TRACK
Diplomatics: General aspects; critical study and analysis of the history of the chanceries active within the pre-unification state or in the pre-unification states of the region where the School operates; critical examination of the respective documentary typologies (in coordination with institutional history).
Latin Palaeography: General concepts; module focused on reading medieval and modern documents; practical reading and transcription exercises.
History of Medieval and Modern Law. History of the Institutions of the Pre-Unification State of the Region Where the School Operates.
CONTEMPORARY STUDIES TRACK
Diplomatics of the Contemporary Document: Analysis of 19th- and 20th-century documents of the pre-unification Italian states and the post-unification state (in coordination with institutional history); the digital document: structural/diplomatic and technical aspects.
Processing of Photographic, Oral, and Audiovisual Sources
Theory and Methods of Records Management: Document management systems and national/international standards; design of document management systems and process/system reengineering (archival, administrative, and technological aspects), with critical analysis of case studies; Management and Preservation of Digital Archives: theory, cultural and administrative policies, techniques, and intervention strategies.
OPTIONAL COURSES
Auxiliary Sciences of Archival Studies, with particular reference to the pre-unification state or the pre-unification states of the region where the School operates (chronology and metrology, heraldry and nobiliary law, sigillography).
History of Contemporary Italy
History of International Relations
Principles of Preservation and Restoration of Traditional Media. Organization and Management of Archival Repositories. Safety and Security.
Communication and Cultural Promotion of Archival Heritage, and Development of Institutional Websites
General Principles and Methods of Library and Museum Studies; Interdisciplinary Cooperation for the Protection and Integrated Promotion of Cultural Heritage
