Waldemar Chorążyczewski - The possibility of establishing a doctoral programme in archive studies


Doctor studies have been included into formalised education system as a third cycle studies. In the light of ministerial regulations, the archive studies doctoral program ought to encompass classes on archives, methodology of sciences, didactics of higher education studies, the social role of an academic, conducting student internship. Does this mean, that a doctoral seminar in archive studies is excessive? On the contrary, the seminar seems to be the best place to bequeath knowledge and skills on methodology and the proper attitude of a scholar, in awareness of his or her role in the society.

By these standards, the seminar should be understood not solely as a place to forge doctoral theses, but also as a site on which to conduct discussion with one's academic authorities and advisors and guest experts; it also should be the key class, taking up the most of the timetable. The validity of preparing an archivist for the role of a university teacher has been questioned.

Both the profile of the doctor courses and observation of their effectiveness has led us to believe informal seminar to be the better way of doctoral education for archive students. Perhaps though, the kind of steps, that must be taken if doctor course on archive studies was to be created, is worth considering. Is there a chance, and, is it worth striving for the archive studies to be an independent department? It would not only mean opening doctor programmes, but also the right confer a PhD degree in Humanities, on the subject of archive studies, and not history, as it has hitherto been done. The archive studies have definite research subject, range and methodology. What is noticeable is a kind of archival sensitivity, that allows for all the users and all the purposes for using the resources to be on equal rights. Archive studies have matured, and it is ready to become an independent academic discipline. Thereby, it can be expected, that at last, it's maturity will be put to good use, by allowing formal circumstances to arise for creating an archive studies doctor programme. Someone will certainly take this opportunity sooner or later.