Developing a new academic discipline

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to examine the historical development of archives and records management education in universities in England and review the state of research and teaching in the discipline in 2005.Design/methodology/approachUsing a framework that draws on sociological attributes, the main text provides a historical analysis derived from primary and secondary sources, together with a brief overview of current educational provision for the discipline.FindingsThe article finds that graduate education in archives and records management has developed in the UK over a period of 60 years (1947‐2005) and is well established, with seven Master's‐level programmes offered across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, in a variety of learning modes (full‐ and part‐time, open learning, face‐to‐face) and from different perspectives and contexts (history, information science, digital preservation). The university research community in the discipline has developed more recently and needs to progress quickly and soundly to support the future intellectual life of the profession.Research limitations/implicationsThe geographical scope is limited to the UK and focuses in particular on England.Practical implicationsThe paper identifies some gaps in educational provision, for instance mid‐career cross‐domain research opportunities, and an apparent lack of interest in academic research by UK practitioners, which might be further investigated.Originality/valueNo study of the historical development of the academic discipline of archives and records management has previously been published.