COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA Cultural Heritage Studies: Libraries, Archives and Museums at Aberystwyth University provides a structured pathway for understanding and engaging with heritage institutions, focusing on the practical and theoretical aspects of libraries, archives, and museums. In Year 1, students develop foundational skills in effective communication, information studies, archival understanding, and the cultural heritage landscape, alongside an introduction to history and optional modules exploring historical sources, European history, and Welsh history. Year 2 builds on this foundation by emphasizing research methodology, resource discovery, digital information management, and contemporary museum practices, while students can choose optional modules covering periods and themes in history such as the European Reformation, Weimar Germany, and the Reconstruction Era in the United States. In Year 3, students focus on professional and applied skills, including collection management and development within heritage organisations, local studies and community heritage, and the completion of a dissertation. Optional modules allow for deeper exploration of historical and cultural contexts, ranging from Victorian society to the environmental history of the Neotropics, medieval kingship, modern Japan, and Welsh history under the Tudors. Across the degree, students gain practical experience, research skills, and critical understanding, equipping them for careers in heritage institutions, libraries, archives, museums, and related information management roles, while fostering a deep appreciation of cultural preservation and historical scholarship.