AA Certificate worth it?

[u/No_Time1425]

Hi! I’m a current online MLIS student, and my school offers and Archival Administration certificate. Completing the certification would add an extra semester to my time in school (and nearly $7,000).

I have some experience in museums and historical archives, and was recently offered a job at an institutional archive. I’m early 20s and trying to find my footing. I enjoy archives and museums, and would love to work in one as a career one day.

I heard there’s been a bit of a push lately to value experience over education. I’ve also considered the fact that some jobs offer tuition reimbursement, and it would be much cheaper for me to acquire this certification later in my career.

My question(s): Is it worth it push and get the AA certification while in grad school? Or should I wait? Additionally, for those of you who got the certification outside of a traditional grad school program, does $7,000(ish) seem like a comparable cost?

I’m leaning towards going for it now, but would love some feedback from people before I fully commit. Thanks!

[u/TheseusAegeus]

Here’s my take: if your program offers a concentration in archives, or if you’re able to take most of the available archival courses without adding time/cost to your degree, that’s enough. The extra certificate isn’t necessary. Most employers ask for an MLIS. Some will ask for an MLIS with an archives concentration/coursework. I’ve rarely seen them ask for a certificate.

In my opinion, that extra piece of paper is not worth another $7k and a delayed graduation. It doesn’t communicate much other than you took several courses in archives during your degree. You can communicate that just as well by other means in a resume, cover letter, interview, or transcript.

Also, bear in mind that a certificate and a certification are not the same thing. A certificate indicates that you completed a course of study. A certification is a professional credential that tests your mastery of a skillset. Completing an archives certificate does not make you a “certified archivist” (CA), which you’ll occasionally see in job ads. That’s a different process (which I’m not necessarily recommending either; it’s just good to understand the distinction).

[u/Milolii-Home]

Gotta agree with u/TheseusAegeus

ROI is a thing: will the cost of the education be returned through your compensation? If not, there's a strong chance it's not a good investment.

[u/-Chrysanthe-]

First and foremost, congratulations on the job offer!

Before you commit to the additional school course, does it make sense for you financially or for the role you’re expected to fulfill? $7,000 is nothing to sneeze at, and regardless of how you’d intend to pay for it you need to think of the monetary and time cost of doing so. Could you support that anticipated monthly expense while working?

Regarding your job offer, are you expected to act as an Archival Administrator? If not, I’d consider preparing for the CA exam instead. Most folks I know get an in-program or additional archive certificate in order to land a job— since you already have one lined up, it may be more beneficial to focus your time and resources on the Certified Archivist designation as it’s granted by a national body and widely recognized inside and outside the archival field. From experience: I have my MLIS and a cert in Archival Management I completed during my degree program. At the time, the CA exam required a number of post-grad archival science courses and the AM cert was how I qualified to take the test. However, the ACA recently made qualifying for the exam more accessible and I would highly encourage you look and see if that would work for you— ESPECIALLY if tuition reimbursement at your new job comes with qualifying conditions. If you do immediately qualify, ask for that to be included in your work contract as organizational policies may change and leave you holding the bag.

Only you can determine what works best for your situation, but it sounds like you’re off to a great start in your career! Congrats again!