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General
Comprehensive Exam
Do you have a question that isn't answered here? Email your question to education[at]archivists.org.
There is no formal enrollment process for any of SAA's certificate programs. Participants can register for and take courses at any time.
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At this point, neither program allows the option to meet all requirements completely online.
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SAA members as well as employees of member institutions receive a discount on early-bird and regular registration rates. Check the Education Fees & Policies page for current pricing. top ▲
For both A&D and DAS: More experienced/knowledgeable participants may choose to gain credit by testing out of Foundational courses only. Exams for this purpose may be purchased by contacting SAA Education education@archivists.org.
As of July 1, 2019, participants cannot test out of Arrangement and Description of Digital Records: Part 1.
A&D: Certificate pursuers have 36 months (beginning in the month your first course exam is taken) to complete coursework. There is no comprehensive exam.
DAS: Certificate pursuers have 24 months (beginning in the month your first course exam is taken) to complete coursework and up to 5 months to complete the comprehensive exam once coursework has been completed.
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Both periods begin the month you take your first exam.
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A&D: The A&D certificate is valid for five years once the last course exam has been successfully completed.
DAS: The DAS certificate is valid for five years once the comprehensive exam has been successfully completed.
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A&D and DAS certificate holders who wish to renew their certificates will need to complete four courses from the certificate program's course list within the five years that their certificates are valid.
For renewal, note that:
A&D: Three courses in the A&D program are required: Arrangement & Description: Fundamentals; Describing Archives: A Content Standard; and either Copyright Issues for Digital Archives OR Privacy and Confidentiality Issues in Digital Archives. Although all are offered in person only, the former two are Foundational courses and thus may be tested out of. The remaining courses you choose may be taken online or in person.
DAS: A minimum of two courses must be taken in person; the remaining seven courses may be taken online or in person. That said, a subsection of DAS students who have taken seven webcasts—those with less experience in digital archives—have found the comprehensive exam to be particularly challenging. You may be better served by taking some Foundational courses via webcasts and completing the remainder of the requirements with face-to-face courses that address all core competencies.
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As of July 1, 2019, webcast purchases are for individuals only and include access to the exam. Each person who desires credit for the course must register separately to take the exam.
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As of July 1, 2019, webcast purchases are for individuals only and include access to the exam. Each person who desires credit for the course must register separately to take the exam.
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You'll have 60 days to complete the exam. Once you have started the exam, you must complete it within 30 minutes (and in one sitting).
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You'll have three opportunities to pass the exam. If you fail a third time, you will need to purchase the course again, or register for a different course. Please contact education@archivists.org to discuss your next options.
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In-person courses are held at various institutions across the United States. See the calendar of upcoming events.
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Our Call for Hosts survey is open all-year round. Email our department at education[at]archivists.org to express interest and/or to find out more about hosting a course. top ▲
Exams are conducted online and are included in each course registration fee.
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Each course portal will be open for 30 days after the course date. Once you have started the exam, you must complete it in one sitting and within 60 minutes (for one-day courses) or 120 minutes (for two-day courses).
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You'll have three opportunities to pass the exam. If you fail a third time, you will need to purchase the course again, or register for a different course. Please contact education@archivists.org to discuss your next options.
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A certificate program is a training program on a specialized topic for which participants receive a certificate after completing courses with specific focus and passing an assessment instrument. The certificate results from an education process and is different than a degree-granting program. They are incentive programs to work toward a tangible goal in an organized way within a designated time frame.
Certification is the process by which an entity grants recognition and use of a credential to an individual after verifying that he or she has met predetermined and standardized criteria. Certification results from an assessment process and indicates mastery/competency measured against a set of standards; it typically results in a designation.
For more information, see the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) Guide to Understanding Credentialing Concepts.
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As of April 2018, the DAS comprehensive exam is offered exclusively in an online format. It is offered in January, May, and September of each year.
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