University of North Texas 
The Digital Curation and Data Management Graduate Academic Certificate (GAC) prepares students and practicing information professionals with the competencies (i.e., knowledge, skills, and abilities) for the emerging digital curation and data management workforce. It also prepares students to qualify for, and excel in the evolving opportunities in digital curation and data management.
The curriculum for this Certificate comprises four online courses that provide the conceptual foundation and application experiences to develop a defined set of competencies needed to address management, curation, preservation, and stewardship of digital data and information.
Students will learn both fundamental concepts and practical skills needed to perform essential job functions that are relevant to digital curation and data management. The courses provide students hands-on experiences with technologies and applications in a virtual lab setting to develop the necessary technical competencies.
THE DIGITAL CURATION AND DATA MANAGEMENT GAC CAN BE COMPLETED 100% ONLINE!
The Graduate Academic Certificate program is intended for at least three primary audiences:
Library and Information Sciences students: Students who are currently pursuing a Master's degree in the Department of Information Science at the University of North Texas. Students can earn the certificate while completing the Master's degree.
Graduate students in disciplines who may be responsible for research data management: More and more disciplines work with digital data and information in research activities, and current graduate students may be responsible for managing and curating such data. These graduate students will benefit from the competencies they develop through this certificate.
Post-Masters Library and Information Science Professionals: Working professionals who want to re-tool and develop expertise in digital curation and data management by taking additional graduate level courses to receive an academic credential.
Who needs this Certificate?
- Potential and practicing information professionals who foresee career opportunities in positions to acquire, manage, and preserve digital data and information throughout its lifecycle.
- Graduate students in other fields and disciplines who may be responsible for managing and curating research data and other digital information.
Prerequisites
No particular prerequisites for this GAC. However, courses listed under the GAC may have prerequisites that need to be satisfied. Students should consult the instructors prior to taking the individual courses.
Course Requirements
Completion of 12 credit hours of coursework, including 9 credit hours (3 courses) of required courses and 3 credit hours (1 course) of elective courses.
Required Courses:
The following new requirements will be effective from Fall 2024.
Required Courses
- INFO5740 Introduction to Digital Libraries
-
INFO5841 Data Curation and Management (note: Course title and description have changed)
-
INFO5843 Digital Curation: Strategies and Application (note: Course title and description have changed)
Elective Courses
- INFO5223 Metadata and Networked Information Organization and Retrieval I
- INFO5741 Digital Humanities
- INFO5742 Web Archiving
Those currently pursuing their GAC may choose between the current requirements or the new requirements. If you have any questions, please contact the GAC coordinator.
The following requirements will be valid until Summer 2024.
- INFO 5740 Introduction to Digital Libraries
Introduction to conceptual, practical and technical issues for developing and managing digital libraries. Theoretical foundations, technical infrastructures, digital objects (including born-digital objects and digitized objects), digital collection, organization and representation of information, user and service evaluation, and social, cultural and policy issues are discussed.
- INFO 5841 Digital Curation Fundamentals
Introduces fundamental concepts, practices, procedures, processes, and vocabulary for the entire curation lifecycle of digital materials and data, from creation through appraisal, ingest, and storage, to access and reuse. Covers history and background; concepts and principles; community standards and practices; challenges and issues; and basic techniques for curating and managing digital materials and data.
- INFO 5843 Preservation Planning and Implementation for Digital Curation
Provides students an opportunity to develop a plan for preservation throughout the curation lifecycle of digital materials and data. Students apply digital curation concepts and models to understand preservation planning processes and use various tools and applications to implement the plan on digital materials and data.
Elective Courses (One of the following courses will fulfill the elective course requirement):
- INFO 5306 Project Management for Information Systems
- INFO 5707 Data Modeling for Information Professionals
- INFO 5842 Digital Curation Tools and Applications
- INFO 5844 Advanced Topics in Digital Curation
NOTE: INFO 5741 Digital Humanities will count as an elective. Contact the program coordinator for approval.
Once You Are Admitted
Once admitted, you will be assigned an advisor who will assist you in getting enrolled for classes and beginning the Graduate Academic Certificate Program.
Note: If you are a current IS Master's student and you are applying for a GAC, please
complete the Application for Concurrent Graduate Academic Certificate Programs (EUID and UNT password login required) so that your academic certificate program
will show up on your transcript. If you do not complete the form before your graduating
semester, the Toulouse Graduate School will not accept your request for the certificate.
Academic Certificate Completion Form and Request to Receive Your Certificate
Once you complete your course work, please submit the Request for Graduate Academic Certificate of Completion form to receive your certificate.
Alumni Testimonials
How This Certificate Changed Their Professional Paths
"As digital literacy continues to influence and shape modern society, it was important for me to supplement my education with skills that meet this growing need. The Digital Curation and Data Management Certificate program was exactly the type of program that could bring my skills to the next level. The courses offered through this program cover relevant topics that pertain to digital curation such as digital policy making, preservation of born-digital materials, and database management. Learning these skills has given me the foundation to excel in the exciting field of digital preservation!"
"I would recommend the Digital Curation and Data Management Certificate to anyone in the library and information sciences! As a public-school librarian, this GAC helped me secure a job in higher education and prepared me to develop an oral-history-cum-local-music project with the university archivist. I really appreciated the hands-on projects and the ability to choose my own topics to explore through the use of current tools and methods. I am able to speak knowledgeably and credibly with other professionals in the field of digital humanities"
"The Digital Curation and Data Management Certificate was a turning point in my career. The program's focus on real-world applications allowed me to bring innovative solutions to strategic planning and library services in a variety of library environments. It provided a solid foundation for understanding the complexities of the scholarly ecosystem, enabling me to play a pivotal role in shaping library services and strategic planning at institutions like Kansas State University and the University of Arkansas."
Contact Information
| Title | Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinator | Dr. Jeonghyun (Annie) Kim | Jeonghyun.Kim@unt.edu |
| Asst. Dir., Student Support Services | Rachel Hall | CI-Advising@unt.edu |
| Interim Department Chair | Dr. Yunfei Du | LIS-Chair@unt.edu |
Initial development of the Digital Curation and Data Management Certificate was supported by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.