Students who concentrate in the archives and records specialization and complete all the coursework in this specialization can develop a portfolio for prospective employers including the following items (it is not a requirement of the program that a portfolio is created, but it is recommended that students do this as they enter the job market):

• Research Paper on some aspect of archives, records management, information resources management, or related area (such as preservation management). This paper demonstrates the student's knowledge of the pertinent archives and records theory, methodology,  and practice.  It also reflects the student's writing ability. This paper also gives the student an opportunity to read deeply in one area of archives or records relating to their own career interests.  Students will have multiple opportunities to prepare research papers throughout the program, and they will be able to select one or two of their best efforts for inclusion in a portfolio.
  
  Finding Aid or Archival Representation Study for historical manuscripts, archival records, or an electronic recordkeeping system. This product demonstrates the student's understanding of archival descriptive standards, decision making concerning the appropriate level of description, approaches to representing records and archives through various metadata forms and in various media, as well as the student's ability to prepare practical finding aids to support retrieval from records  systems.
  
  
• Acquisition or Appraisal Policy Evaluation of an historical records, archives, or organizational records management program. This evaluation demonstrates the student's comprehension of appraising records and recordkeeping systems or the student's ability to critique and develop acquisition policies.
  
  
• User Study, Analysis of an Archives Web Site, or Case Study of Records' Value, reflecting the student's ability to assess how archives and records professionals interact with researchers and the public.
  
  
• Preservation Assessment, in which students conduct a survey of an archival collection in a local institution, critically examine the results, and suggest areas for improvement in such areas as environmental conditions housing, treatment, and handling.
   
  Fieldwork Product, reflecting a student's work in an archives, records management program, or some other related site. This product will demonstrate the student's application of theoretical and conceptual approaches to real-world situations and root this knowledge in practice.
  
• Resume and Cover Letters, summarizing a student's educational and experiential preparation for seeking and securing a professional archives or records position.  Faculty in the Archives and Records Management specialization are available for advising on resumes and cover letters, as necessary.