The Graduate Certificate in Archival Administration (GCAA) at Wayne State University, one of the oldest archival programs in the country, was established both for individuals entering the archival profession and for those with experience in the field. The certificate program provides a professional education to individuals wishing to identify, preserve, and make historical records accessible for use. The GCAA prepares today's archivists in three distinct areas of solid archival professionalism: theory, professional service and cultural heritage. Today's archivist needs to be well-schooled in traditional theories as well as skilled in digital problem-solving while understanding cultural context and professional demeanor.<br><br>Located within an urban university surrounded by numerous cultural institutions and a modern Digital Media Projects Lab, the certificate program is uniquely situated to train archival professionals that are capable of working in any archival environment. The GCAA includes courses that teach students basic archival theory, methods and practice of appraisal, arrangement, description, preservation, reference, and the legal and ethical concerns regarding traditional, visual and electronic records. In addition, there are courses in records management, administration of historical institutions and a required archival practicum. Students are immersed in 100 years of theory as well as given ample hands-on work to employ preservation techniques, descriptive analysis and community outreach. The 15-credit certificate includes nine credit hours of required course work and six credit hours of elective course work. Students working concurrently on the MLIS degree and the Graduate Certificate in Archival Administration are required to complete an additional six credits beyond the 36 required for the MLIS degree.