History - Oral History

The Certificate in Oral History enables learners to practice oral history in a competent, methodologically robust and ethically sound way. It aims to introduce them to uses of oral history in museum and heritage settings, and to learn basic podcasting skills. The programme develops the methodology of collecting 'history from below', giving learners the skills to collect and interpret evidence that is not available in the written record. It enables learners to learn best practice standards in oral history methodologies. The programme has a special emphasis on developing oral history interview techniques and competencies, digital competencies and knowledge of ethical considerations that are vital to the ethical conduct of oral history.

This programme covers the following areas:

Methodological and ethical approach to the collection, subsequent use and archiving of oral history,

Key resources for best practice of oral history, such as the Oral
History Association, Oral History Society, and Oral History Network of Ireland websites.

Ethics in the oral history process, from searching for interviews to the subsequent use and archiving of those interviews.

Interviewing skills and recording skills.

Techniques to transcribe interviews, and to edit recordings.

Analysing interviews, using other sources to check veracity.
Podcasting.

Developments in the digitisation of oral history, enabling wider use of oral history in websites, museum and other heritage settings.

Applicants are required to hold:

Any Level 7 History or a cognate subject, OR
Demonstration of a record of being employed in the field of history in some way, OR
Evidence of publication in history in a good local historical journal

12 weeks part-time

Delivery: One evening per week (1.5-hours) for 12 weeks