Distance Education: Oral History: From Theory to Practice

Oral History: From Theory to Practice

Registration: February 1 - March 31, 2026

Course duration: April 6 - June 15, 2026

Oral history is undergoing a resurgence, thanks to the digital environment and the Internet.  What are the components of an oral history program? How should an oral history interview be conducted? What documentation is required to ensure that an archives has acquired the rights to ownership and use of the interviews? 

Using the publication The Oral History Manual students will be introduced to the theory and practice of conducting a successful oral history program in seven modules.

Students will also receive, by electronic mail, a self-study guide which includes instructions, supplementary reading (where applicable), self-study questions, and in most modules, a practical project. The self-study questions and projects will be submitted to the Instructor for evaluation. Upon completing all the projects within the allotted time, students will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.

Students can expect to work about 10-12 hours per week on readings and assignments for the duration of the course.

Instructor: Lisa Glandt, AABC Education and Advisory Services Coordinator

Cost: AABC members $350.00 (CAD) / Non-member $500.00 (CAD); plus the cost of the course textbook.

Textbook:   

*Students have the option of purchasing print or eBook version of the textbook:

The Oral History Manual, 4th ed. Barbara W. Sommer and Mary Kay Quinlan, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024