Certificate Program
In 2011, Rare Book School inaugurated its Certificate of Proficiency Program, which allows students to create a specialized focus for their coursework at RBS and to earn formal recognition for their concentrated studies at the School. The program enables students to plan for and to attend a series of related classes that reflect their bibliographical interests.
Enrolled students will select and/or propose and complete a series of five classes within eight years (i.e., a student completing a certificate in 2023 can apply courses to the certificate from 2016 and on; a student completing a certificate in 2022 can apply courses going back to 2015, &c.). Prospective students should complete a proposal for a course of study, available online. Certificates are awarded every April and October.
Certificate of Proficiency Proposal
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1. Frequently Asked Questions
Can the online courses count toward my certificate?
Online courses can be applied toward certificates of proficiency. The following combinations serve as the equivalent of one 30-hour in-person course: a combination of three 6-hour courses; or two of either the 10- or 12-hour courses (including one 10-hour and one 12-hour); or a combination of one 10-hour or 12-hour course with one 6-hour course; or two 6-hour courses with one 10- or 12-hour course; or one 22-hour course. These short course pairings do not have to be related topically; you will be able to explain in your course proposal why you selected them and how they contribute to your overall certificate program.
When and how can I join the RBS Certificate of Proficiency Program?
Students can enroll in the program at any time. Students should submit a proposal, available online, for a particular certificate.
Can my former RBS classes count toward my certificate?
Yes, so long as all of the courses counted toward the certificate are attended within the required eight-year period. This means that a student completing a certificate in 2023 can apply courses to the certificate from 2016 and on (but not before 2016), a student completing a certificate in 2022 can apply courses going back to 2015, and so on. Online courses count toward Certificates of Proficiency. Due to the cancellation of Summer 2020 courses, all Certificate applicants impacted by the cancellations have an extra year to complete their five applicable courses.
If I’ve already taken the five courses within the last eight years, can I get a certificate?
Yes, so long as the courses fulfill the requirements for one of the programs outlined below.
Can the same course count towards two certificates?
No; you cannot “recycle” courses for multiple certificates. Students who have concerns about meeting specific requirements should contact and consult with the Director of Programs & Education.
2. Certificate of Proficiency Programs
A. The Certificate of General Proficiency
To obtain a certificate of general proficiency, students must attend any four courses, plus any one historical survey listed below.
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Survey CoursesCourse No.
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G-20
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G-30
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H-10
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H-15
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H-20
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H-25
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H-30
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H-40
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H-85
B. The Certificate of Proficiency with Area Concentrations
Students must attend five courses, including one survey course (see table above and note that follows), plus an area requirement for three courses in one concentration. Please note, History of the Book, 200–2000 does not fulfill the survey requirement for a concentration. Book Design & Production and The Global Book do not count as area concentrations.
Survey requirement: one historical survey, such as The Printed Book in the West to 1800, The History of the Book in America: A Survey from Colonial to Modern, or Printed Books since 1800: Description and Analysis.
Area requirement: three courses of a designated area (e.g., history of bookbinding, history of illustration; history of manuscripts; &c.) See list of areas below.
Example 1: Certificate of Proficiency with an Area Concentration in the History of Bookbinding
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Survey requirement fulfilled by
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Area requirement fulfilled by
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-
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Elective, in this instance fulfilled by
Example 2: Certificate of Proficiency with an Area Concentration in the History of Manuscripts
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Survey requirement fulfilled by
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Area requirement fulfilled by
-
-
-
Elective, in this instance fulfilled by
C. The Certificate of Proficiency in a Specialized Area
Students must attend five courses, including four courses within an area. The certificate in Book Design & Production requires that the four courses be from at least three different topic areas; the certificate in The Global Book requires that the four courses be from at least three different regions.
Example 1: Certificate of Proficiency with a Specialization in Illustration
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Specialization requirement fulfilled by:
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-
-
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Elective:
Example 2: Certificate of Proficiency with a Specialization in the History of Manuscripts
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Specialization requirement fulfilled by:
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-
-
-
Elective:
3. Areas
N.B.: Courses marked with * are not currently offered.
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American Book History
- B-75v. American Publishers’ Bookbindings, 1800–1900
- C-75v. Introduction to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture *
- H-15. The History of the Book in America: A Survey from Colonial to Modern
- H-50. The American Book in the Industrial Era, 1820–1940
- H-60. The History of European & American Papermaking *
- H-70. The History of the Book in America, c.1700–1830
- H-95. Reading Publishers’ Archives for the Study of the American Book
- H-115. Book Production and Social Practice in Early Modern Europe and America
- H-130. The History & Construction of the Mesoamerican Codex, 600–1550 *
- H-135. The History of the Book in Antebellum America
- H-135v. Key Moments in the History of the Book in the Antebellum United States *
- H-150. A History of the Indigenous Book in the Americas
- H-150v. Indigenous Book History in Virtual Space *
- H-170v. Spanish American Textual Technologies to 1700 *
- H-175v. The Printing Press in Spanish America: 1492–1833
- H-180v. Six Degrees of Phillis Wheatley
- H-185. African American Print Cultures in the Nineteenth Century
- H-185v. African American Print Cultures in the Nineteenth-Century United States *
- I-45v. The Photographic Book since 1843
- L-45. Reference Sources for Researching Printed Americana
- L-135. Reference Sources for Researching Printed Western Americana
-
Bibliography
- G-10. Introduction to the Principles of Bibliographical Description
- G-10v. Descriptive Bibliography: The Fundamentals *
- G-20. Printed Books to 1800: Description & Analysis
- G-30. Printed Books since 1800: Description & Analysis *
- G-40. Physical Bibliography for Book Conservators
- G-45. Analytical Bibliography
- G-50. Advanced Descriptive Bibliography
- G-55. Scholarly Editing: Principles & Practice
- G-65. Forgeries, Facsimiles & Sophisticated Copies
- G-65v. Forgeries, Facsimiles & Sophisticated Copies (Online)
- G-70. Advanced Seminar in Critical Bibliography
- G-75. Paper as Bibliographical Evidence
- G-80. Identifying and Understanding Twentieth-Century Duplicating Technologies
- G-85. Why Black Bibliography Matters
- L-100. Digital Approaches to Bibliography & Book History
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History of Bookbinding
-
History of the Book in Asia
- H-85. The History of the Book in China
- H-140. The History & Culture of the Tibetan Book
- H-160. The History of Books and Printing in Korea
- I-85. Japanese Prints and Illustrated Books in Context
- I-90. The Art of the Book in Edo & Meiji Japan, 1615–1912 *
- I-95. Hokusai & Book Illustration *
- M-85. Introduction to Islamicate Manuscripts
- M-85v. Introduction to Islamicate Manuscripts *
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Collections Cataloging & Description
- C-30. Developing Collections: Donors, Libraries & Booksellers
- C-75v. Introduction to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture *
- C-90. Provenance: Tracing Owners & Collections
- G-10. Introduction to the Principles of Bibliographical Description
- G-10v. Descriptive Bibliography: The Fundamentals *
- G-20. Printed Books to 1800: Description & Analysis
- G-30. Printed Books since 1800: Description & Analysis *
- G-40. Physical Bibliography for Book Conservators
- G-45. Analytical Bibliography
- G-50. Advanced Descriptive Bibliography
- G-55. Scholarly Editing: Principles & Practice
- G-65. Forgeries, Facsimiles & Sophisticated Copies
- G-65v. Forgeries, Facsimiles & Sophisticated Copies (Online)
- G-75. Paper as Bibliographical Evidence
- G-85. Why Black Bibliography Matters
- H-65. Material Foundations of Map History, 1450–1900
- I-45v. The Photographic Book since 1843
- L-25v. Reference Sources for Researching Rare Books
- L-30. Rare Book Cataloging
- L-35. Advanced Rare Book Cataloging Workshop
- L-40. Visual Materials Cataloging *
- L-45. Reference Sources for Researching Printed Americana
- L-60. Introduction to Archives for Special Collections Librarians, Booksellers & Collectors
- L-105. Preservation Imaging: Science, Scholarship, and the Artifact
- L-110. Integrating Born-Digital Materials: Archival Standards & Approaches *
- L-130v. Digital Sustainability for Cultural Collections
- L-135. Reference Sources for Researching Printed Western Americana
- L-145. Medieval Manuscript Fragments: Cataloging & Discoverability
- L-150. Modern Special Collections Cataloging
- L-155v. Institutional Book Arts Collections: Evaluating & Describing
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The Book in Continental Europe and Great Britain
- B-10. Introduction to the History of Bookbinding
- B-40. Medieval & Early Renaissance Bookbinding Structures *
- B-50. Advanced Seminar in the History of Bookbinding *
- B-65. English Bookbindings, 1450–1850: Identification & Interpretation
- C-85. Law Books: History & Connoisseurship
- C-90. Provenance: Tracing Owners & Collections
- H-10. Histories of the Book, 200–2000
- H-20. The Book in the Manuscript Era
- H-25. Fifteenth-Century Books in Print & Manuscript
- H-30. The Printed Book in the West to 1800
- H-40. The Printed Book in the West since 1800
- H-80v. The Stationers’ Company to 1775
- H-105. The Bible and Histories of Reading
- H-115. Book Production and Social Practice in Early Modern Europe and America
- H-120. Textual Mobilities: Works, Books & Reading Across Early Modern Europe
- H-120v. Textual Connected Histories: Books and Reading in the Early Modern European World *
- H-125. The Books of the Plays: Shakespeare & Print *
- I-40. The Illustrated Scientific Book to 1800
- I-40v. Making the Early Modern Illustrated Scientific Book
- I-45. The Photographic Book since 1843
- I-50. Six Hundred Years of Botanical Illustration
- L-145. Medieval Manuscript Fragments: Cataloging & Discoverability
- M-10. Introduction to Paleography, 800–1500
- M-20. Seminar in Western Codicology
- M-50. Introduction to Illuminated Manuscripts
- M-55. The Book of Hours, 1250–1550
- M-70. The Handwriting & Culture of Early Modern English Manuscripts
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Book Design & Production - Binding
- B-10. Introduction to the History of Bookbinding
- B-40. Medieval & Early Renaissance Bookbinding Structures *
- B-50. Advanced Seminar in the History of Bookbinding *
- B-65. English Bookbindings, 1450–1850: Identification & Interpretation
- B-75v. American Publishers’ Bookbindings, 1800–1900
- G-10v. Descriptive Bibliography: The Fundamentals *
- G-65v. Forgeries, Facsimiles & Sophisticated Copies (Online)
-
Book Design & Production - General
- G-10. Introduction to the Principles of Bibliographical Description
- G-20. Printed Books to 1800: Description & Analysis
- G-30. Printed Books since 1800: Description & Analysis *
- G-40. Physical Bibliography for Book Conservators
- G-45. Analytical Bibliography
- G-55. Scholarly Editing: Principles & Practice
- G-65. Forgeries, Facsimiles & Sophisticated Copies
- G-75. Paper as Bibliographical Evidence
-
Book Design & Production - History
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Book Design & Production - Illustration and Printing Processes
- G-80. Identifying and Understanding Twentieth-Century Duplicating Technologies
- I-10. The History of Printed Book Illustration in the West
- I-20. Book Illustration Processes to 1900
- I-30. Advanced Seminar in Book Illustration Processes
- I-35. The Identification of Photographic & Digital Print Processes
- I-45. The Photographic Book since 1843
- I-50. Six Hundred Years of Botanical Illustration
- I-85. Japanese Prints and Illustrated Books in Context
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Book Design & Production - Typography and Book Design
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Digital Materials
- H-110. The Art & Science of Cartography, 200–1550 *
- L-65. Digitizing the Cultural Record *
- L-70. XML in Action: Creating Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) Texts *
- L-95. Born-Digital Materials in Special Collections *
- L-100. Digital Approaches to Bibliography & Book History
- L-110. Integrating Born-Digital Materials: Archival Standards & Approaches *
- L-115. Community Archives and Digital Cultural Memory
- L-120. Introduction to Audiovisual Archives Management
- L-155v. Institutional Book Arts Collections: Evaluating & Describing
- M-95. The Medieval Manuscript in the Twenty-First Century *
- M-105v. Using Digitized Manuscripts
-
The Global Book - America
- B-75v. American Publishers’ Bookbindings, 1800–1900
- C-75v. Introduction to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture *
- H-15. The History of the Book in America: A Survey from Colonial to Modern
- H-50. The American Book in the Industrial Era, 1820–1940
- H-60. The History of European & American Papermaking *
- H-70. The History of the Book in America, c.1700–1830
- H-95. Reading Publishers’ Archives for the Study of the American Book
- H-115. Book Production and Social Practice in Early Modern Europe and America
- H-130. The History & Construction of the Mesoamerican Codex, 600–1550 *
- H-135. The History of the Book in Antebellum America
- H-135v. Key Moments in the History of the Book in the Antebellum United States *
- H-150. A History of the Indigenous Book in the Americas
- H-150v. Indigenous Book History in Virtual Space *
- H-170v. Spanish American Textual Technologies to 1700 *
- H-175v. The Printing Press in Spanish America: 1492–1833
- H-180v. Six Degrees of Phillis Wheatley
- H-185. African American Print Cultures in the Nineteenth Century
- H-185v. African American Print Cultures in the Nineteenth-Century United States *
- I-40v. Making the Early Modern Illustrated Scientific Book
-
The Global Book - Asia
- H-85. The History of the Book in China
- H-140. The History & Culture of the Tibetan Book
- H-160. The History of Books and Printing in Korea
- I-85. Japanese Prints and Illustrated Books in Context
- I-90. The Art of the Book in Edo & Meiji Japan, 1615–1912 *
- I-95. Hokusai & Book Illustration *
- M-85. Introduction to Islamicate Manuscripts
- M-85v. Introduction to Islamicate Manuscripts *
-
The Global Book - Continental Europe and Great Britain
- B-10. Introduction to the History of Bookbinding
- B-40. Medieval & Early Renaissance Bookbinding Structures *
- B-50. Advanced Seminar in the History of Bookbinding *
- B-65. English Bookbindings, 1450–1850: Identification & Interpretation
- C-85. Law Books: History & Connoisseurship
- C-90. Provenance: Tracing Owners & Collections
- H-10. Histories of the Book, 200–2000
- H-20. The Book in the Manuscript Era
- H-25. Fifteenth-Century Books in Print & Manuscript
- H-30. The Printed Book in the West to 1800
- H-40. The Printed Book in the West since 1800
- H-80v. The Stationers’ Company to 1775
- H-105. The Bible and Histories of Reading
- H-115. Book Production and Social Practice in Early Modern Europe and America
- H-120. Textual Mobilities: Works, Books & Reading Across Early Modern Europe
- H-120v. Textual Connected Histories: Books and Reading in the Early Modern European World *
- H-125. The Books of the Plays: Shakespeare & Print *
- I-40. The Illustrated Scientific Book to 1800
- I-45. The Photographic Book since 1843
- I-50. Six Hundred Years of Botanical Illustration
- M-10. Introduction to Paleography, 800–1500
- M-20. Seminar in Western Codicology
- M-50. Introduction to Illuminated Manuscripts
- M-55. The Book of Hours, 1250–1550
- M-70. The Handwriting & Culture of Early Modern English Manuscripts
- M-100v. Fragmentology
-
History of Illustration
- H-35. Modern Art of the Book *
- H-65. Material Foundations of Map History, 1450–1900
- H-110. The Art & Science of Cartography, 200–1550 *
- H-155. The History of Artists’ Books since 1950
- I-10. The History of Printed Book Illustration in the West
- I-20. Book Illustration Processes to 1900
- I-30. Advanced Seminar in Book Illustration Processes
- I-35. The Identification of Photographic & Digital Print Processes
- I-40. The Illustrated Scientific Book to 1800
- I-40v. Making the Early Modern Illustrated Scientific Book
- I-45. The Photographic Book since 1843
- I-85. Japanese Prints and Illustrated Books in Context
- I-90. The Art of the Book in Edo & Meiji Japan, 1615–1912 *
- I-95. Hokusai & Book Illustration *
- M-50. Introduction to Illuminated Manuscripts
-
History of Letterforms
- H-25. Fifteenth-Century Books in Print & Manuscript
- M-10. Introduction to Paleography, 800–1500
- M-20. Seminar in Western Codicology
- M-50. Introduction to Illuminated Manuscripts
- M-70. The Handwriting & Culture of Early Modern English Manuscripts
- T-10. The History of Typography
- T-60v. The History of 19th- & 20th-Century Typography & Printing
-
Librarianship
- C-30. Developing Collections: Donors, Libraries & Booksellers
- C-75v. Introduction to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture *
- I-45v. The Photographic Book since 1843
- L-10. Special Collections Curatorship
- L-25v. Reference Sources for Researching Rare Books
- L-30. Rare Book Cataloging
- L-35. Advanced Rare Book Cataloging Workshop
- L-40. Visual Materials Cataloging *
- L-45. Reference Sources for Researching Printed Americana
- L-60. Introduction to Archives for Special Collections Librarians, Booksellers & Collectors
- L-50. Special Collections Leadership Seminar
- L-65. Digitizing the Cultural Record *
- L-70. XML in Action: Creating Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) Texts *
- L-95. Born-Digital Materials in Special Collections *
- L-105. Preservation Imaging: Science, Scholarship, and the Artifact
- L-110. Integrating Born-Digital Materials: Archival Standards & Approaches *
- L-115. Community Archives and Digital Cultural Memory
- L-120. Introduction to Audiovisual Archives Management
- L-125. Scientific Analysis of the Book
- L-135. Reference Sources for Researching Printed Western Americana
- L-145. Medieval Manuscript Fragments: Cataloging & Discoverability
- L-150. Modern Special Collections Cataloging
- L-155v. Institutional Book Arts Collections: Evaluating & Describing
-
History of Manuscripts
- H-20. The Book in the Manuscript Era
- H-25. Fifteenth-Century Books in Print & Manuscript
- H-130. The History & Construction of the Mesoamerican Codex, 600–1550 *
- L-145. Medieval Manuscript Fragments: Cataloging & Discoverability
- M-10. Introduction to Paleography, 800–1500
- M-20. Seminar in Western Codicology
- M-50. Introduction to Illuminated Manuscripts
- M-55. The Book of Hours, 1250–1550
- M-70. The Handwriting & Culture of Early Modern English Manuscripts
- M-85. Introduction to Islamicate Manuscripts
- M-85v. Introduction to Islamicate Manuscripts *
- M-90. Advanced Seminar in Medieval Manuscript Studies
- M-95. The Medieval Manuscript in the Twenty-First Century *
- M-100v. Fragmentology
-
History of Printed Books to 1800
- B-40. Medieval & Early Renaissance Bookbinding Structures *
- G-20. Printed Books to 1800: Description & Analysis
- H-20. The Book in the Manuscript Era
- H-25. Fifteenth-Century Books in Print & Manuscript
- H-30. The Printed Book in the West to 1800
- H-70. The History of the Book in America, c.1700–1830
- H-100. The Eighteenth-Century Book *
- H-105. The Bible and Histories of Reading
- H-115. Book Production and Social Practice in Early Modern Europe and America
- H-120. Textual Mobilities: Works, Books & Reading Across Early Modern Europe
- H-120v. Textual Connected Histories: Books and Reading in the Early Modern European World *
- H-125. The Books of the Plays: Shakespeare & Print *
- H-170v. Spanish American Textual Technologies to 1700 *
- H-175v. The Printing Press in Spanish America: 1492–1833
- H-180v. Six Degrees of Phillis Wheatley
- I-40. The Illustrated Scientific Book to 1800
- I-40v. Making the Early Modern Illustrated Scientific Book
- T-10. The History of Typography
-
History of Printed Books since 1800
- B-75v. American Publishers’ Bookbindings, 1800–1900
- G-30. Printed Books since 1800: Description & Analysis *
- G-80. Identifying and Understanding Twentieth-Century Duplicating Technologies
- H-35. Modern Art of the Book *
- H-40. The Printed Book in the West since 1800
- H-50. The American Book in the Industrial Era, 1820–1940
- H-135. The History of the Book in Antebellum America
- H-135v. Key Moments in the History of the Book in the Antebellum United States *
- H-155. The History of Artists’ Books since 1950
- H-185. African American Print Cultures in the Nineteenth Century
- H-185v. African American Print Cultures in the Nineteenth-Century United States *
- I-45. The Photographic Book since 1843
- T-10. The History of Typography
- T-60v. The History of 19th- & 20th-Century Typography & Printing