Become a Certified Records Manager or Certified Records Analyst

The School of Information Studies, in partnership with the Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM), offers students multiple pathways to earning their ICRM certification to become a Certified Records Analyst (CRA) or a Certified Records Manager (CRM).

Pathways for ICRM Exam Credit

Pathway #1 for exam credit: Students take and pass courses required to obtain credit for Parts 2, 3 and 4 ONLY: IM 703, LIS 886, LIS 889, LIS 757, LIS 775 and finally, LIS 799 if needed to meet the one-year requirement for professional experience) or have otherwise acquired one year of documented work experience outside of the program and have met the qualifications to sit for the ICRM exams or apply for credit for the exams through the academic partnership with Dominican University.  Upon applying to the ICRM to accept credit for Parts 2, 3 and 4 of the ICRM exam and accepting the CRA, they then have an unlimited amount of time to take and pass Parts 1, 5 and 6 to earn the CRM designation.

Pathway #2 for exam credit: Students take and pass all courses required to obtain credit for Parts 1-5 of the ICRM exam:  IM 703, LIS 886, LIS 889, LIS 757, LIS 775, LIS 754, LIS 770 and finally, LIS 799 (if needed to meet the 1-year requirement for professional experience) or have otherwise acquired one year of documented work experience outside of the program (s) and have met the qualifications to sit for the ICRM exams or apply for credit for the exams through the academic partnership with Dominican University. Upon applying to the ICRM to request credit for Parts 1-5 of the ICRM exam and accepting the CRA, they then have an unlimited amount of time to take and pass Part 6 to earn the CRM designation.

Pathway #3 for exam credit: Students take and pass all courses required to obtain credit for Parts 1-5 of the ICRM exam: IM 703, LIS 886, LIS 889, LIS 757, LIS 775, LIS 754, LIS 770 and finally, LIS 799 (if needed to meet the one-year requirement for professional experience) or have otherwise acquired one year of documented work experience outside of the program and have met the qualifications to sit for the ICRM exams or apply for credit for the exams through the academic partnership with Dominican University. Upon applying to the ICRM to request credit for Parts 1-5 of the ICRM exam, the graduate forgoes accepting the CRA and prepares to take the Part 6 exam to earn the CRM designation.

Instructions for Students

To leverage the opportunity provided through the ICRM/Dominican University partnership:

  1. Review Pathways #1, #2 and #3.
  2. Choose your preferred pathway.
  3. Directly prior to graduation, contact the School of Information Studies (SOIS) and request a review of your transcripts to confirm you have passed all courses with the required passing rate and that align to your chosen pathway.
  4. Once you have your verification letter, you will have 180 days to apply to the ICRM for credit for the exams and to accept the CRA if that is the pathway you have chosen.
  5. Before you request the verification letter, make sure you have one year of professional experience or have taken the LIS 799 internship.
  6. Go to the ICRM website using this link: https://app.prolydian.com/organizations/icrm
  7. Create an account.
  8. Select the Dominican University application.
  9. Follow ICRM instructions for uploading your transcripts, the verification letter, and employment letter verifying you have one year of professional experience, or upload the verification letter twice if you are using LIS 799 to qualify for your one year of professional experience.

Certified Records Managers and Analysts

The volume and variety of records and information produced across organizations, institutions, and industries requires effective oversight by trained, professional records managers to ensure regulatory compliance, efficiency, and productivity; to maintain institutional knowledge and memory; and to support decision-making. 

Records professionals holding ICRM credentials, either the Certified Records Analyst (CRA) or the Certified Records Manager (CRM), have proven strategic advantage based on expertise and skills in global best practices for records management, including creating and administering Records and Information Management (RIM) programs.

Certified records managers and analysts work as:

  • University archivists
  • University records managers
  • Public school system records managers
  • Records and information analysts
  • Compliance officers or analysts
  • Risk officers or analysts
  • Information governance records management supervisors
  • Information technology officers
Todd Kleine, CRM

Chief Information Officer and Instructor of Records and Information Management

“The opportunity for exam credit is a unique benefit for graduates and those who become certified through the ICRM will be equipped for real-world experience—and ICRM certification is the international gold-standard of excellence in the field.”