Library Science, MLS

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CIP Code: 11.0401

SLIS has specializations for MLS students in public libraries, academic libraries, digital libraries, school media, and other areas. Each specialization or concentration requires 36 hours of graduate courses (except School Media, which requires 39; see Certificate in School Librarianship/School Media Coordinator under Certification Programs.) These concentration share 6 core courses (18 hours) but vary in terms of resources and services courses, a librarian specialization course, and recommended electives. Each area gives students the chance to see how libraries today are information centers where users come to collaborate and build as well as investigate sources of knowledge. The core courses are: LSIS 5000 - Foundations of Librarianship and Information Services , LSIS 5225 - Selection and Use of Information Sources , LSIS 5120 - Management & Leadership of Information Organizations and Libraries , LSIS 5425 - Organization of Information , LSIS 5325 - Uses and Users of Information , LSIS 5810 - Research Methods .

These are the specialization courses, and as part of the flexibility of the MLS degree program, they also can be taken as electives by students in different concentrations:

See our SLIS homepage (www.nccuslis.org) for details about requirements for each specialization.

I. Admission Requirements

An undergraduate degree and a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.
Statement of purpose. This statement should be approximately 700-800 words (2-3 pages) Please discuss the following in the statement:
•How your personal, academic and work experiences have influenced you to apply for this program.
•What are your professional objectives and how you want to arrive at them.
•How you hope to contribute to positive change in the field, especially in light of the School’s mission “to prepare professionals to become leaders who can advance the library and information sciences in a diverse and global society.”
Resume or CV
Two letters of recommendation are also considered in the admissions process.
Applicants holding an earned doctorate degree may request a waiver.
See www.nccuslis.org for full list of admissions requirements. For more information and to begin the process, contact the SLIS Director of Graduate Studies.

II. Program Requirements

Core Courses - 18 hours

Concentration Requirements - 9-18 hours

Specialization course(s) for concentration (3-6 hours depending on the concentration)

Electives - 9 hours

Consult your academic advisor to select appropriate elective courses. Special requirements for School Librarianship as part of Certification may include undergraduate courses in addition to total 39 graduate hours. Digital Librarianship courses may have prerequisites and added elective options. Archives and Records Management concentration requires courses in Public History.

Total credit Hours for all MLS Concentrations - 36-39 hours

III. Exit Requirements

Minimal cumulative average of a B (3.0)
Matriculation for a minimum period of two semesters or four summer sessions. All work credited towards a master’s degree must be completed within a period of six years.

Joint Degree Requirements

J.D./M.L.S. or Law Librarianship

J.D./M.L.S. students must take the core courses, one type of library course, and an elective for a total of 24 hours of credit in M.L.S. A minimum of 88 semester hours of required and elective courses in the NCCU Law School (9 hours of M.L.S. courses are counted as reciprocal course electives). Consult an academic advisor and the School of Law for a complete list of joint degree requirements.

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