Department of Information Sciences

Associate Professor:	Sue Yeon Syn, Chair
Professor Emerita:	Ingrid Hsieh-Yee

History

The Department of Information Sciences was founded at The Catholic University of America in 1939 as the Department of Library Science in the School of Arts and Sciences. It has been accredited continuously by the American Library Association since 1948. The school library media program of study is recognized by the American Library Association (ALA) and state approved by the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). In 1974, in recognition of the increasing importance of its role in information services, “information science” was incorporated into the name of the department.

Vision

The Department of Information Science aspires to be a center of excellence that transforms the roles of libraries and information professionals for the betterment of human society.

Mission

Through teaching, research, and service, the Department contributes to the creation and management of knowledge and information, preserves heritage and scholarship, and demonstrates our commitment to the common good. The Department of Information Sciences produces information professionals imbued with the values of the library and information science profession, and the Department’s values of collaboration, community, innovation, and excellence. In accord with the mission of The Catholic University of America, the Department advances the dialogue between faith and reason and cultivates a commitment to service in the field of library and information science.

Program Goals

We achieve our mission by:

Educating highly competent, ethical librarians and other information professionals.
Exploring and integrating innovative technology to enrich teaching, foster scholarship and advance professional practice.
Strengthening the program by engaging in ongoing dialog to anticipate the changing needs of individuals, the community and global society.
Advancing the frontiers of knowledge and practice in library and information science.
Serving the field, the community, the region and the world.

Application

The Graduate Admissions and Department's Committee reviews each applicant's entire record. The committee considers numeric scores, background, talent and other attributes that are needed by the information professions. Readiness to engage in academic work, analytic and conceptual thinking ability, strong writing skills and a commitment to the application of new techniques and concepts to the information professions are also considered.

International Students

Information Sciences requires that applicants from non-English- speaking nations whose previous education has not been at institutions of higher education in the United States certify their proficiency in English by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum score on the TOEFL are 550-paper; 213-computer; and 80 Internet. Students taking the TOEFL should have at least 20 out of 30 in each of the TOEFL subcategories. The minimally accepted graduate IELTS score is 6.5. Individual IELTS test module scores are also reviewed in addition to the overall IELTS score. The minimally accepted graduate Duolingo score is 105. The minimally accepted graduate Pearson PTE score is 58.

A certified translated copy of an applicant’s transcript is needed if it is not in the English language. All transcripts issued from outside the United States must be certified by a recognized evaluator of international educational records, even if in the English language. Education completed at institutions outside of the United States, as shown by official documents, may be accepted as equivalent to educational experience in the United States. For more information, including deadlines for international applicants, see International Admissions.

Tuition and Fees

Students receive the Professional Programs Rate for tuition, which is reduced from the standard university tuition. For the complete Tuition & Fees Schedule, please visit Enrollment Services .

Scholarships

Kortendick Scholarships

These competitive scholarships are awarded to promising incoming students, generally as a $5,000 award to be used during the first two semesters of study. Priority consideration is given to applicants with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and combined GRE scores of at least 300. For most favorable consideration, candidates should provide GRE scores when applying to the program.

Graduate Library Pre-Professional Program (GLP) and Scholarship

The Graduate Library Pre-Professional Program, administered by The Catholic University of America Libraries with the cooperation of the Department of Information Sciences, provides selected students in the Library and Information Science program with pre-professional work experience in the university libraries. The GLP Program allows students to complete their degree requirements within a two-year period and combines full-time, salaried work with part-time study.

Participants receive the Graduate Library Pre-Professional Scholarship, which provides six credit hours of tuition per semester. The GLP program is administered by the Mullen Library (202-319-5055). More details and information on how to apply are posted on the Graduate Library Pre-Professional (GLP) Program web page.

Howard and Mathilde Rovelstad Scholarship

The Howard and Mathilde Rovelstad scholarship is offered to students who are already enrolled in LIS who have demonstrated exceptional qualities. For more information, see the Rovelstad Scholarship.

Elizabeth W. Stone Scholarship

From 2023 Spring, the department awards the Elizabeth W. Stone Scholarship to support a LIS student in financial need with $5000. The Stone Scholarship is in honor of Dr. Elizabeth W. Stone, the former department chair who became the president of the American Library Association and designer of the Americas Libraries Postage Stamp. Dr. Stone wished to create a scholarship fund supporting students from DC who need financial support for their studies in LIS. The scholarship will be awarded and applied toward the tuition for the Fall Semester. Read more about the Stone Scholarship .

Third-Party Financial Aid

Many third parties offer financial aid for library students. The American Library Association lists its own scholarship programs (ALA Scholarship Program). There are financial aid opportunities from state library agencies, national and state library associations, local libraries, academic institutions, and foundations which give some form of financial assistance.

Degree Requirements

A total of 36 semester hours of graduate credit is required for receipt of the Master of Science in Library and Information Science (M.S.L.I.S.) degree, of which 30 semester hours must be taken in Information Sciences at The Catholic University of America and completed with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B). Candidates for the M.S.L.I.S. degree must also pass a comprehensive examination.

The university normally expects that requirements for master's degrees will be completed within three years. Students who do not complete their coursework within four years of enrolling in the program must petition the faculty in writing for an extension of time. Extending the completion of coursework beyond this point requires the approval of the department chair and dean.

Baseline Technical Requirements

Successful completion of the program requires competencies in basic computer applications, such as email, word processing, Internet use, and use of library systems. Students also need regular access to computer and Internet resources, and refer to the Essential and Important requirements to assess their needs. CUA computer labs are available across campus. LIS maintains laptops for students to check out.

Coursework

Core Courses

All students are required to complete with a passing grade the following core courses: LSC 551, LSC 553, LSC 555, and LSC 557. These courses cover the central elements of the curriculum: acquisition and organization of information; retrieval and dissemination of information, technological applications; information sources and services, and the important policies, standards and ethical issues facing information professionals. A core course requirement may only be waived if the student has comparable transfer credit. Students are urged to complete the core courses within the first 18 semester hours of coursework.

Elective Courses

The department offers a rich array of specialized courses and joint-degree programs. Students will work with their academic advisers to design a sequence of courses appropriate to their professional objectives.

Comprehensive Examination

Candidates for the M.S.L.I.S. degree must pass a comprehensive examination. Students may not register for this examination earlier than the final semester of coursework. Registration for the examination requires a minimum GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.0 for courses taken in Library and Information Science, with no provisional reports of incomplete (I) remaining on the student's record. Comprehensive examination briefings with an explanation of procedures are held each semester.

Those who fail may retake it in a subsequent term. Candidates who fail a second time are no longer eligible to receive a master's degree.

The comprehensive examination tests a common knowledge base that will qualify the candidate to perform professionally and provides a foundation for the individual to acquire greater expertise as needed. Questions from former semesters and more details are available on the department's Comprehensive Exams webpage.

Courses at the Library of Congress

The program usually offers one course each term, including summer, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Excepting students in the online program, all students should expect to earn credits on the campus of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., as many classes are offered only on campus. Information about off-campus classes and specific course offerings for a given semester is available from the department office and the Website

Online Courses

In addition to face-to-face classes on campus and at the Library of Congress, the department offers fully online classes. School Library Media (SLM) students can complete their degree by taking all online courses. Other students may also complete their degree requirements by taking all online courses, though not every course in the catalog is offered online. Online students may take a practicum in the D.C. area or any area of their selection.

Grading

Letter grades are given to students taking courses for credit unless these courses are graded "pass-fail." The quality of a student's performance in a particular course, including such factors as ability to meet deadlines and participation in class discussion, is the only basis for a grade. Faculty will provide feedback to students evaluating the performance on which a grade is based.

Students are cautioned that any grade below a full B (3.0) is considered marginal in Information Sciences programs, and a grade of C is viewed with grave concern. Students receiving two grades of C may result in dismissal. Students receiving low grades should consult with instructors and advisers immediately about ways of improving their academic performance.

Students in library and information science are expected to be aware of and adhere to the university policies on grades and academic standing (including incompletes, unethical practices, academic honesty, change of grade, dismissal) and change of enrollment (including academic leave, change of course, withdrawal from a course and withdrawal from the university).

Independent Study

Academic credit may be earned for concentrated study in a subject or problem to meet a student's special need or interest. Students enroll in a formal course and work under the direction of a full-time faculty member. Arrangements must be made with the instructor well in advance of registration. Except in unusual circumstances, Independent Study should be taken in fall or spring semester, not in summer.

Practicum

Through its practicum, the department offers students a unique opportunity to gain professional experience in one of the many libraries in the Washington metropolitan area or elsewhere. Students may earn three graduate credits by working a minimum of 120 hours under the supervision of a professional librarian who is not their direct supervisor at their place of employment. Hours of the practicum may be arranged at the mutual convenience of the student and supervisor. A variety of public, academic, school and government libraries, as well as special libraries and archives, serve as practicum sites.

A student may usually take one practicum as part of the M.S.L.I.S. program. All students who are planning to work as school media specialists must plan to take a practicum (LSC 695B) course. Further details about the practicum and a partial list of sites are available on the department’s practicum website or from the practicum coordinator.

Transfer of Credit

Students may request that six semester credit hours of graduate coursework from another institution be accepted for transfer into the M.S.L.I.S. program. Students requesting transfer of credit must submit a completed Transfer of Credit/Waiver Request Form for each course; an official transcript issued to the school directly from the institution attended, and catalog descriptions of each course. The transfer of credit must be approved by the department chair, and the Graduate Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Guidelines for acceptance of credits are as follows:

The student has already successfully completed 12 semester hours in the school with at least a 3.0 average.
The courses were taken by the student after receiving the bachelor's degree
A grade of B or better was received in the course(s) for which the transfer of credit is requested.
The course(s) taken are designated on the official transcript of the granting academic institution as graduate courses, and the transcript is on file in the office of Information Sciences. (An official transcript is one issued by the institution attended that is forwarded directly to the school office and bears the seal of the university, the signature of the registrar and the date of issue.)
The student is not already excused from six semester hours because the student holds a graduate degree in another subject area.
Courses reviewed for transfer must be taken within the last 5 years.

Approval for transfer of credit involves a number of factors, including the accreditation status of the institution from which graduate credits were earned, the specific content of the courses and their consistence with the program of study that the student is pursuing at The Catholic University of America. A primary consideration is that the transferred courses not duplicate the content of courses taken in the master's degree program at Catholic University.

Courses outside the field of information science may be approved for transfer. The purpose of allowing courses to be taken outside of the professional program is to give students opportunities to gain competencies which are not available in the department, but which will substantially contribute to their education as information professionals. The student must demonstrate how the course will materially and specifically contribute to the student's professional education, make the student's program a more cohesive, and lead to a specific educational attainment for the student. Students without previous library education courses or extensive experience are advised to confine their efforts to library and information science courses.

Waiver of Core Courses

Although no more than six semester hours can be accepted for transfer, some course work in library and information science may be acceptable in lieu of core courses in the department, but such acceptance of one or more course waivers will in no way result in a decrease in the number of credit hours required for the M.S.L.I.S. An elective course must be taken for each course waived.

Students must petition for waiver of core courses by completing the Transfer of Credit/Waiver Request Form. An official transcript and a catalog description must also be submitted. Waivers of core courses must be approved by the department chair and the Graduate Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Previous Graduate Degree Exemption

A student who holds one or more accredited graduate degrees when admitted to the school will be automatically exempt from six semester credit hours, but all remaining credit must be earned within Library and Information Science. An official transcript of the graduate degree must be submitted at the time application is made to the school.

Courses Open to Undergraduates

Graduate courses at the 500 and 600 level are open to undergraduates at The Catholic University of America, who may begin graduate studies in library and information science while fulfilling undergraduate degree requirements. The students must obtain the permission of their advisers as well as the chair of Information Sciences to enroll. Credits earned in excess of those required for the undergraduate degree may be applied toward the M.S.L.I.S. program only after the undergraduate degree has been conferred and the student has officially applied and been accepted to the program by the Admissions Committee. The department also offers several undergraduate courses: LSC 255, Introduction to Information Systems; LSC 322, Digital Content Creation and Management; LSC 324, Actionable Intelligence; LSC 325, User Interface Design and Evaluation; LSC 327, Introduction to Data Science; LSC 335, Human Information Behavior; LSC 350, Information Architecture and Web Design; LSC 354, Database Design and Management; LSC 433, Information Retrieval and Analysis; LSC 452, Design and Production of Multimedia; LSC 453, Programming for Web Applications; and LSC 456, Systems Analysis and Evaluation.

Academic & Career

Advising System

Upon admission, students are assigned advisers based on the areas of interest stated in their applications. Students are expected to make contact with faculty advisers by email, in person or by phone each semester. Advisers assist students in planning academic programs, reviewing progress, and career counseling. It is the department’s philosophy that regular contact between advisers and students contributes both to the student's success and to our ongoing evaluation of the program. Students are expected to plan a balanced program of study of core courses, basic courses, and specialized electives with the assistance of their advisers. Course selections should be approved by the student's adviser.

Career Services

Catholic University maintains an excellent Career Services office to help students and alumni secure employment after graduation. They are able to help students with résumés and cover letters and help them search for job openings. Alumni may also want to check out the Alumni Career Network for more information.

Google Groups

The Library and Information Science program maintains several Google Groups that serve our community:

Students

Alumni

Adjunct Faculty

Job seekers

For more information and instructions see Google Groups.

Student Organizations

All students registered in the M.S.L.I.S. degree program are members of the Association of Graduate Library and Information Science Students (AGLISS), which each year elects officers and sends representatives to the Graduate Student Association (GSA) of The Catholic University of America. AGLISS invites speakers to the campus and schedules social events during the school year.

There are four student associations for Library and Information Science students at CUA:

AGLISS, Association of Graduate Library and Information Science Students & CUA Student Chapter of ALA

CUA Student chapter of SLA, Special Libraries Association

CUA Student chapter of ASIS&T, American Society for Information Science and Technology

CUA Student chapter of SAA, Society of American Archivists

Students also participate in the activities of other area professional associations, including the D.C. Library Association, the Law Librarians Society of Washington, D.C., and the Catholic Library Association.

Honor Society

Beta Phi Mu, the international honor society for professional librarians, established the Iota chapter at the school in 1964. The faculty nominates outstanding students, who meet the requirements as defined by the society, to be invited to join the society in the calendar year following their graduation.

Master of Science in Library and Information Science (M.S.L.I.S.)

The M.S.L.I.S. degree is highly relevant in today's information intensive world. The demand for professionals with the ability to manage information and data and help people navigate the dynamic and changing information environment is very high. Graduates assist users and organizations in finding information, making sense of information, and using information to support decision making. The roles of information professionals are expanding and becoming more stimulating and rewarding than ever.

Graduates of the M.S.L.I.S. program might find themselves employed in library settings such as academic or K-12 school libraries. They may work for special libraries serving government agencies, businesses, non-profits, or organizations that make intensive use of information, such as think tanks. They may work as reference librarians, information architects, managers of information systems, or digital librarians who manage data and information on the Internet.

Required core courses for all students are:

LSC 551	Organization of Information
LSC 553	Information Sources and Sources
LSC 555	Information Systems in Libraries and Information Centers
LSC 557	The Information Professions in Society

Students should consult their Academic Advisor for the recommended electives for their program

Community Services Librarianship Course of Study

In a global society that is increasingly diverse, culturally, linguistically, and technologically, library information professionals have many new opportunities to contribute to the lives of users, communities, and society at large. The Community Services Librarianship course of study prepares students for this type of outreach and engagement with members of a community or organization. Community services information professionals can work in public libraries, academic libraries, and all types of specialized libraries.

Students of this course of study will gain knowledge of how to understand the community’s life and culture, identify the goals and needs of its members, and work alongside them to improve their situation and their outcomes. Community services librarians excel at connecting the community with the resources and services of the library, design innovative programs to engage users, and advocate for the needs of the communities.

Representative position titles related to this course of study include Community Engagement Specialist, Outreach Specialist, Instruction Librarian, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Liaison Librarian, Marketing and Outreach Librarian, and Community Services Librarian.

Within the Community Services course of study, students can concentrate on any of the following information environments. For ease of reference, specialized recommended courses are listed for each of the three types of information environment. In addition, students interested in community archives should consult the Cultural Heritage Information Management Course of Study for additional relevant courses.

Specializations are offered in the following areas:

Public Library
Academic Library
Specialized Library

Cultural Heritage Information Management Course of Study

The Cultural Heritage Information Management (CHIM) course of study is designed to prepare students for careers in managing primary source materials in libraries' special collections, archives, and museums (AKA memory institutions). The CHIM course of study supports traditional and emerging practices of managing unique hidden collections and born-digital resources for preservation and greater access to the collections in today's digital information environment.

The Department of Information Sciences offers a variety of courses that focus on CHIM. Each student will take the four required core courses, plus highly recommended specialized courses for CHIM. Students also have options to choose courses that will prepare them for a variety of CHIM career paths. For example, students can choose LSC 677 and LSC 834 if they are interested in art and museum librarianship, LSC 747 and LSC 832 if they are interested in special collections and rare books, and LSC 646 and LSC 648 if they want to pursue a career as an archivist. Likewise, outside listed courses, there would be relevant courses to meet a student's interest. For example, students interested in digital archives can take data processing and web programming courses as recommended for professional digital archivists. Thus, it is strongly recommended that the student consult with his/her advisor to plan a course of study that will best meet the student's personal and professional needs.

Data Science Course of Study

Data science uses statistical and programming methods to extract knowledge from large amount of data to support better insight into current trends and support more effective decision-making. Because the amount of data being produced in our society has grown tremendously, effective management and analysis of data sets has become more critical than ever before. It has been predicted that there will be growing demand for data science professionals in a wide variety of domains, including scientific research, government policymaking, and commercial marketing. This course of study prepares students for careers in all these domains as data analysts, data engineers, and data journalists. In addition, students could consider taking courses from this course of study to combine with other courses of study such as Cultural Heritage Information Management and Information Organization to become data managers, data librarians, data archivists, data curators and research data librarians.

Data science is an interdisciplinary field that requires skills in statistics, systems analysis, programming and specific subject areas. The expected skill sets emphasize the importance of skills such as data/text mining, big data analytics, statistics, data visualization, coding, and machine learning. The data science course of study at the Catholic University Department of Information Sciences reflects these needs. In addition to the M.S.L.I.S. program’s four required core courses, it is highly recommended that each student takes the four data science specific courses (highly recommended courses), and select additional four courses from the listed recommended elective courses to fulfill the requirements of the program. The student will consult with his/her advisor to plan a course of study that will best meet the student’s personal and professional needs. Data science is an interdisciplinary field that requires skills in subject areas, statistics, systems analysis, and programming. The expected skill sets emphasize the importance of skills such as data/text mining, big data analytics, statistics, data visualization, coding, and machine learning. The data science course of study at the Catholic University Department of Information Sciences reflects these needs. In addition to the M.S.L.I.S. program’s four required core courses, it is highly recommended that each student take the four data science specific courses, and select additional courses from the listed recommended elective courses to fulfill the requirements of the program. The student will consult with his/her advisor to plan a course of study that will best meet the student’s personal and professional needs.

Digital Libraries Course of Study

The Digital Libraries course of study is designed to guide students in developing specialized knowledge and skills in information technologies, information organization, and end-user services that will enable them to lead digital collection/library development and management at academic/research institutions, cultural heritage institutions, special collections/archives, and other information centers.

The Department of Information Sciences offers a variety of courses that focus on digital libraries. Each student will take the four required core courses, plus highly recommended specialized courses for digital library areas. The student will consult with his/her advisor to plan a course of study that will best meet the student's personal and professional needs.

Generalist Course of Study

Librarians perform a wide range of functions in many different types of organizations. While some students develop a strong interest in a specific career specialty, others prefer a more general educational preparation that will provide them with greater flexibility to pursue a variety of options. The Generalist Course of Study guides those students in the selection of a balanced program in the six competency areas defined by the faculty: Professional Identity, Management, Resources, Services, Information Organization, and Technology (see The Professional Competencies for Graduates of the Masters in Library Science Degree Program).

Information Architecture Course of Study

Information architects develop and apply classification systems, database schemas, business strategies, processes and workflows to manage complex data sets and information resources. Their work often involves researching, acquiring, and integrating diverse datasets. They design and evaluate information environments that are as varied as shopping sites, web portals, databases, search engines and directories, online financial services, social media sites, online communities, and mobile applications.

An information architect's responsibilities can include:

Collaborating with management, clients, end users, programmers, and other IT personnel to balance the needs of the sponsoring organization and the needs of its audiences.

Establishing observable and measurable goals or objectives.
Determining what content the resource will contain and functionality it will support.
Specifying how users will find information in the resource by defining its organization, navigation, labeling, and searching systems.
Evaluating the design and usability of information resources and environments as well as user experience.
Researching and applying relevant standards.
Defining strategies for how the resource will accommodate change and growth over time.
Documenting information designs using site maps, wireframes, blueprints, controlled vocabularies, metadata schema, and other techniques.

Information architecture (IA) draws on many fields, including library science, computer science, social informatics, information design, visual design, and engineering psychology (Rosenfeld, Morville, & Arango, 2015). The IA Course of Study reflects this diversity. The Department of Information Sciences offers a variety of courses that focus on information architecture. Each student will take the four required core courses, and eight highly-recommended specialized courses for IA and other elective courses. The student will consult with his/her advisor to plan a course of study that will best meet the student's personal and professional goals.

Law Librarianship Course of Study

A specialization in Law Librarianship is the gateway to a wide variety of interesting, exciting, and challenging professional opportunities. Some law librarians work in fast-paced law firms, ensuring that attorneys have all the relevant legal and business information bearing on high-stakes cases they're litigating. Others work in federal, state, and local courts, providing judges and their clerks with the background information they need to administer justice in the traditions of our nation. Others find their professional home in academe, taking on the responsibility for the organization and operation of libraries serving professors and law students as they research, study, and write about the law. There are also public service options like public law libraries and prison libraries, where law librarians provide services to help their constituents locate legal information. No matter which path they choose, law librarians share in a stimulating and rewarding profession.

At the Catholic University of America, our Law librarianship program combines an emphasis on legal information sources and services and law library management with a general preparation for professional librarianship. Each student will take the four required core courses in the Master's degree program, required courses for the Law Librarianship specialization, and other appropriate mid-level and advanced courses. It is also strongly recommended that the student obtain professional-level experience through a combination of regular employment, internships, or a practicum. The student will consult with the law librarianship advisor to plan a course of study that will best meet the student's personal and professional needs.

Organization of Information Course of Study

This course of study is designed to guide students to develop specialized knowledge and skills related to the organization of information objects in all formats and obtain hands-on practices in metadata standards, database management, and the management of physical and digital information resources. Coursework provides students with a solid foundation in the following areas: the theory and principles of information organization, standards and best practices in information organization and management, knowledge of user needs and information seeking behavior, proficient use of technologies for organizing information, and application of research findings. A student who completes this course of study will be well-prepared to work in any type of library or information center, and will be qualified for positions such as: cataloger, indexer, metadata specialist, digital library specialist, electronic resources librarian, and technical services librarian.

School Library Media Course of Study

The school library media program is selected by students who wish to work with young people in school libraries of public and private K-12 institutions. This course of study is offered as a fully online program, but students may also enroll in some traditional face-to-face classes.

Catholic University’s LIS program is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) and is also state approved by the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Those who have completed Catholic University’s SLM program are eligible for a license/endorsement in DC and - through a reciprocity agreement - in other states and jurisdictions including Virginia and Maryland.

The CUA Library and Information Science program offers a variety of courses that focus on school library media services. Each student is required to take the four required core courses along with appropriate mid-level and advanced courses.

Note that very specific requirements must be fulfilled in order to receive the state- issued certificate, which is required to work in public school libraries. Because of this, it is vitally important that students pursuing this course of study stay in close contact with their advisor to ensure that their coursework will fulfill state requirements.

Continuing and Post-Master Education

The continuing education program is designed to offer librarians, archivists, and information specialists the opportunity to update and expand their professional competencies and skills. Those interested must complete an application to enroll as post-master's students to take selected courses. Whether you need to take a course for employment reasons, or you just want to stay current, LIS courses can help.

Post-Master’s Certificate

Students may enroll in the post-master's certificate program which culminates in an advanced certificate in library and information science. This program consists of 24 graduate semester credit hours, six of which may be taken in related disciplines. Course selection is at the discretion of the student, so may be customized.

In this program, the student also may choose to register for an independent study to investigate a particular problem under the direction of a full-time faculty member. Arrangements for independent studies must be made with the instructor well in advance of registration.

Advanced Certificate Program in Cultural Heritage Information Management (CHIM)

The certificate is designed for those individuals possessing a master’s degree in related fields who work in libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, government, and other cultural memory institutions. The certificate program offers working professionals an opportunity to acquire and renew relevant skills for career adjustment in the field of cultural heritage information management.

Certificate candidates must complete five 3-credit classes:

LSC 612	Foundations of Digital Libraries
LSC 615	Metadata
LSC 635	Human Information Behavior
LSC 648	Digital Curation
LSC 677	History and Theory of Cultural Heritage Institutions

NOTE: Candidates are encouraged to consult with the advisor (Dr. Syn) about the certificate and courses.

Certificate Admission Requirements

Applicants for the advanced certificate program are required to have a master’s degree in a relevant field and professional working experience of at least 2 years in the field (employer letter or proof of employment required); applicants are not required to take the GRE.
Application Form, accompanied by a $60 nonrefundable application fee. Applicants should list Advanced Certificate in Cultural Heritage Information Management under “Specify course(s) you plan to take.”
Transcript showing award of master’s degree.
Minimum GPA of 3.0.
Completion of the five courses (15 credit hours) of the certificate program within 24 months.

Advanced Certificate Program in Library Leadership and Management

A joint program of the Busch School of Business and Library and Information Science, the Advanced Certificate Program in Library Leadership and Management is intended for librarians who have completed their master's, but have found themselves in management positions or feel they need competency in management to advance in their careers. It offers the management education librarians may have missed in the library program, and it is specifically designed with the needs of working librarians in mind.

It is flexible and customizable to meet the needs of librarian managers in all sectors of the profession: higher education, public librarianship, school library media programs, specialized information and knowledge services, and those working in nontraditional information services roles.

The Advanced Certificate requires 18 credit hours, consisting of the following 6 courses:

MSM 505: Project Management (Busch School of Business)

MSM 652: Managerial Decision-Making: Tools and Techniques (Busch School of Business)

LSC 672: Management

LSC 635: Human Information Behavior

LSC 675: Research Methods in Library and Information Science

LSC 695A: Practicum

Joint-Degree Programs

Joint-degree programs provide students with opportunities to combine work in two disciplines in order to acquire competence in specialized areas of information science. In general, such programs allow students to obtain two graduate degrees sooner than they could acquire each independently. Joint degrees are conferred simultaneously after all requirements for both degrees have been met.

Joint J.D. (Law)-M.S.L.I.S. Program

Library and Information Science and the Columbus School of Law offer a joint-degree program to provide academic preparation for law librarianship. Many law library positions require both a law degree and a library and information science degree. The total number of information science semester hours of graduate credit required is reduced to 27, and a student in the program may apply up to 12 library science credits toward the J.D. degree.

Joint M.A. (History)-M.S.L.I.S. Program

Library and Information Science and the Department of History offer a joint-degree program requiring a total of 51 semester hours of graduate credit, 21 in history and 30 in library and information science. Completion of both degrees separately would require a total of 66 hours.

Joint M.S. (Biology)-M.S.L.I.S. Program

Library and Information Science and the Department of Biology offer a joint-degree program requiring a total of 60 semester hours of graduate credit. Of the total credit hours, between 24 and 30 must be in biology and between 30 and 36 must be in library and information science.

Joint M.A. (English)-M.S.L.I.S. Program

Library and Information Science and the Department of English offer a joint-degree program that enables students to have careers as editors in publishing, humanities librarians or antiquarian booksellers. The program requires 54 semester hours, 30 hours in library science and 24 in English.