Library Science Master's

Answer 1

In the United States, most professional librarian positions require a master's degree for employment. After pursuing a Master's in Library Science many students go on to work as public librarians, university librarians, elementary school librarians, archivists, or historians. Many library science students choose to work for hospitals, corporations, or government offices. In order to obtain a master's degree, a student must have already completed a bachelor's degree program, which usually takes four years of full-time work. A Master's Degree of Library Science can take just two years for full-time students. Part-time students may take as long as six years. Some students continue on in the pursuit of achieving a doctorate degree or a certificate.

Library science students will learn how to catalog and archive information in addition to shelving and organizing books. Information technology has become a significant portion of library science in recent years, as computers are used to store many documents and records that librarians access. Library science students are required to evaluate research sources online and organize information obtained from them. Many students choose to emphasize a specific field relating to library science, such as school librarianship. For instance, a student studying to become a school librarian may choose to take courses related to child development. In addition to courses specific to the degree of study, a master's program will require general education requirements such as English, math, and science.

Schools that offer degrees in library science must be accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). While most degree programs are taken on-campus at a university, some schools offer online alternatives. The degrees offered online are typically just as demanding and rigorous as the on-campus options. Drexel University is one school that offers an online program for library science. North Carolina University also offers an online Masters of Library Science in addition to an on-campus program. Some on-campus options include University of Illinois and Syracuse University.