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Library Science Master's
Master of Science (M.S.)
Program type:
Major
Format:
On Campus
Online
Hybrid
Est. time to complete:
2 years
Credit Hours:
36
Specialize in information and research and learn how to share knowledge with the world.
UNT's Information Science master's program with a major in Library Science prepares
information professionals for work in a variety of roles and application settings,
including all types of libraries and other information agencies. The program rests
on a broad conceptual framework that explores the nature of information, its organization
and retrieval, and its access and use from the user's viewpoint. In addition, the
program prepares individuals who wish to pursue doctoral studies in information science
theory, research and practice.
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Request More InfoWhy Earn a Library Science Master's?
The Department of Information Science offers an ALA-accredited Master of Science degree in Library Science. The program has been continuously accredited by the American Library Association since 1965. The degree is offered:
- Completely Online
- In Denton (with a mix of online and face-to-face courses)
- In an off-campus format in Houston
- In the form of cohorts in some states
Each student works with a faculty advisor to create an individualized program reflecting the student’s career goals. The concentrations are intended to prepare graduates to succeed in a wide range of positions and information settings in both private and public organizations.
Current Concentrations are:
- Archival Studies and Imaging Technology
- Information Organization
- Knowledge Management
- Law Librarianship and Legal Informatics
- Music Librarianship
- Youth Librarianship
The master's program prepares information professionals for work in a variety of roles and application settings, including various information agencies and all types of libraries. In addition, the program prepares at a master's level, individuals who wish to pursue study in the theoretical development of information science.
To provide this education, the program rests on a broad conceptual framework that is covered in the core courses, and the program is elaborated in courses that educate information professionals for a number of different client settings. The unique nature of this program, and what sets it apart from other programs in the university that may deal in some way with the topic of information, is the approach to the study of information, its behavior, and its use from the point of view of the user.
Marketable Skills
- Information resource management
- Information access and services
- Information organization, cataloging, and classification
- Curation and preservation
- Information behavior and systems
Library Science Master's Highlights
Special lectures hosted by the college and the department feature renowned scholars
who provide different perspectives and insights into the information science field.
Our students and faculty are active members of different professional associations
and learned societies, such as the iSchools consortium, the American Library Association,
the Association for Information Science and Technology, and the Knowledge & Information
Professional Association.
The Department of Information Science provides limited travel support to select students
who are in good academic standing. These travel grants are offered to support the
costs of travel to conferences, seminars, workshops and professional meetings relevant
to their degree and course of study.
The Master of Science in Library Science is ranked 20th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. The Health Informatics program is ranked sixth in the nation.
Instruction is offered in a variety of formats, including face-to-face, online and
blended, that allows you to balance classes with full-time or part-time employment.
What Can You Do With a Library Science Master's?
Students earning this degree will be prepared for a wide range of careers, such as:
- Reference librarian
- Technical services librarian
- Youth and children's librarian
- Museum/archive curator
- Special collections librarian
- Electronic resources librarian
- Cataloging/metadata librarian
- Instructional services librarian
- Law/legal librarian
- Institutional repository /digital collection manager
- Data curation specialist
Library Science Master's Courses You Could Take
Information Access and Knowledge Inquiry (3 hrs)
Epistemological foundations of information use. Basic principles and techniques of
information access and knowledge inquiry. Survey of research in information seeking
behavior and user interaction. Introduction to systems of access, search, retrieval,
and navigation, as well as reference collection management and services.
Information Organization (3 hrs)
Principles, concepts and practices of information organization and presentation. Concepts
and problems of human information behavior, classification and categorization related
to information organization. Database technology, structure and design. Standards
for information organization, data representation and information exchange. Systems
for organizing information and facilitating information access in various information
use environments.
Economics of Information (3 hrs)
Information as an economic good and resource. Equity and distribution of information
as public good and as a commodity. Economics of the information industry. Supply and
demand of information and its pricing. Micro- and macro-economic information indication
and studies in national economics.
Digital Citizenship (3 hrs)
Investigates best practices for the use of technology in schools and libraries. The
nine elements of digital citizenship are examined extensively: digital access, digital
commerce, digital communication, digital literacy, digital etiquette, digital law,
digital rights and responsibilities, digital health and wellness, and digital security.
Storytelling for Information Professionals (3 hrs)
Storytelling ethnography, history, theory, methods and bibliographic resources. Story
research, analysis, selection, adaptation and preparation. Oral performance development
and audience dynamics. Program planning, implementation, evaluation and grant writing
for schools, libraries or other information settings.
Information and Knowledge Professions (3 hrs)
History, roles and scope of the information and knowledge professions. Basic concepts
and issues including impact of information technology on the individual, intellectual
freedom, privacy and diversity. Legal and ethical aspects of managing information
and knowledge organizations. Course activities emphasize team building and leadership
skills.
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