The faculty have determined not to divide the School into
departments along IS and LS lines, believing that the LIS field is
essentially a single field divided by specialized job requirements. As a result,
students may select courses with their advisor's assistance from the wide
array of offerings as long as
they take the required courses for their degree and that their total
program of studies is directed toward their individual career goals. The
SILS faculty sees the ability to choose courses from the total offerings
of the school as one of the great strengths of our programs. For the MSLS
students, the extensive technology in our building and the cutting edge
technological expertise of our faculty provide all SILS graduates with the
requisite skills for the information workplace of the 21st century. For
the MSIS students, the deep roots of the school in librarianship, its
comprehensive special library collection and the practical and theoretical
knowledge of librarianship offers all SILS graduates, but particularly the
MSIS students, the opportunity to ground their technology knowledge in a
wider framework and to understand the intellectual problems to be solved
in a historical context. Prerequisites are carefully managed to ensure
that they are
used only to specify needed knowledge requirements and not used to exclude
students from either degree program.
In presenting details about each degree program below, we emphasize the
areas of commonality between them. These areas operationalize the SILS
philosophy that all information professionals need many of the same skills
and must deal with many of the same issues, regardless of the specific
environment in which they work.
Students in both degree tracks must have a basic knowledge of computing
using a variety of software applications. Students who do not possess the
necessary knowledge upon entrance may satisfy the requirement by
completing INLS 50, Introduction to Computing. If the course is needed,
it should be completed during the student's first semester and will not
count as credit toward the 48-semester hour Master's degree
requirement.
Students in both degree tracks must take at least one course in each of
the five functional areas listed above. All students are required to take
INLS 131, Management of Information Agencies (management function), INLS
180, Communication Processes (communication function), and INLS 201,
Research Methods (design/evaluation function). In addition, all students
must complete a master's paper or project (INLS 393, Master's Paper), and
students not having extensive practical experience are advised to enroll
in the Supervised Field Experience course (INLS 299), which provides the
opportunity for students to apply knowledge gained in the classroom in an
actual work environment.
As part of the usual committee responsibilities, the 1998-1999 Master's
Committee analyzed the data contained in the SILS database on student
enrollment in SILS classes. The question motivating the analysis
concerned the predominance of students from one or the other track in each
class. The complete results were based on 5,260 registrations from Fall
1995 through spring 1998, including summer sessions. The table presented
in Appendix D is a briefer version
that includes only those courses enrolling 10 or more master's students
during that three year period, as the percentages from very small classes
would obscure the overall picture. This table lists each course, the
number of students from each degree program in each class, and each class'
percentage of students from each degree program. The distribution in the
general population, based on the distribution in the courses required of
all students, is approximately 75% MSLS and 25% MSIS.
These data yield substantial evidence that LS and IS students do enroll in
courses typically associated with the other degree program. While LS
students predominantly take the three courses required only for the MSLS
-- 111, 151, and 153, 56% of the students taking INLS 162, Systems
Analysis, during this three year period were LS students. Additionally,
several electives reveal a more even mixture of LS and IS students in
classes:
Knowledgeable advising and extensive access to faculty for consultation
are the lynchpins for this strong, yet flexible, approach to course
selection and program integration. Faculty view advising as a serious
educational responsibility, not simply during pre-registration periods in
the spring and fall, but as a continuous process. When students enter the
program, they are assigned a temporary advisor who appears to match their
initial career interests. As their future career decisions become firmer,
students often change advisors to faculty who more closely match their
interests. Appendix E lists the faculty
with the numbers of their LS and IS
advisees as of spring 1998. Most of the advisees included in this count
have made their permanent advisor selection by the spring. This table
indicates
that there is some integration of our students across LS/IS lines in
advisor selection, but nowhere near as much as with course enrollment
seen in Appendix D cited above. These
data
indicate that while students select
advisors who are most closely
matched to their career goals to guide them in their course courses,
the faculty are advising
students to take courses across the two degree areas. Thus advising does
seem to fall into line with the general SILS philosophy of LS and IS
course integration. The students seem comfortable with the advisement
received based on responses to a recent student survey (See Appendix F).
As part of the advising mandate, the faculty as a whole takes ownership of
all the core courses and regards
it as each person's individual responsibility to be knowledgeable about
the objectives and central topics of these courses no matter who is
teaching
them. Thus, students take advantage of courses selected across LS and IS
lines. This is particularly true at two times --
when the students begin the program, as they frequently are
still learning
about the field and its opportunities, and after their future career
decisions
become more firm, when their more developed career goals demand a blend of
skills and perspectives.
Appendix G presents the entire programs
of 30 students and alumni randomly chosen, 15 from each of the SILS
Master's degree programs. Each student's program has been analyzed for
courses required in the other degree program and for the selection of
advanced electives. These 30 students clearly demonstrate that, despite a
substantial number of degree requirements and extensive offerings
traditionally associated with each degree, substantial crossover of
students from IS and LS courses occurs.
Placement for SILS graduates is handled cooperatively by University
Career Services (UCS) and SILS. UCS is equipped to assist students and
alumni in accessing a wide variety of job search resources. Its services
include: individual career advising, internship information, workshops
on job-seeking skills, resume mailing service to employers, on-campus
interviewing, and provision of occupational and employer information.
Melanie Sinche, the UCS counselor assigned to work with SILS students,
is available for individual counseling and has presented several
workshops to SILS student organizations.
Position notices for professional, full- and part-time opportunities
are placed in a job announcement notebook in the SILS library. Because
the school uses email to disseminate school information, SILS
advertises many job opportunities via the jobs-l listserv, available on
the SILS Web site. Anyone with Web access and an email account may
post and/or subscribe to the list and receive its postings. Alumni of the
school use this listserv both to pursue new opportunities and to recruit
new graduates for existing positions.
Each year for the past 12 years, SILS, in cooperation with UCS, holds a
Career Fair in the fall to bring together students looking for positions
and employers from libraries and the information industry. Twenty-nine employers and over
a
hundred students and graduates attended the 1998
Fair. Some students from the LIS schools at NC Central, UNC-Greensboro,
and the University of South Carolina also attended. Employers were
surveyed to ascertain their opinions about the Fair and about the quality
of the prospective job seekers with them they spoke. A summary of their
strongly positive responses is provided in Appendix H.
A plan for surveying current employers of Master's graduates was developed
and approved by the faculty (see Appendix
I). A random sample of
employers will be sampled
each year.
As students graduate each semester they are asked to complete a standard
Graduate
Placement and Salary Report distributed to all accredited LIS schools.
The response rate to this report has never
been high and thus, the results are not generalizable. The employment status of 19 of
this year's 92 Master's graduates is known. Of these 19, thirteen are MSLS
graduates. Five report positions in academic libraries, five in special
libraries, one in a public library, one in business and one in government.
Of the six MSIS graduates reporting, all are working with companies in the information
technology field.
Introduction
and Context
Since 1992, the School of Information and Library Science has offered
two professional master's degrees -- the Master of Science in Library
Science (MSLS) and the Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS).
From the inception of the second degree in information science, the
faculty's intent has been that these programs be integrated, balanced,
and synergistic rather than competitive. This philosophy has extended
to faculty teaching assignments, resource allocations, and student
enrollment in courses required and recommended for both degrees. We
believe the LIS field is broad and expanding and that there is an
extensive commonality in the functions that all information
professionals perform. We have elected to develop unified educational
goals for both Master's programs. Specifically, we believe five
functions are integral to all information work:
A parallel selection of core courses for both master's degree programs
reflects this philosophy. Beyond the core there is opportunity for
specialization
and, because of the two-year program, also room for electives. Certain
courses that might be designated LS courses (that is, more traditionally
library-oriented), both elective and core, are of
value to those planning to be network managers, database administrators,
systems designers, webmasters and the like. To an even greater extent,
students
intending to be academic, public, or school librarians as well as
archivists, records managers, and manuscript curators, benefit from the IS
core and elective courses. The special library group tend to walk a
middle line between the two curricula although most students in this group
opt to pursue the MSLS
path, perhaps in part because this has been the only ALA accredited
degree in the past. (See Appendix C:
Special Libraries Advising Guidelines)
The presence of students from both degree tracks is a positive factor in
SILS courses. Discussions benefit from the multiple perspectives that
students bring, depending on their backgrounds and career interests.
Students and faculty alike can identify those principles, issues, and
problems that are common to all information settings (e.g., identifying
access points to the organization's information that are useful to the
clients or patrons), while also recognizing where the specific setting or
function is a factor (e.g., in the kinds of information to which access is
needed). Another benefit is seen in classes where group projects are
required. Students have the opportunity to form multi-functional teams,
with each student contributing his/her skills and interests to the
project,
while learning from colleagues. Not only does this foster
communication between disciplines, it also mirrors common practice in the
work world, where information professionals must be able to work with
people with a variety of expertise and past experience.
Need/Demand for Graduates
Among the many indicators of need and demand for graduates of both
master's programs are number of
job postings received by the School, graduate placement reports, formal
and informal information from employers, and national surveys of the labor
market.
The Master of
Science in Library Science Program (MSLS)
The Master of
Science in Information Science Program (MSIS)
Assessment of Master's Programs
in Relation to ALA/COA Standards for Curriculum
| "The curriculum is based on goals and objectives and evolves in response to a systematic planning process. Within this general framework, the curriculum provides, through a variety of educational experiences, for the study of theory, principles, practice, and values necessary for the provision of service in libraries and information agencies and in other context." |
The curriculum of each master's program is built on a clear philosophy and theoretical basis. The evolution of the programs is directed by the Master's Committee of SILS. Part of its charge is "to review and evaluate the curriculum on an ongoing basis and to study proposals for change and to recommend action to the Faculty." Based on evaluation information received from students (see Appendix L), this past year the Committee examined the core requirements with particular attention to the two required by both programs: the management course and the communication course. The Committee recommended changes in the latter course, which were subsequently approved at a full Faculty meeting. The Committee also recommended that the management course be taught only by regular faculty and not adjuncts; faculty believe this action will address the primary student concerns with the course. The Committee further recommended that next year's committee (1999-2000) examine INLS 172 and proposed sequential follow-on courses. This process is typical of the examination and planning that undergirds curriculum change at SILS. |
| "The curriculum is concerned with recordable information and knowledge, and the services and technologies to facilitate their management and use. The curriculum of library and information studies encompasses information and knowledge creation, communication, identification, selection, acquisition, organization and description, storage and retrieval, preservation, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, synthesis, dissemination, and management." | The reader is referred to the list of courses and course syllabi available in the catalog and on the School's web site -- see http://ils.unc.edu/ils/catalog/courses.html for Courses of Instruction, http://ils.unc.edu/ils/schedule/fall99.html for the Fall 1999 list of course offerings with links to course websites containing syllabi, readings, schedule, and often assignments for most of the courses offered, and http://ils.unc.edu/ils/classes/class_home_pages.html for course websites for courses offered in previous semesters. The students' educational experience is enhanced by many other activities within the School -- colloquia, receptions, guest speakers, opportunities to work with faculty on research and service projects, independent research on the Master's paper or project, use of the SILS library and labs, and informal conversations with faculty and other students in offices and the student lounge. |
| "The curriculum ... fosters development of library and information professionals who will assume an assertive role in providing services." | SILS' 48-credit hour program provides an opportunity for students to develop a depth of knowledge in specific areas without sacrificing a broad understanding of all the functions of an information professional. Each degree program emphasizes a user orientation, in both the design and provision of information services. |
| " ... ˇ Emphasizes an evolving body of knowledge that reflects the findings of basic and applied research from relevant fields" | Faculty incorporate research findings regularly in their classes. All faculty are active researchers themselves, allowing them to bring their own and colleagues' research into the classroom. Through independent research projects SILS faculty not only bring research into the classroom, but also engage students in innovative inquiry. Students are encouraged to look at the application of research results in practical situations through course projects, field experience (INLS 299), independent studies (INLS 300, 379, 389), and the master's paper (INLS 393). Selected Topics courses (110, 210, 310) provide a vehicle whereby faculty and students can examine emerging topics of interest. |
| " ... ˇ Integrates the theory, application, and use of technology" | SILS provides an environment rich in technology. Students are required to start off with a basic knowledge of technology. Many courses incorporate technology into their basic operations, e.g., in delivering syllabi, course readings, assignments, etc. There are many opportunities for students in both degrees tracks to take courses with a specific technological focus, and students take advantage of these, as seen in the enrollment figures given in Appendix D. Yet technology is never viewed in a vacuum; the application and use of technology in the work environment is emphasized. |
| " ... ˇ Responds to the needs of a rapidly changing multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual society including the needs of underserved groups" | SILS courses in general emphasize the importance of recognizing user needs, and responding to them. Courses, such as Cultural Studies of Communication (210), and Library Information Services to Special Populations (INLS 218), specifically address these topics. |
| " ... ˇ Responds to the needs of a rapidly changing technological and global society" | International & Cross-cultural Perspectives for Information Management (INLS 204) specifically focuses on the needs of a global society. In addition, former Dean Barbara Moran has been named Director of International Programs for the School. Appendix S, "Global Connections," which lists some of the many international exchanges, projects, travels, and other activities SILS has recently participated in, was included as a theme in a document prepared for the 1999 Faculty Planning Day. Some highlights from this document appear below: |
| " ... ˇ Provides direction for future development of the field" | SILS faculty are active researchers and leaders in the profession. New courses, and frequent revisions of existing courses keep the curriculum up to date with current trends and equip students to become leaders in future new development as well. An emphasis on current issues, problems, and open questions allow students and faculty alike to focus on needs and ideas for the future of the field. |
| " ... ˇ Promotes commitment to continuous professional growth" | The SILS curriculum provides a firm foundation in theory and fundamentals of the field. It also emphasizes the necessity of keeping up with the field. "Learning to learn" is an important component in all courses. Students are encouraged to be active in student chapters of professional organizations, to attend conferences and workshops, and to monitor pertinent publications. The CAS degree, and the presence of CAS students in their classes, also provides a first hand example of the need for continuous education to SILS Master's students. Students, practicing professionals from throughout the region, and North Carolina residents often attend SILS' continuing education programs (Info to Go) and Alumni Day workshops. |
| "The curriculum provides the opportunity for students to construct coherent programs of study that allow individual needs, goals, and aspireations to be met within the context of program requirements established by the school and that will foster development of the competencies necessary for productive careers. The curriculum includes as appropriate cooperative degree programs, interdisciplinary coursework and research, experiential opportunities, and other similar activities. Course content and sequence relationships within the curriculum are evident." | Each student works with his or her faculty advisor (assigned during the first semester with opportunities for change in subsequent semesters if the student desires) to develop an appropriate set of courses and other educational experiences during the four (or more) semesters of the student's work on the degree. To the extent possible, each student's program of study is individualized based on his/her changing appreciation of the field and its opportunities during the period of study here. In some cases when the opportunity is new (a not untypical occurrence in a field like LIS where new job opportunities seem to arise daily) faculty and student explore the competency expectations together and plan a program best fitted to meet them. |
| "When a program includes study of services and activities in specialized fields, these specialized learning experiences are built upon a general foundation of library and information studies. The design of specialized learning experiences takes into account the statements of knowledge and competencies develoed by relevant professional organization." | The five core courses required for each Master's degree program provide a general framework for all the subsequent work in a specialized area that students will do. Students are encouraged to take these first five courses during their first two semesters in the program. Subsequent courses frequently specific prerequisites from these initial courses. Faculty discuss the content of the core courses regularly to be sure that all elective and more specialized courses take advantage of the content and experiences offered in them. |
| "The curriculum, regardless of forms or locations of delivery selected by the school, conforms to the requirements of these Standards." | All courses are offered at Manning Hall, the home of the School of Information and Library Science, although the School uses access technologies extensively within these courses. The curriculum, in our opinion, meets the requirements of the Standards. |
| "The curriculum is continually reviewed and receptive to innovation; its evaluation is used for ongoing approaisal, to make improvements, and to plan for the future. Evaluation of the curriculum includes assessment of students' achievements and their subsequent accomplishments. Evaluation involves those served by the program: students, faculty, employers, alumni, and other constituents." | Review of the curriculum takes place at several levels. Students provide evaluations for each course. These go to the individual faculty member and then are produced for periodic faculty reviews. Students and alumni are surveyed on their overall experience (see Appendix L: Survey of Current Students and Appendix N: Survey of Alumni). The results are analyzed and studied by individual faculty and the Master's Committee members. The comprehensive exam at the end of a student's program allows the faculty to assess the student's knowledge of major issues and their critical thinking ability. Students can made additional evaluative input in all aspects of the program through their membership on all faculty committees. |
One of the permanent charges of the SILS Master's committee is to monitor the curriculum on a continuous basis. As the content of existing courses changes to reflect developments in theory, technology, the availability of resources, etc., the relationships among courses must be adjusted. New courses, which are generally first offered through a Selected Topics (INLS 110, 210, 310) course, must also be carefully integrated into the curriculum. One suggestion is that proposals for new courses be accompanied by an impact statement, addressing their relationship to other courses as well as their impact on school resources.Planning and implementation of a proposed SILS undergraduate major is an imiportant futures initiative but faculty are determined that the new major will not deplete resources for graduate programs. SILS faculty are adamant that we will not begin such a degree program without additional space, resources, and faculty and staff. SILS must also find additional space for project-based learning and other innovative teaching technologies and techniques. Spaces issues are a major limiting factor in the growth of the School's programs and in the flexibility of offerings.
Revised 10/25/99