Combined B.A./M.L.S. or B.S./M.L.S. Program
The combined B.A./M.L.S. or B.S./M.L.S. program in information science and policy provides a unique opportunity for capable, highly motivated students to pursue any undergraduate liberal arts major while at the same time beginning their professional preparation for a career in the rapidly expanding information management fields. The emphasis of the program is on the planning, provision and administration of information systems and services in libraries and information centers. A distinctive feature of the curriculum is the stress placed upon user and human as well as technological factors. Students will be able to combine academic study with work experience in a locally based major corporation's information handling facility such as IBM, GE, or a college and university, public, hospital, newspaper, school, bank or law library in the tri-city area (Albany, Troy, Schenectady).
Graduates will be prepared for employment in a wide variety of public and private sector settings within business, industry, law, humanities, health and human services, and education where they will function as librarians, information systems specialists, information analysts or information officers and managers.
The school is especially strong in five areas: (1) information and public policy, (2) reference resources and processes, (3) archives/records administration, (4) indexing and abstracting, and (5) data storage technologies.
Students may be admitted to the combined program at the beginning of their junior year or after successful completion of 56 credits, but no later than the accumulation of 100 credits. A carefully designed program can enable the student to earn the B.A. or B.S. and M.L.S. within 10 semesters. A cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher and three supportive letters of recommendation are required. The Graduate Record Exam is not required for admission. In qualifying for the baccalaureate, students will meet all University and school requirements, including existing major and minor requirements, general education requirements, minimum liberal arts and sciences requirements, and residency requirements.
Additionally, students will complete a minor in information science and policy including, as a minimum, the following courses: A Csi 201, R Isp 601, R Isp 603, R Isp 605, R Isp 611, and an elective R Isp course.
In qualifying for the master's degree, students will meet all University and school requirements, including completing a minimum of 42 graduate credits, and any conditions such as a research seminar, thesis, comprehensive examination, or other professional experience, and residency requirements. The combined program allows students to complete 12 graduate credits as an undergraduate that are applied to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Students will be considered as undergraduates until completion of 120 graduation credits and satisfactory completion of all B.A. or B.S. requirements. Upon meeting the baccalaureate requirements, students will automatically be considered as graduate students.
