UNC SILS ›› Degrees & Programs ›› MSLS Curriculum

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Library Science degree requires:

48 semester hours of graduate-level course work
- 24 hours of required core courses (see table below)
- 24 hours of elective courses (see Course Selection below)
Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination
Satisfactory completion of a master's paper or project

Core Courses

The MSLS curriculum is designed around five functional areas:

organization
collection and retrieval
information-related behavior
design and evaluation
management

Core courses address each of these areas. In addition, MSLS graduates are expected to have expertise in basic information technology and in research methods.

MSLS Coursework Requirements

Function	Required Courses
Organization	INLS 521 (151) Organization of Materials
Collection/Retrieval	INLS 501 (111) Information Resources and Services and INLS 513 (153) (Resource Selection and Evaluation)
Information-Related Behavior	INLS 500 (180) Human Information Interactions
Design/Evaluation	INLS 780 (201) Research Methods
Management	INLS 585 (131) Management for Information Professionals
Other Requirements	Courses
Master's Paper	INLS 992 (392) Master's Paper
Information Technology	INLS 461 (102) Information Tools

Course selection

Students select courses in consultation with their faculty advisor, according to their interests and career objectives.

Most of the required 48 hours will be taken within SILS. Many students enrolled in the information science program also elect to take one or more courses in other departments on campus (such as the Kenan-Flagler Business School, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, or the Department of Computer Science) or at nearby universities (principally Duke and N. C. State).

Students without extensive practical experience are encouraged to enroll in the Professional Field Experience course (INLS 795 (299)). This structured practicum provides the opportunity for students to apply theoretical knowledge to an individually selected work environment.

Students with specialized interests can register for independent study with a faculty member. Master's degree candidates may apply only six credits of Study in Information and Library Science (INLS 696 (300)) toward the 48-credit-hour requirement. No more than three credits may be applied from study with a particular faculty member.