Master of Science Degree in Library Science:  The Department of Reading, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Library Science/Communications Media and Bilingual Education offers this degree. The purpose of the masters degree program in library science is to provide students with preparation in the professional field of librarianship and/or media. Specifically, the program seeks to provide a foundation of knowledge basic to all library media centers and develop competencies for work in the professional field. The thrust of the program is to prepare candidates who are able to develop and administer media services in a changing multicultural, technological, urban society.

State of Illinois Standard Special Certificate in Media (K-12, Type 10):  Completion of the masters degree
program will qualify graduates for this certificate. It is for those who want to be school library media specialists.
Students must also meet State of Illinois minimum requirements in general education, successfully complete the State of
Illinois certification examination(s), and 1) hold or be eligible for a State of Illinois Standard Teacher Certificate, or 2)
complete the professional education sequence necessary for initial teacher certification.

Eighteen Hour Endorsement in Media:  this endorsement is offered to students with a current State of Illinois Standard Elementary or High School Certificate. This sequence of courses satisfies Illinois State Board of Education requirements for the Media Professional and Chicago Public Schools specialty area requirements in library science.

General Requirements
Fulfillment of the general requirements for admission to the graduate program. Successful completion of the
departmental written comprehensive examination which is administered on the first Monday in May and in December.
Completion of a minimum of half of the courses applied to the satisfaction of Masters degree requirements at the
400 level.
Completion of all degree requirements within six years.
Non-certified candidates are required to complete the following twenty-one to twenty-two credit hours in professional
education if they wish to qualify for the State of Illinois Certificate upon completion of the masters degree in library
science: ECLF 200, 252, 270; PSYC 204; S ED 301; READ 303; LIB 398.

Specific Requirements -37 credit hours
REQUIRED COURSES - 28 credit hours. LIB 402, 405, 414, 420, 424, 430,
452 (students not intending to pursue a career as a school media specialist may complete either LIB 411 or 412 in lieu
of LIB 414); CM 400, 450.

Elective Courses - 9 credit hours. Completion of six hours of graduate level electives in Library Science and
three hours in Communications Media to be selected with the approval of the departmental graduate advisor. A thesis
may be substituted for two (2) electives upon petition to the department.