Overview
The demand for scientific, technical, and engineering librarians has always been great and remains so today. Job opportunities are abundant for individuals with master's degrees in library and information science combined with undergraduate preparation in the sciences. Openings exist in academic, industrial, and non-profit environments. The joint B.S./M.S. program seeks to provide a pool of appropriate candidates for positions in these areas.
Curriculum
Undergraduate Program
At the bachelor's level, the student would major, or minor, in a science (biology and biology-related, chemistry and chemistry-related, physics, mathematics, or computer science), and would complete as well the following courses:
- IT101: Living in a Digital Society or higher IT/CS courses
- LIS 407: Reference and Information Services in the junior/senior year (including the summer session following the junior year)
- LIS 484: Literature of Science and Technology or LIS 434 Medical Librarianship in the junior/senior year (including the summer session following the junior year)
Graduate Program
Following successful completion of the Bachelor's degree, the student would then be required to complete 10 rather than 12 courses in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science in order to achieve the Master's degree. In all other respects, the student would be subject to the requirements stipulated for all Master's students, and must maintain a 3.0 average for credits taken in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science. B.S./M.S. students will not be permitted to register in LIS 484/434 until they have successfully completed LIS 407 and the GSLIS technology orientation requirement (TOR). LIS 407 and the GSLIS TOR often are taken simultaneously.
Degree Candidacy
B.S./M.S. students would be eligible for degree candidacy upon completion of their first three-credit course, once enrolled in the Master's program, since they will have already completed six GSLIS graduate credits in the undergraduate minor.
For More Information, Contact:
Sarah Petrakos, Assistant Dean for Admission and Recruitment
Graduate School of Library and Information Science
617-521-2801 or Sarah.Petrakos@simmons.edu
or
Bruce Tis, Associate Professor
Department of Computer Science and Information Technology
617-521-2722 or Bruce.tis@simmons.edu