Library Science - M.S.

Graduate opportunities

Administered by the Department of Information Science at the University of North Texas, the Master of Science degree program provides a strong foundation and sets you apart in the field of library science.

The Library Science master’s program provides the knowledge and skills needed to thrive as a library science and information professional. Graduates work in all types of libraries, corporations, law firms, museums and medical centers.

The master’s program is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA).

Innovative course delivery

Courses are offered in a variety of formats, including face-to-face, online and blended. The core courses are offered online with a face-to-face component known as an onsite institute.

Distance students participating in the onsite institute format meet at a host site for three, two-day institutes and complete the remaining courses online. Cohorts are available in various locations around the country.

Outstanding student support and accolades

Your educational experience is enhanced by student organization activities, interaction with local chapters of national professional associations and pre-professional work with community libraries and corporations.

In addition to the ALA accreditation, our programs have received numerous national recognitions, including:

• Ranked one of the nation's best master's programs in Library and Information Sciences, according to U.S. News and World Report
• Ranked one of the nation's top 10 best School Library programs by U.S. News and World Report
• Ranked one of the nation's top 10 best Medical Informatics graduate programs by U.S. News and World Report
• Funding for research and student support from organizations such as the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Library of Congress.

Programs of Study

• Archival Studies and Imaging Technology
  • Provides the skills needed for production, archival and preservation of records, appraisal and acquisitions. Prepares you to work in imaging for archives, museums and libraries.
• Distributed Learning Librarianship
  • Provides grounding in information and telecommunication technologies that underpin distributed learning, as well as a better understanding of copyright and intellectual property issues.
• General Program of Study
  • Demonstrates theoretical knowledge of library and information science and their applications in different fields. Primes you to succeed in a wide range of positions.
• Information Organization
  • Supplies the necessary skills to organize information for a variety of information formats, resources, systems and environments. Prepares you to be responsible for library cataloging, classification, metadata development and use.
• Law Librarianship and Legal Informatics
  • Grooms you for careers in law libraries, information organizations using legal information resources and information publishers. Enables law librarians to play key roles in the management of legal information in diverse settings.
• Music Librarianship
  • Prepares you for a career as a music librarian or information professional in a music-related or performing arts environment. Equips you to assume professional positions in academic and public libraries, radio and TV stations, music publishers, orchestras, music archives and conservatories
• Youth Librarianship
  • Primes you for a career in various library settings including metropolitan, suburban, rural, public and academic libraries that provide library services to people who teach and work with youth and youth-related information services.
• School Library Certification
  • Consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top 10 best programs by U.S. News & World Report, the state-approved and ALA-accredited School Library Certification program instructs students to become leaders in integrating technology and information literacy in learning.
  • Completion of the certification requires 24 hours of coursework plus a 3-credit-hour practicum achieved through a mentorship program. Students with a master’s degree can pursue certification alone, while students without a master’s degree can pursue a master’s with certification. Students completing the latter option are qualified to work in a variety of library settings, since our program is accredited.

Research resources

We are a member of the prestigious iSchools organization, a collection of information schools committed to advancing the information field. This partnership provides opportunities for our students to be trained in research by world-renowned scholars.

Through the Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) Consortium, you’ll have access to course offerings from other consortium members.

Research labs and centers on campus provide you with the resources necessary to conduct in-depth study in your field. These include the Information Research and Analysis Lab, the Intelligent Information Access Lab and the Visual Thinking Lab.

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

You'll need to meet the admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School^® and supply the department the following:

• Program application
• Résumé
• Statement of purpose indicating qualifications and your goals
• Two letters of recommendation

You can find more information about admission requirements, and download the recommendation forms here.

Degree requirements

• 9 credit hours of core courses
• 6 credit hours of major course requirements
• 21 credit hours of electives
• Field experience with six months of professional experience in a paid position or a 120-hour practicum/internship in a library or information-centered environment
• An end of program exam or two advanced seminar courses

Financial assistance

The university and department offer multiple options to help you pursue your graduate degree including scholarships, loans, graduate assistantships, internships or co-ops, and part-time employment.

Department scholarship information is available.