The Florida State University College of Information

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Overview of Degrees and Certificates

The College of Information offers a range of degrees to meet the diverse needs of our students. The brief overview that follows will orient you to those offerings. For detailed information about each program, please follow the links.

Undergraduate:

Bachelor's Degrees: The Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts programs let students choose Information Technology as a major or minor. Students in the major will select an area of concentration in either Information Systems and Services or Information Organization and Communication. The degree is only available on campus.

Graduate:

Master's Degrees: The Master of Science and Master of Arts Degrees focus on users and their interaction with information technology, products, services and organizations. Areas of interest to students include information architecture, information needs of youth, information policy and management, information technology management, and knowledge management.

The ultimate goal of our program is to provide students with the foundation for beginning their careers as information professionals. Graduates will possess a broad understanding of the field to become general practitioners and sufficient depth in a selected area to begin developing specializations in the field. A thesis is optional for either the MS or MA. No foreign language is required for our degree programs except the Master of Arts.

If you earn a Master's Degree in Information Studies, you are qualified to practice in a variety of contexts, including libraries. The American Library Association (ALA) accredits the Master's Degree.

Specialist Degree: The Specialist Degree is a post-master's degree tailored to address the professional interests of individuals who want to explore new areas within the field of information studies and to improve skills and develop additional competencies. The degree is planned cooperatively with a faculty member who can advise the student in achieving desired goals. Specialists will develop the capabilities to assume leadership roles in their profession as well as in society.

Juris Doctor/ MS: The Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Information Studies is a joint degree that arises from a combined program of the FSU School of Law and the School of Information Studies. Graduates of this program will be particularly suited to work in law libraries and other organizations involved in the creation and dissemination of legal information. Students enrolled in this program must complete a total of 112 credit hours, including 79 in law and 33 in Information Studies. This program saves students 18 credit hours of coursework otherwise required to complete both degrees separately.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree: The Doctor of Philosophy Degree is a research degree awarded as the result of independent and comprehensive scholarship in a particular field within Information Studies. Candidates demonstrate mastery in their area of specialization through the successful completion of a doctoral dissertation using appropriate research methods. Each student's program will be planned in collaboration with an academic committee to ensure mastery of the field prior to the preliminary examination. Because of this individualization, no semester hour requirements are specified beyond a required residency of 24 credit hours earned in no more than three consecutive semesters.

Certifications:

School Library Media Specialist Certification: The School Library Media Specialist Certification is pursued in conjunction with a Master of Science. Students graduating in the spring of 2004 and thereafter must pass the Educational Media Specialist Exam before graduation.

Museum Studies Certificate: The Museum Studies Certificate enables students to augment their in-depth knowledge of information studies with museum skills. To obtain the certificate, students must fulfill the requirements for a graduate degree in information studies and complete additional requirements in Museum Studies at Florida State. Completion of Museum Studies requirements will add one to three semesters to the student's graduate program. An optional summer session in London is available.