Earn Online Master’s in Library Science

Whether you’re a library media specialist and want to advance your skills or you’re a classroom teacher interested in changing careers, an online Master’s in Library Science is an effective way to accomplish your goals. Studying online affords you the flexibility to study when it’s convenient for you. And since many library science master’s programs are asynchronous, you can continue working full-time and complete your studies on your schedule.

The programs outlined in this guide are among the most popular online graduate programs in this field. Each program is offered by an accredited, respected university and gives you ample opportunities to develop the needed knowledge and skills to excel in library science. Use this guide to compare and contrast each program and make an informed decision about which degree is right for you.

NO GRE Online Master's in Library Science - Best Accredited Easy and Low GPA Master's in Library Science

Online NO GRE Master’s in Library Science

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online master’s in library science without the requirement of GRE:

University of Denver

Online Master’s in Library and Information Science

The University of Denver’s  Master’s in Library and Information Science offers the flexibility of online learning along with multiple start dates each year. The program is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), so you’re sure to get an education that aligns with modern professional standards in library science.

The curriculum includes 19 courses that total 58 quarter credits. Most students can complete these requirements in 21-27 months. The coursework you are required to complete includes foundational classes, electives, and a culminating experience.

The foundational classes focus on topics like the following:

  • Libraries, Information, and Society
  • Organization of Information
  • User and Access Services
  • Management of Information Organizations
  • Library and Information Technologies

You will also take an Educational Research and Measurement course that explores empirical research methods, quantitative research design, and data collection procedures. You will also learn how to interpret the data you collect and accurately report your findings.

One of the best aspects of this program is that you can customize your learning by taking a number of elective classes. For example, let’s assume you’re interested in working in a public library setting. That being the case, the Public Libraries course would be advisable to take. This class offers an examination of public library systems and the unique management and oversight issues they present. You will learn about public service, advocacy, government library systems, and community engagement strategies, too.

If you’re especially interested in information organization, you might take the Cataloging and Classification elective. This class discusses both theory and practice of cataloging. You will become familiar with current cataloging procedures, analyze the Library of Congress Rule Interpretations, and explore subject analysis and classification procedures as well.

You can also enroll in an Outreach class that explores the library media specialist’s role in connecting the community to information. You will learn about current outreach practices in this field as well as how to plan outreach activities. Likewise, you will discuss how to design outreach programs, how to manage outreach budgets, and how to evaluate the performance of outreach activities.

There are a number of other electives you can choose from, including:

  • Reference
  • Information Access and Retrieval
  • Collection Management
  • Information Literacy Instruction
  • Web Content Management

You can likewise enroll in courses on Digital Libraries, Digitization, and Advocacy and Marketing in Library Information Science.

This degree includes two culminating experience choices, both of which require you to integrate your learning from the program’s classes and demonstrate your competency as a practicing library media specialist. The first experience is a capstone project in which you devise a research assignment and work with a supervising professor to complete the assignment. The capstone is on a topic of your choice and must demonstrate your mastery of that topic.

The second culminating experience option is an internship. This three-credit course offers practical work experiences in a library setting. You will accrue 75 hours of work experience in a 10-week span. During that time, you will also compose a formal paper on a relevant library science topic.

The admissions requirements are as follows:

  •  Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Have a 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher in your last 90 quarter credits (60 semester credits) of coursework.
  • Submit unofficial transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
  • Submit two letters of recommendation.
  • Submit a current resume.
  • Provide a statement of professional goals.
  • Provide a diversity statement.
  • GRE scores are not required.

Syracuse University

Online Master of Science in Library and Information Science

The Master of Science in Library and Information Science from Syracuse University is an ALA-accredited program that you can complete in as few as 18 months. The online curriculum is rigorous, yet highly flexible and attentive to your individual needs, so you can complete your degree in a timely manner without negatively impacting your ability to continue working full-time.

This 36-credit program includes 18 credits of primary courses and 18 elective credits. The primary courses are introductory in nature and help you build a foundation of knowledge of this field of practice. For example, one of the first classes you will take is Cultural Foundations of Information Studies, which examines how library science has evolved over the years. You will discuss the practices of librarianship, examine the institutions and structures of librarianship, and explore the current issues affecting library science today.

The primary coursework also includes studies in Library Leadership and Management. This class offers insights into the management aspect of being a librarian. As such, you will learn how to manage staff members, make budget decisions, and make executive plans for the functioning and operation of the library. Furthermore, you will acquire the necessary leadership and interpersonal skills to be an effective leader.

The remaining primary coursework explores the following subjects:

  • Reference and Information Literacy Services
  • Information Resources: Organization and Access
  • Library Planning, Marketing, and Assessment

Syracuse’s library science program offers many different electives that you can take to fulfill the 18-credit elective requirement. As an example, you can take Data Administration Concepts and Database Management to learn how to build, implement, and manage database systems in a library setting. As another example, you can take a Metadata class that explores topics like quality control, data binding, and interoperability, each of which assists you in managing and organizing data in an informational setting.

Yet another potential elective is Youth Services in Libraries and Information Centers. This class discusses how to develop and curate collections in school and public libraries that meet the needs of many different types of learners. For example, you will learn how to source literature that’s developmentally appropriate for children of all ages. You will also learn how to develop literacy programs that encourage children to read more and read more often, too.

There are options for getting hands-on experience in library science as well. For example, you can participate in an Internship in Library Science that places you in a library or information organization setting. During the internship, you will work full-time as an associate librarian. This is a supervised experience, so you will have the expertise of a veteran librarian to rely on as you grow into your career.

Other elective options include the following:

  • Accessible Library and Information Services
  • Information Technologies in Educational Organizations
  • Collection Development and Access
  • Applied Machine Learning
  • Libraries, Archives, and Museums

This program also offers multiple professional pathways. These pathways, which range from data curation to children and youth services to information research and analytics, allow you to tailor your degree to meet your specific career goals.

You must meet the following criteria to apply:

  • Have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
  • Submit a current resume.
  • Provide two letters of recommendation.
  • Submit a personal statement in which you discuss why you want to pursue your master’s degree in this field from Syracuse University.
  • GRE scores are not required.

Louisiana State University

Online Master of Library and Information Science

Louisiana State University offers an online Master of Library and Information Science that requires you to complete 36 credits of coursework. As an ALA-accredited program, the learning opportunities you will have align with modern professional standards. This is the only ALA-accredited library science graduate program in the state.

During your time working toward your degree, you will work with faculty who are highly experienced in this field. In fact, all core professors are full-time or adjunct faculty with a Ph.D. As a result, you will benefit from your professors’ real-world experience working in institutions like school libraries, public libraries, and archival institutions.

The core of this program is a sequence of six foundational classes in information science. For example, you will take Information and Society, which examines how society accesses and digests information. You will examine the role of libraries in that process, including digital library services that are so common today. Other core courses include the following:

  • Management of Information Organizations
  • Information Technologies and Systems
  • Understanding Research
  • Organization of Information
  • Information Behavior

These courses will help you understand the role of information organizations in the public’s ability to acquire information. Moreover, you will learn what your role is within information organizations and how you can facilitate others’ ability to be better informed.

This program allows you to customize your degree with your elective coursework. Eighteen elective credits are needed to graduate, and you can pick them from one of seven focused tracks outlined below:

  • General Librarianship
  • Academic Librarianship
  • Public Librarianship
  • Archival Studies
  • Cultural Heritage Resource Management
  • Records and Information Management
  • Digital Content Management

Clearly, each of these focus areas has different coursework requirements. However, in each case, you will take advanced classes that hone your abilities and give you a wider knowledge base for working in your desired field.

For example, the Archival Studies track is an ideal choice if you wish to work in a museum setting. You can choose from courses like Digital Libraries, Archival Appraisal, and Advanced Seminar in Archival Studies. There are also courses on preservation, archival theory, and digital curation as well.

The Cultural Heritage Resource Management track is similar to the Archival Studies track in that you learn how to identify and preserve significant materials. In this case, the focus is on curating texts, audiovisual materials, stories, and other cultural information in such a way that future generations can learn from it and enjoy it.

Whatever focus track you choose, you can choose to complete a directed independent study course of your choice. The purpose of a class like this is to dive deep into a topic of study that interests you or is relevant to your desired career path. This course requires a great deal of research, and you must present your findings in a well-written graduate-level research paper.

You also have the option of participating in an internship. Should you decide to pursue an internship, you will spend a number of weeks working in a library or another information organization to refine your librarianship skills. For example, you might complete your internship in a local public library, where you will learn how to build and curate collections, develop programming for different levels of readers, and manage the day-to-day operations of the facility.

The following requirements must be met to apply:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
  • Provide a current resume.
  • Submit a statement of purpose in which you discuss why you want to earn this degree, what your career goals are, and how this degree will help you realize your career goals.
  • GRE scores are not required for regular admission.

Eastern Carolina University

Online Master of Library Science

The Master of Library Science at Eastern Carolina University is another popular online option for getting your graduate education. You can choose from three professional concentrations: Public Library, School Library Media, or Academic Library. No matter which concentration you choose, you’re required to complete 39 credits of coursework, which usually takes 1.5-2 years as a full-time student or 2.5-3 years as a part-time student.

Of the credits you need to graduate, 21 are core courses. Each of the core courses is 100 percent online and asynchronous, which means there are no set times or days to meet for class online. This type of arrangement gives you the most flexibility for completing your degree and is ideal if you already work full-time.

The first few core courses you will take include the following:

  • Foundations of Library and Information Science
  • Introduction to Reference
  • Technology for Library Services
  • Research Literacy in Library Science
  • Organization of Information in Libraries

You are also required to take a course on Collection Development, which explores the processes by which you procure items to provide to patrons. A Library Administration and Management class is required, too. This class explores the managerial aspects of running a library, such as setting budgets, hiring workers, and developing engaging programs for library-goers.

As mentioned earlier, you can choose from three concentrations to complete your degree. Let’s assume you choose the Academic Librarianship track. This track focuses on the duties of librarians at academic institutions, such as colleges and universities. Since these libraries have such enormous collections, your training will include an Academic Libraries class that explores curation strategies, organizational structures, and the relationship between the library and the academic departments on campus.

Additionally, you will take a class in Information Literacy and Library Instruction that informs you of how to teach students to be good consumers of information. For example, you might analyze various teaching methods and protocols to determine which one is most effective in teaching college freshmen how to access and procure academic information in the library.

Other classes you will take in the Academic Librarianship track include the following:

  • Research Methods in Library and Information Studies
  • Academic and Public Library Internship
  • Approved electives (at least six credits)

As an ALA-accredited program, you can rest assured that this degree prepares you well for your future career. With learning targets aligned with current professional standards, you will take part in relevant learning activities that help you develop the knowledge and skills required to be a modern librarian.

Before applying, be sure you meet the following requirements:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.7 or higher.
  • Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
  • Submit an admissions essay in which you discuss, among other things, your desire to become a library specialist.
  • Provide a current resume or curriculum vitae.
  • Provide three letters of recommendation from academic and professional references.

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