SLA Contact:
Cara Schatz
P : 703.647.4917
cara@sla.org
San Jose State Offers SLA Members-Only Cohort
Executive MLIS Degree Program Focuses on Business and Management Skills
Alexandria, Virginia, February 24, 2009--A unique learning cohort is now available for information professionals who want to earn a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) with a focus on business skills and executive-level training. This cohort is the result of a partnership between Special Libraries Association (SLA) and San Jose State University (SJSU) School of Library and Information Science. SJSU's Executive MLIS program is designed for library or information science professionals with at least three years of experience who do not already hold an MLIS. The SLA cohort is scheduled to start in June 2009.
The SLA members-only cohort will study broad-based library as well business and management skills in a team-based and project-focused program. The SJSU Executive MLIS is especially appropriate for SLA members--special librarians and information professionals--who require unique skills to thrive in a government, corporate, legal or other specialized information management setting.
As the SLA member cohort works toward the MLIS degree, the group will explore leadership topics such as program evaluation, human resources management, marketing and financial management--all areas that are not typically included in MLS/MLIS programs.
"The SJSU cohort program is ideal for members looking to take the next step toward a master's degree and who have a desire to transition towards an executive-level leadership position," said SLA CEO Janice R. Lachance. "SLA members already reap the benefits of a host of continuous group learning opportunities at SLA events and through our online education opportunities and I am so pleased that San Jose is working with SLA to provide our members with this opportunity to take their careers to the next level."
The Executive MLIS Program is a specialized track within the SJSU School of Library and Information Science's MLIS program. Courses emphasize the core competencies of librarianship in a leadership and business context and are taught by faculty members who have expertise in organizational leadership. The curriculum is designed to complement the professional experience of students, building upon their existing knowledge and preparing them to take on new leadership roles.
According to the professor and director of the SJSU School of Library and Information Science, Ken Haycock, the program is designed for library and information professionals who in the past chose not to pursue the MLIS in its traditional format because of a variety of roadblocks such as full-time residency requirements, the perceived relevancy of the degree to management positions or a curriculum that did not take into account professional experience. "Students in the Executive MLIS program have typically worked for more than three years in a library management position, and they find that the lack of an MLIS degree has put before them both a glass ceiling, hindering a move up, as well as a glass wall, prohibiting a lateral move," says Haycock. "We have designed this program so that a valuable MLIS degree is easier for these individuals to obtain through distance learning, and have created courses that include business and management skills as core competencies."
The 26-month program allows students to move quickly through a focused MLIS degree program geared to the needs of managers and professionals. All members of the SLA Cohort will begin the team-based program at the same time and stay together for the program's duration. Most program requirements can be completed through distance learning, with three short residencies.
Applications for the SJSU Executive MLIS program are now being accepted. The deadline to apply for the 2009 Executive MLIS program is March 30, 2009, but earlier application is strongly encouraged. To learn more about the program, visit: http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/execmlis/.
About SLA
The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is a nonprofit global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves more than 11,000 members in 75 countries in the information profession, including corporate, academic, and government information specialists. SLA promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives. For more information, visit us on the Web at www.sla.org.
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