Frequently Asked Questions

Is this program ALA accredited

Mansfield's Master of Education in School Library and Information Technologies is certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and accredited by NCATE and the Middle States Commission. However, the program is not accredited by the American Library Association.

Unlike a traditional Master of Library Science degree (MLS), Mansfield's SL&IT program is focused exclusively on school librarianship. The advantage is that you are not required, unlike ALA-accredited schools, to take peripheral courses about all kinds of libraries: college & university, public, business, and other specialized libraries, as well as schools. You also will not spend time researching the history of libraries or mystifying theories of information science.

If your are interested in school libraries and K-12 education then our program should be far more relevant and attractive to you. It's practical, technological, up-to-date, and convenient. If your career goals, however, are to work in an academic or other type of library then you should pursue an ALA-accredited MLS. In fact, almost all college and university libraries, and many large public libraries, require the MLS degree for employment. For a list of all ALA-accredited institutions in North America visit the American Library Association.

How do the courses work?

Students log into a password protected web site to view the course syllabus, weekly readings, and assignments. Most of the courses have accompanying textbooks. There is some audio and video delivered over the web but that is not the main mode of communication.

Most of the courses have assignments where students will observe or participate in a school library near them. All the courses will rely heavily on the "Forum" or threaded discussion, a kind of e-mail or bulletin board program for class discussions. Students will be assessed on their participation and on assignments. The software includes an online grade book so students can check their progress at any time.

Are there certain times when I have to be on-line, or are the hours flexible?

In most cases you do not need to be online at any specific time. Classes are set up to follow a regular 15 week semester (12 weeks in the summer) and you'll need to work on each module during its scheduled week. With the exception of important discussions and group work that require frequent and early participation, it is entirely up to you what time or day to work on assignments.

How much time per week will be required per class?

Figure on 6-9 hours per week (about the same as if you were taking an on-campus course) -- 3 hours per week in class plus an additional 3-6 hours of homework each week. Note, however, that many students spend more time than that.

Are there any residency requirements?

No, as of Fall 2007 we are 100% online.

Do I have to have an education background or be a certified teacher to take this program?

Yes. This program is designed to be an add-on certification. That is, someone who is already a certified teacher could take this program and have library science K-12 added to his/her certificate (after passing the appropriate PRAXIS exam and applying to the state for certification).

Someone who is not currently certified would not be eligible for certification without completing a number of other requirements including child development and educational methods courses as well as a student teaching experience. MU does not offer these classes online.

If you are not certified and want to find out what it would take for you to become certified in another area you should talk to a certification officer. In Pennsylvania you can find them at colleges and universities that offer education degrees. In New York State you can contact a regional certification officer who is often located or affiliated with county boards of cooperative educational services.

If you are interested in pursuing initial certification at Mansfield University you should speak with MU’s certification officer, Lori Cass. She can be reached by e-mail at lcass@mansfield.edu or by phone at 570-662-4873.

Will New York State accept this program?

Mansfield personnel met with New York certification officers and New York will accept the library program for certification. It is an approved Pennsylvania program and New York and Pennsylvania have an interstate certification agreement. We were told that when someone from New York completes the program we would supply them with a letter stating that they had completed an approved program and then they'd take that to a regional certification officer and they'd process the certification.

What's the program's policy for graduate transfer credits? Are there any stipulations regarding types of courses that may be permitted?

Up to six graduate credits may be transferred in, but they have to closely match courses in the program. Most likely that limits them to library science courses, but not all library science courses necessarily match ours. Your transcript must indicate that the course was taken within the past 10 years and you earned a grade of B or better. If you’d like us to consider a course for transfer credit, please send your request and an official transcript along with your application materials. If you have a course description, or better yet a syllabus, that would help us to make a more informed decision.

I already have a library Masters. Could I receive continuing education credits in Pennsylvania for these courses?

Absolutely! Our first priority is to train new school librarians to meet the shortage, but we have a number of librarians taking courses for continuing education as well.

If I only want to take a few courses, not the whole program, what do I do?

Complete the online application form found on this web site and under "Graduate Codes" check "Non-Degree Seeking".

Can public library librarians benefit from the courses?

While the program is designed with school librarians in mind, it could be beneficial to public librarians. We ran the courses by an advisory group made up of district library coordinators who said that 8 of the 10 courses would be very appropriate for continuing education for public librarians. However, we can not guarantee that our Masters of Education degree will qualify applicants for all public library positions (some libraries accept the M. ED. and some require a Masters in Library Science).

What's reciprocity and how do I obtain it?

Reciprocity is an arrangement whereby students complete the certification requirements of another state and then obtain a similar add-on certificate for their own state. In the case of MU's program, the student would satisfy requirements of the Pennsylvania Dept of Education, as long as their state is a participant of the Interstate Certification Agreement. For additional information, and a special note for New York students, see our quick Guide to Reciprocity.