Human Services, EdS (61-872) - Learning Resources Option (0776) (30 hours)

Students who have already earned their master’s degree may pursue an Education Specialist degree in Human Services with an option in Learning Resources. Students may complete the requirements for Missouri school librarian certification while pursuing this degree. Those who already have certification may pursue a wide variety of educational goals such as school district library director, specialize in a particular area of librarianship,  and more.

Vision Statement: The Library Science and Information Services program prepares school librarians who are indispensable in preK-12 schools.

Student Learning Outcomes: Graduates with an Education Specialist degree in Human Services - Learning Resources Option will use the knowledge and skills obtained in the program to:

• Promote and encourage reading for enjoyment, personal growth, and learning.  Select reading materials in multiple formats to facilitate maximum access for all members of the community.  Advocate for intellectual freedom.
• Provide access to information and promote equitable access to resources in a variety of formats and services for a variety of needs. Develop strategies to support information literacy.
• Provide leadership by articulating ways in which libraries contribute to society.
• Administer the library program using research-based data to analyze and improve services.  Select, acquire, catalog, retrieve, integrate, circulate, preserve, and deselect information resources. Manage fiscal, physical, and personnel resources. Practice professional ethics with regard to intellectual property and information privacy. Develop policies and procedures in support of the library.
• Provide equitable access to technology for the community. Continually upgrade technological skills. Integrate technology tools to communicate and facilitate learning.
• Seek opportunities to grow professionally by taking advantage of information, events and services provided by local, state, and national organizations. Seek opportunities for service through professional associations.
• Understand the principles and research methods used to assess the actual and potential value of new research. Contribute central research findings and research literature to the library science field.

Admissions Process -
To be accepted into the program, applicants must:

• Have a minimum GPA of 3.25,
• Have earned a master’s degree,
• Submit a cover letter explaining their interest in the degree and what they plan to do with the degree when they graduate
• Participate in a personal interview.

Conditional Admission -An applicant who does not meet the overall graduate grade point average must be classified as “a non-degree seeking student” until achieving a minimum graduate grade point average of 3.25 during the first nine hours of graduate study in the courses appropriate to the degree program.

Students will earn a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit within an approved program of study beyond a master’s degree. At least 18 semester hours of this program must be 5000 and 6000 level courses. A minimum of 6 semester hours must be 6000 level courses. Aided by an adviser in the student’s area of specialization and in consultation with the other members of the student’s advisory committee, each student shall select a minimum of 22 credit hours of courses which may be from the required courses for the Master’s degree in Library Science and Information Services or from other areas of interest if the MS degree has already been achieved. The program concludes with a formal seven hour research component consisting of an action research or another research methods course, a 3 -hour research problem, and a 2-hour thesis.