Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University is a comprehensive university—this means that it offers associate, bachelor, graduate, and doctoral degrees. The university serves the core of Southern Georgia in one of the largest cities. Students will be welcomes with palm trees, fountains, live oaks, and sunny days on the campus' front lawn. Students will get individual interaction with faculty, hands on experiences, and unique opportunities—some students have even done undergraduate research in the Florida Keys. VSU is located just 15 minutes north of the Florida border, so they graciously offer in-state tuition to residents of Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina.
For more than 100 years, VSU has focused on creating success stories for each individual student. This is an institution in which professors are mentors, experience is hands-on, competition is encouraged, connections are lifelong, and collaboration counts. Student success counts big time for VSU, and the campus acts as a home away from home for many students. They will make lifelong friendships and will never feel like they do not count. There are more than 100 majors to choose from, and students will get to participate in internships, research, small class sizes, studying abroad, and even lending a hand when needed. At VSU, students will raise their expectations of themselves by finding their passion and molding themselves into someone that can broaden their perspective of the world. The sky's the limit for students at VSU, given all of the resources and opportunities that are available. Students will write their own story.
Master of Library and Information Science
The field for library and information sciences brings together the disciplines of technology and traditional library science together so that it can meet the needs of today's constantly changing library system. This Master's program at Valdosta State University is focused on educating librarians for various types of libraries (academic, public, and special) not only in Georgia, but beyond as well. The program does not ask students to submit a thesis, and it is conducted mostly online. The professors within the program are dedicated to this style of educating, as the distance method allows for flexible scheduling so that students are able to continue working in their normal lives and spending time with their families while they are furthering their education.
Those students in the MLIS program will gather expertise within the areas of administration, technical knowledge, resources for clients, and services in the knowledge society. During the course of the program, students will learn skills related to organizing and retrieving information in information services, information management, information resources, and information systems. There are optional tracks available for library management, classification, technology, and reference sources and services. The MLIS program is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). The flexible enrollment options and scheduling make this program a great option for those who are working professionals that are seeking to advance their education. The program is made up of 39 semester hours that ready students to be marketable for their desired career paths. Limited face to face classes make the program available to a wider range of students.
