The entirely online Professional Leadership, EdS - Librarianship Option is designed to help you become a leader in librarianship! The degree builds upon your prior coursework and will support your growth as leader of librarianship:
Students may also obtain both an EdS and an EDD through a cooperative program with Murray State University.
EdS to EdD Cooperative Program
Professional Leadership, EdS - Librarianship Option
This is a collaborative program in Library Science and Information Services between the University of Central Missouri and Murray State University. Students can earn an Education Specialist (EdS) and a Doctorate in Education (EdD). Admitted students must complete:
The graduate from the Professional Leadership, EdS - Librarianship Option program will use the knowledge and skills obtained in the program to:
This advanced program is designed for individuals who are currently involved in or planning careers in a professional leadership position.
To be accepted into the Professional Leadership, EdS - Librarianship Option program, you need to:
If you do not meet the above criteria, you will be classified as a “nondegree student” until you complete the following:
As a Professional Leadership, EdS - Librarianship Option student, you can choose 21 credit hours of electives to design your own customized plan of study from any of the graduate programs at UCM. Many students in the program take courses in library science and information services, educational technology, leadership, archival and records administration, museum studies and historic preservation, digital media production, or literacy education.
Students in the EdS to EDD Cooperative Bridge Program with Murray State University should select only electives within the library science and information services program to complete the EdS portion of their plan.
For assistance in practicum enrollment or questions about program requirements, please email René Burress at burress@ucmo.edu.
For questions about thesis requirements, please contact your program advisor.
At the end of the Professional Leadership, EdS - Librarianship Option program, you will complete a thesis. This is a work of original research that investigates a question relevant to the library field. Using action research as a method, you will review literature related to your topic, design a research plan, collect and analyze data, and present your findings. The groundwork for your thesis project begins in the methods class where you will write your research proposal. The research proposal will be finalized in the research problems class. You will then conduct your research and defend your work in the final thesis course.
At UCM, student theses are published in the JCK Library Digital Repository. Many students also choose to work with their thesis committee to publish their research in a professional, scholarly journal. Some examples of student work that has been published in journals include:
Do you have a bachelor’s degree outside of education or an MLS in Library Science and want to work toward teacher certification?
If you are seeking a career in school librarianship but do not have initial teacher certification, the state of Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has established requirements for certification in school librarianship which include professional education and subject area requirements. These requirements can be met by completing courses available online at UCM. This option can be done in tandem with the Professional Leadership, EdS - Librarianship Option.
If you are interested in learning more about this certification opportunity, please contact René Burress at burress@ucmo.edu.
UCM is the longest continuously CAEP accredited public institution in Missouri
Nationally recognized by the American Association of School Librarians
2018 Most Affordable Online Colleges for Library Science Degrees