Elementary, Middle Level, Library & Technologies Education
Library Science
Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education
You’ll be able to choose your dream position as a certified Library Media Specialist. Employers including museums and cultural institutions, research facilities, businesses, and nonprofits are eager to hire qualified research specialists due to a nationwide shortage. The KU program consistently achieves a nearly 100 percent placement rate.
This is the only four-year program of its kind in Pennsylvania for K-12 Library Media Specialist Certification, which allows the graduate to manage and teach in a school library media program. KU offers two undergraduate programs in library science - a Bachelor of Science in Education which is a teaching program, and a Bachelor of Science, which is a non-teaching program.
KU Library Science graduates are smart, savvy, life-long learners poised to guide their communities in transforming the best knowledge from the past into creative possibilities for the future. You’ll analyze, design, and implement new research and learning systems including computers, databases, video, graphics, interactive multimedia, and maker spaces. You’ll be prepared to guide decision makers and knowledge seekers from all walks of life in finding the data they need.
Bachelor of Science in Education - Library Science
For students interested in becoming a Library Media Specialists in a school setting, KU offers one of the few undergraduate programs in the country, and the only one in Pennsylvania preparing students to become certified professional Library Media Specialists. The Pennsylvania Library Media Specialist teaching certification is also highly regarded in surrounding states and beyond.
Library Media Specialists work with children and fellow teachers to enrich a love of learning, support research, integrate instructional technologies and drive creative information sharing. Upon completion of program requirements, candidates will receive Certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and will be eligible for immediate employment.
A minor in this program complements majors in: anthropology, art history, business, communication studies, education, electronic media, English, German, history, music, philosophy, or Spanish.
Sample Career Options
- Media specialist
- Metadata specialist
- Technical services specialist
- Digital collections librarian
- Genealogy researcher
- Social science data librarian
- Library director
- Curator
- Information architect
- School librarian
- Teacher librarian
Many people don't understand that Library Science is an interdisciplinary field that is very much thinking about the future of how we access, synthesize, and disseminate information - especially knowledge. In many ways, it is a Reemerging discipline. We are going to need people from all walks of life to help with the new and unknown challenges this field will offer.
Matt Lewis '16Student Learning Outcomes
-
Library Science (B.S. & B.S.Ed.)
- Students will become discriminating consumers and skilled creators of information and media.
- Students will become collaborative leaders who engage in ethical practices in the use of informational and instructional technologies.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to provide effective resources and activities that contribute to their own patrons' lifelong learning, while accommodating a wide range or differences in learning styles, interests, and capacities.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to provide resources and learning activities that represent a diversity of experiences, opinions, social and cultural perspectives, supporting the concept that intellectual freedom and access to information are prerequisites to effective and responsible citizenship in a democracy.
-
Teacher Certification Programs (B.S.Ed)
(includes Elementary Education, Secondary Education and Special Education programs)
All initial teacher certification programs use the ten InTASC standards (required by CAEP accreditation) as their Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). The ten InTASC standards are organized in 4 domains (The Learner and Learning, Content Knowledge, Instructional Practice, and Professional Responsibility).
- Learner Development - The teacher candidate will understand how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
- Learning Differences - The teacher candidate will be able to use understandings of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
- Learning Environments - The teacher candidate will be able to work with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
- Content Knowledge - The teacher candidate will be able to understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
- Application of Content - The teacher candidate will be able to understand how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
- Assessment - The teacher candidate will be able to understand and use multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher candidate's and learner's decision making.
- Planning for Instruction - The teacher candidate will be able to plan instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
- Instructional Strategies - The teacher candidate will be able to understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop
deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. - Professional Learning and Ethical Practice - The teacher candidate will be able to engage in ongoing professional learning and use evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
- Leadership and Collaboration - The teacher candidate will be able to seek appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.