If you're looking for a d.e. degree in librarianship, check out the link below. I don't think it's been posted here yet. http://www.rowan.edu/depts/librarianship/disted.htm Tom Nixon
A complete and authoritative list of American Library Association-accredited DE MLS programs can be found at http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oa/disted.html. It's important to note that non-ALA accredited programs are not regarded very highly in the (U.S.) library world, even if they're R.A., and they're very unlikely to win one a professional position. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania falls into that category. It really shouldn't be grouped with the rest of these schools, though, because its program is intended to certify school library media specialists, who are something of a breed apart. And Valdosta State has applied for, but has not yet been granted, ALA accreditation. ------------------ Michael Wilson
Anyone know of undegraduate school libray/media courses by distance learning? I'm already certified in English, social studies, and special education, and I'm considering adding school library/media; I would need 18 semester hours for an add-on endorsement.
I've wondered about this. Many CC teaching posts that I've seen require a master's degree and 18 graduate hours in the teaching field. Can one earn additional credits (18) in a non-allied field and reasonably expect to be able to also teach in that field? (E.g., MA History + 18 credits in math.) Or must the secondary field be an allied field, as in Michael's case? How about a closely allied field, such as computer science and mathematics?
Probably depends on the field. I know that few people are hired in ESL or English who do not have degrees in those specific fields. There are just too many available candidates. Part of the problem is that it is relatively easy to become qualified to teach in a CC. Most states only require an MA/MS. When there are openings at our local community college they receive easily over 100 applications for *each* position. And that's after HR has eliminated those who are not qualified. Tom Nixon
Thanks. I didn't know there was that much competition. If the instructor is already teaching at the CC in the primary field, would that extra endorsement in another field be perceived as a benefit to the college since, in a pinch, that teacher could fill in in the secondary field? (If that is so, it might make the teacher a stronger candidate as well.)
Yes, I think it would make a stronger candidate. This is particularly true at smaller CCs. Yes, CCs tend to be quite competitive in hiring. The pay is usually reasonably good and the vacations aren't bad at all. Tom Nixon
Michael is absolutely correct. Getting a non-ALA MLS is almost comparable to a lawyer getting a non-ABA J.D. The issue of utility can become very important. Tom Nixon
Assuming that you only need the courses and don't need to actually earn a library media specialist credential/certificate (but you can with a couple of these, I think), here are some choices: University of Washington http://www.outreach.washington.edu/extinfo/certprog/slm/slm_gen.asp Mansfield University http://library.mnsfld.edu/ Cambridge College http://www.cambridge.edu/lms/ That gets you started. Tom Nixon
Tom Nixon comments that it is not unusual to get 100+ applicants for a community college position "And that's after HR has eliminated those who are not qualified." I have often wondered if my wife's grounds for (initial) rejection are at all commonplace. She applied for a position teaching philosophy and ethics. Her Ph.D. is in philosophy and ethics from Vanderbilt. She was turned down because she did not have an appropriate degree. She was finally told that because philosophy is taught in the humanities department in California community colleges, one must have a Master's or Doctorate in humanities. A Ph.D. in philosophy is useless to teach philosophy in this system. The happy news is that she was able to tell the folks at Vista CC in Berkeley that she also happens to have an MA in humanities (Dominguez Hills), and on that basis, she finally got the job.
On the Special Relativity of University Degrees, by Bill Highsmith I begin my thesis with an thought experiment: "Well I see that your Ph.D. degree is in physics, Dr. Einstein. That hardly qualifies you to teach freshman algebra in the MATHEMATICS department, does it?" "Well, theoretical physics does have a large mathematics component." "Sorry." "My first degree was in math and physics education." "Well...maybe we can stretch the rules a bit." My theory on the special relativity of university degrees: if you don't have a relative in the administration, you can't get on the faculty.
Cute story As I have mentioned many times, it would be nice if you published you memoirs full of education anecdotes. Sort of a Magnum PI's Higgins venture only much more interesting. North
