SLIM Ph.D. Students Prepare to Teach in Higher Education
SLIM Ph.D. Students Prepare to Teach in Higher Education
Summer 2023 was an opportunity for students in the School of Library and Information Management (SLIM) Doctor of Philosophy online degree program to prepare to teach in higher education. Graduates of this program from across the U. S. and around the world are qualified upon graduation to become professors of library and information science (LIS). LIS is a specialized field constantly evolving to keep pace with developments in access to information and advances in computer technology.
Professors of LIS educate master’s students who become professional librarians in all types of libraries and information organizations. Master’s LIS programs are accredited by the American Library Association. ESU’s Master of Library Science is one of only 63 ALA accredited master’s programs located at colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Enrolled in a 3-credit hour course titled Teaching and Learning in Information Organizations, these Ph.D. students enthusiastically addressed trends and issues in American higher education including responsibilities as a member of an academic faculty; discovered university, program, and student assessment requirements; created innovative curriculum; and planned active learning lessons and delivered instruction.
Dr. Mirah Dow, Professor of Library and Information Science and Director of SLIM’s Ph.D. program, said, “Students in this course are brilliant scholars - - librarians and teachers - - employed in professional positions in academic, preK-12 schools, and public libraries. I consider it a high honor to guide and facilitate this advanced preparation necessary for fulfilling their career goals. There is a bright future ahead in higher education for college students.”
In addition to admission requirements outlined in the SLIM Guide to Doctoral Studies handbook, the Emporia State University SLIM PhD program requires successful completion of courses in research and theory (13 credit hours); foundational courses (12 credit hours); advanced work in concentration (12 credit hours); teaching and directed readings (4 credit hours); and proposal and dissertation research (15 credit hours). Applications are now being accepted for a new PhD cohort to begin classes in fall 2024.