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School Library Certification Program
Library Science Intern Option
(For Those Students Who Do Not Hold a Valid Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate)
If you do not hold a valid PA Instructional I or II teaching certificate, you should enroll in the Intern Option. Requirements of the Intern Option include:
- completion of 11 required courses from the SLCP,
- an additional 5 courses from Pitt's School of Education or another approved education program,
- and 9 credits practicum of LIS 2922 (supervised work in a school-library media center).
This option will total 57 credits of graduate study and the practicum experience. Each student's transcripts will be evaluated for any coursework in education already completed. You should consult with the SLCP Director to determine how to fulfill any remaining education courses.
To earn an Instructional I teaching certificate in "Library Science, K-12," from PDE, you must successfully complete the requirements of the 57-credit SLCP (Intern) specialization and pass the five required Praxis tests for Library Media Specialist with scores established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
You should plan on four terms of full-time study or up to five years of part-time study. If you begin the on-campus program in Fall or Spring Terms, you can complete the Intern Program in four terms of full-time study.
Course of Study
- Required courses in the Library & Information Science Program
- Courses offered in the School of Education
- Recommended schedule for full-time students
- Recommend schedule for part-time students
Practicum for Intern Option Students
The Intern option students must complete a nine-credit practicum (LIS 2922) near the end of their MLIS program.
The practicum experience encompasses several types of learning experiences designed to help students apply and master competencies over the fifteen-week term:
- Completion of 60 days of concentrated teaching and management experience in an elementary or secondary school-library media center under the direction of an experienced school library media specialist;
- Participation in weekly seminars on specific topics related to teaching and providing services to students, collaboration with teachers, and managing the library program of services;
- Participation in three "hands-on" workshops on teaching techniques, classroom management and student behavior, and interviewing strategies;
- Reading and participation in weekly electronic reflections relating practicum experience to aspects of the weekly seminar topics. Pitt's Web-based Courseweb serves as the medium of communication among students and with instructor.
Practicum Checklist of Competencies and Learning Activities (PDF Document)