Librarianship

Aimed at resourceful people with excellent communication and organisational skills, this course is ideal for those with ambitions to work in library and information roles across a wide variety of sectors. The MA and PG Diploma awards are CILIP accredited.

Course description

You'll be introduced to the best current thinking and practice needed to enter this fast developing sector. You'll learn core competencies in IT, management and information handling, together with a wide range of specialisms.

Library and information professionals need strong information handling, managerial and interpersonal skills, plus an understanding of the power of technology to transform information services provision. They must also have the imagination, commitment and enthusiasm to play a part in the exciting changes taking place in the fast-developing information world.

The skills of librarians and information specialists are essential to identify, control, organise and make accessible the ever-increasing amounts of information available in paper, digital and multimedia formats. This course prepares you for a professional role in areas ranging from public service to business.

There are a number of opportunities made available to students to gain experience of the workplace. These include part-time paid roles reserved for our students at the University of Sheffield Library, internships organised as part of the University internship scheme, and volunteering opportunities in various community-based projects. We support students in gaining places on these various schemes (taking particular care to ensure that student volunteers do not replace paid roles in any organisation), and those that choose to take advantage of them always find them very useful.

If you have two or more years' relevant work experience in the information sector and wish to study for a higher degree, you may be interested in our Professional Enhancement programme. The programme is designed for people already in work who want to further their careers, and allows greater freedom in module choice in recognition of your existing expertise.

Accreditation

CILIP accredited for the MA and PG Diploma awards