DAC Program Requirements for Current Master's Students

Current special session* students at the SJSU School of Information have the unique opportunity to earn both a master’s degree and advanced certificate concurrently. They can apply the required courses (nine units) for the advanced certificate toward their program requirements for the Master of Library and Information Science or Master of Archives and Records Administration program. Students completing both the master’s degree and advanced certificate programs will receive a diploma and certificate from San José State University. 

Eligibility

There are no additional admissions applications or program fees for current MLIS or MARA students who also want to earn an advanced certificate.

*Regular Session MLIS students may be able to take some of the certificate classes in summer, or through regular session offerings, however all of the topics are available in special session. Information about the advanced certificate program for non-iSchool students can be found on this web page.

Complete the Two Step Process:

Step 1) Current MLIS and MARA students who intend to pursue the 9 unit, stackable Advanced Certificate in Strategic Management of Digital Assets and Services within their Master’s degree, must complete a Declaration Form with the SJSU Graduate Admissions and Programs Evaluation (SJSU GAPE) office: “It is recommended that master’s students declare their intent to pursue an Advanced Certificate at the start of their certificate coursework. Currently, there is no deadline in effect, however, early declaration ensures the student’s pursuits are officially recognized on their record, allowing for enhanced visibility of certificate enrollment and certificate progress.”

On the form, enter Dr. Frank Cervone for the “Certificate Program Coordinator (Director).”

Step 2) After all the units are completed for the MLIS or MARA degree, submit the Advanced Certificate Audit Form, following the instructions below.

Note: MLIS/MARA may only stack one Advanced Certificate in one pathway with their degree.

Program Requirements and When to Complete the Advanced Certificate Audit Form

In order to graduate with both a master’s degree and the advanced certificate, current students must meet the following requirements, in order:

1. Take nine units within one of the advanced certificate program’s pathways. All nine units must be taken within one pathway and these certificate classes must be listed on the approved 43 unit MLIS or 42 unit MARA Candidacy plan or approved course substitution form. Total GPA of these courses (nine units) must be 3.0 or higher. Only include the 9 units of certificate electives from your pathway on the advanced certificate audit form. You may not include more than 9 units. You may not take extra classes beyond what is needed for the MLIS or MARA to obtain the certificate within your degree. 
2. Successfully pass the INFO 289 e-Portfolio or the MARA 289 e-Portfolio and check that the CR grade for this class, and your 43 units / 42 units for your degree are posted to your one.SJSU unofficial transcript.
3. Then, once all grades from the 9 units of certificate classes and the CR grade for INFO 289 or MARA 289 have posted to your one.SJSU unofficial transcript, submit submit the OnBase form to Dr. Frank Cervone electronically from the following OnBase link.

OnBase Audit Form Instructions

1. Enter Student ID, First Name, Last Name and Email. For College, choose Information Data and Society. For Certificate, Choose: Strategic Management of Digital Assets and Services
2. Enter each course, in the order taken, including: the Subject Area Prefix (INFO or MARA), Catalog Number, Course Title (including Seminar Topic, if the course has a rotating seminar topic), Units, Grade, Semester Completed, Year. Do not include extra classes beyond what is needed for the certificate. Add no more than 9 or 10 units total.
3. Access your unofficial transcript and make a screenshot of your record for attaching to the OnBase form.
4. Enter the SJSU iSchool MLIS Program Coordinator’s Name: Dr. Frank Cervone, and Email Address: Frank.Cervone@sjsu.edu
5. Click Submit to complete the form. The iSchool has no information regarding the timeline of processing of the form, as it is routed electronically to SJSU GAPE for processing. Once SJSU GAPE approves the Audit form, their office will confer the certificate to the transcript and mail the certificate to the student’s official mailing address in MySJSU.

Contact Sheila Gurtu with questions.

Students who do NOT pass the MLIS or MARA e-Portfolio culminating course, but successfully complete the advanced certificate courses, are required to build a WordPress digital portfolio, in order to earn the Advanced Certificate in Strategic Management of Digital Assets and Services.

In the digital portfolio, students address the two overarching program learning outcomes and how they meet the criteria, as outlined below:

A. Demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies to connect individuals or groups with accurate, relevant, and appropriate information.

Criteria:

• Demonstrates knowledge of current and emerging technological issues and trends and their impact on the information professions;
• Articulates how emerging technologies might impact an information environment;
• Articulates and demonstrates the ability to design and provide the services that assist people in accessing information in that environment.

B. Apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy to the selection, evaluation, organization, curation, and security of physical and digital information items.

Criteria:

• Demonstrates the ability to participate in long-term planning or carry out project management;
• Shows the ability to market his or her work to users/clientele within or outside of the organization;
• Shows understanding of how an information professional can be an advocate for a specific information entity;
• Demonstrates understanding of the concepts that comprise the management of collections of data or digital objects, including selection, evaluation, organization curation and security.

As part of the process of meeting the criteria, students:

• Discuss what course work/work experience prepared them for understanding and being able to meet the program learning outcome;
• Present and discuss each piece of evidence they select (can be from one to four pieces). Explain why they selected this evidence and how it demonstrates their competency and the skills and knowledge they learned;
• Discuss how they are able to (know how to, or can) apply or transfer skills and knowledge in the future to different work situations or environments.

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