Career pathways – 13 ways to think about life after completing your MLIS
In case you missed it, our school recently announced the addition of a new career pathway for MLIS students – digital curation. Though the new pathway will be officially unveiled in the fall 2014 semester, it is never too early to consider taking your studies in a specific direction.
There are 13 career pathways for MLIS students to investigate. Because students have so many elective choices, it can be difficult to choose which classes to take beyond the required core courses. The career pathways web pages can help you focus your choice of electives, and also help you explore your future career options.
Each career pathway web page gives you information about what you can expect to learn if you choose courses in a specific pathway. These pages also discuss possible employment opportunities after graduation, and recommended coursework to help you achieve your goals. By looking at the different descriptions and related coursework, you might get a better sense of which direction you would like to take.
You don’t need to choose a career pathway in order to complete the MLIS degree. You can choose electives from any pathway. However, exploring the information about the different pathways may help you think outside of the box regarding where you can head after graduation, and help you discover some interesting electives.
If you have read any of my other blog postings you might know that I chose to take the youth librarianship pathway. When I looked at the recommended courses for that pathway I wanted to take them all. That’s how I knew I was in the right place.
My final caveat would be this: consider expanding your horizons beyond one career pathway, even if there is one specific path you know you want to follow. While I took many classes focusing on youth librarianship, I also branched out and took a technology tools course. I am so happy I did.
These pathways are a tool for you to use. Think of them as a guide or a roadmap. But feel free to make your own route to graduation.
Additional pages to peruse:
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