PMC Program Performance

Overview June 6, 2018

Post-Master’s Certificate Program Performance

Students enrolled in the Post-Master’s Certificate program at the San José State University School of Information must meet the following requirements, in order to complete the program and earn their Post-Master’s Certificate in Library and Information Science:

Complete all 16 units within three years
Maintain a 3.0 grade point average, which is an average grade of “B”
Demonstrate that they meet the Post-Master’s Certificate overarching program student learning outcomes (effective beginning fall 2014)

Post-Master’s Certificate Program Based Assessment

The iSchool has developed a set of Program Learning Outcomes that are focused on the core competencies of our profession.

Effective fall 2014, after completing the 16 units required in the Post-Master’s Certificate program, as a final step before earning their certificate, students will demonstrate that they meet the Post-Master’s Certificate overarching program student learning outcomes by:

Selecting a communications technology tool of their choice (e.g. screencast, blog)
Using the selected communications technology tool to briefly illustrate how their course work helped them address the Post-Master’s Certificate program student learning outcomes, as follows:
- Demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies
- Use service concepts, principles, and techniques to connect individuals or groups with accurate, relevant, and appropriate information

Retention Data for Certificate Students

As students pass through the 16 unit Post-Master’s Certificate program, there are several key transition points where we monitor retention rates:

After the required one unit INFO 203. This class – Online Social Networking – is the first class taken by students admitted into the Certificate program. Students are required to pass the class in order to continue. One of the purposes of the class is to help determine if a student is equipped for the online environment.

**Table 1. INFO 203 Retention and Pass Data**
Semester	Certificate Enrolled by Semester’s End	Certificate Withdrawn /Dropped	Certificate Total Enrolled by iSchool Office	NC	CR	Certificate Retention Rate	Pass Rate
Spring 2012	26	3	29	0	26	90%	100%
Fall 2012	22	4	26	0	22	85%	100%
Spring 2013	15	6	21	0	15	71%	100%
Fall 2013	15	11	26	1	14	58%	93%
Spring 2014	14	9	23	2	12	61%	86%
Fall 2014	26	3	23	0	23	85.5%	100%
Spring 2015	13	3	16	0	13	81%	100%
Fall 2015	15	0	15	0	15	100%	100%
Spring 2016	14	6	20	0	14	70%	100%
Fall 2016	13	2	15	0	13	87%	100%
Spring 2017	7	0	7	0	7	100%	100%
Fall 2017	5	1	6	0	5	88%	100%
Spring 2018	8	0	8	0	8	100%	100%

Certificate Student Performance in Pathway Coursework. After students have successfully completed INFO 203, students are free to take courses from among the foundational and recommended courses in the certificate pathway of their choosing, including the option of selecting one (non-repeatable) 3-unit internship.

**Table 2. Data about Certificate Students’ Grades**
Student Achievement by Pathway, through December 2018	Active/ Completed Certificate Students	Students with B or above GPA
Data Science
Digital Archives and Records Management	34	100%
Digital Curation	5	100%
Digital Services and Emerging Technologies	33	100%
Information Intermediation	11	100%
Leadership and Management	10	100%
Web Programing	11	100%
Youth Services	5	100%
Total	109	average 100%

Certificate students are surveyed as they exit the program.

The Post-Master’s Certificate Program first admitted students in spring 2012. As of December 2018, 82 students have completed the Certificate. The school has administered a post-completion Post-Master’s Certificate exit survey to gather information from those students about program quality. To date 61 out of 82 certificate finishers have completed the survey.

Program Quality

Certificate finishers were asked why they had chosen the program. The majority of respondents indicated that they were looking to add new skills, while other respondents indicated that the program’s online flexibility and instructors had attracted them to the program. One stated, “your professors are practicing in the field, so the issues, challenges and topics are relevant. Further, many names were recognizable — they serve as editors for Library Journal, on ALA etc.” Another respondent said, “I think the course offerings reflect the skills and knowledge that are currently needed in the profession. It is an effective way to keep up with the profession.”

Two respondents were looking to gain the skills to work in digital archives. One was looking for the opportunity to develop her career in the youth services. Another stated that the simplicity of the application process helped in selecting the SJSU iSchool program. One stated, “I am mid-career. I wanted to update my technology skills. I reviewed several online PMC programs. I chose SJSU because of the simple application process, the reasonable cost. Also, most of my professional colleagues are SJSU graduates.” One respondent indicated the different subject paths created by the program were the attractant. One respondent added that the program created a “better awareness of changes happening in the field and how to facilitate changes that are meaningful.” Another stated that the Post-Master’s program had been recommended by several people who had gone through the MLIS program at SJSU. Five other respondents indicated the low cost of the program, combined with the selection of courses was the main attractant. Two students mentioned being attracted by the reputation of the iSchool program. One student mentioned that after having taken off time from corporate library work to raise a family, she was looking to the program to help her break back into the library field with an updated skill set.

Twenty respondents indicated they had followed the Digital Archives and Records Management certificate pathway, three followed the digital curation path, sixteen had followed the Digital Services and Emerging Technologies pathway, eight had completed the Information Intermediation and Instruction pathway, five had completed the Leadership and Management pathway, five had completed the Web Programming pathway and four had completed the Youth Services path. From the most recent, Dec. 2017 survey:

100% of all respondents were employed during their program, (includes those on sabbatical).
97% of respondents indicated that they thought that earning the certificate would help them in their career.
100% of respondents indicated that the quality of the formal learning activities was either Good, or Very Good on a scale of: Very Good, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor.
100% of those surveyed indicated that they would recommend the certificate program to someone interested in updating their library and information science skill-set.

Sample Comments from Exit Survey

Why would you recommend the program?

“I would recommend the program to anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in Youth Services. The program offered essential foundational coursework in Youth Services. Those who have an master’s in library studies and are interested in a possibly changing or expanding their expertise would greatly benefit from the post-master’s certificate programs offered at SJSU.”

“1. All online 2. All instructors built in discussion forums and/or group work which was very beneficial 3. Use of educational technology in most classes was top-notch; important for librarians to know 4. Textbooks were mostly available for free via ebook from SJSU or other institutions 4. Outstanding feedback and response time from most instructors 5. Flexibility of instructors if you wanted to tweak an assignment so that it was more meaningful to your current job 5. Outstanding support staff including iSchool and IT folks.”

“For some courses I was required to do projects that mirror real projects on the job.”

“I wanted to learn about managing digital collections, to support a career transition into Digital Asset Management.”

“I would recommend the program because it is an affordable way to bolster your skills – especially if you do not want to pursue a full-on MLIS.”

“I would recommend the program because it is convenient to attend class online.”

“The online format is very user-friendly and fits nicely into the schedule of the already-working adult. If a student would like to freshen up their skills, or choose a completely different career trajectory, the Post-Masters Certificate can definitely meet these needs.”

“The faculty and staff of the School of Information were pleasant and effective communicators and I felt valued as a student.The department website is informative and I really enjoyed learning about the variety of ways LIS students were using their degrees and/or skills out in the real world.”

“I learned a lot and it is very tech centered which is needed in today’s library world. Every time I look at a job posting it requires a variety of technology skills.”

“The fact that I was getting my certificate was a plus in obtaining my new job. It differentiated me from my competitors.”

Greatest Strengths of the Post-Master’s Certificate Program

“Good selection of courses, very good administrative support. The program itself is a great way to re-connect with the theoretical and philosophical aspects of librarianship, which can get lost in the busy everyday life of a working librarian. It gave me the opportunity to discover new areas of interest and potential areas I’d like to research and engage in professionally, particularly through professional writing.”

“I am applying much of what I learned on a daily basis. From what I learned in IA to Gaming Information, to sum it up: “Applicable”. To get all of this from 100% on-line learning is impressive and speaks volumes.”

“The courses are taught by people working in the field and the assignments apply to many work situations. The online platform works well as there are many chances for personal interactions and working at your own pace.”

“Nice variety of meaningful courses. Program has just the right amount of work to accomplish without feeling overwhelmed or that you were shortchanged.”

“Being able to take classes without traveling or relocating. Being able to take “real” classes, not just continuing education sorts of things.”

“I could actually apply what I learned through coursework into my day-to-day work. It’s made me a better academic librarian. Also, most of the instructors understood how to take advantage of the strengths of online learning, having a variety of students with different experiences, bringing in outside speakers, including some opportunity for synchronous communication, and keeping the course active and effective.”

“The fact that you get to take courses right along-side regular MLIS students is another strength of the program.”

“Great faculty! Instructions for using Canvas were easy to find and use.”

“Being able to choose from a variety of pathways makes the program relevant to the specific educational needs of the archive or library professional.”

“Alyce Scott! I enjoyed her class on Digital Curation so much. It was challenging and thought-provoking in a way I did not expect.”

Post-Master’s Certificate Profiles

In addition to our survey results above, we invite you to learn more about the accomplishments of some of our Post-Master’s Certificate students who have been featured in the school’s Community Profile series:

Digital Archives and Records Management

Digital Services and Emerging Technology

Information Intermediation and Instruction

Kathy Anderson