Information and Library Studies – (M.Sc.)

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Aberystwyth University’s MScEcon/Diploma in Information and Library Studies was one of the very first qualifications in this important area and is still one of the market’s most well regarded. It will introduce you to the challenges and best practice methods that determine the flow of information within and between organisations and their users. You will study how issues such as censorship, multiculturalism and intellectual freedom affect this movement. You will also study how technology impacts the delivery of information and library services in a range of important societal contexts, such as health, education and business arenas. By studying the principles and practical applications of these and many other subject areas, you will acquire skills that are highly desirable to all employers who rely on the flow of information including private companies, government bodies and public organisations.

The course is a full-time programme, taught over one year, and is divided into two parts over three semesters. In part one, you will study a number of crucial core modules whilst directing your own study by choosing specialist modules, together worth a total of 120 credits. In part two, you will apply your learning in the individual dissertation worth an additional 60 credits. If you do not wish to complete the individual dissertation then you can obtain the Diploma.

In the dissertation project, you will explore an approved topic in a dissertation totalling 15,000 words. You will engage with the central concepts, methods and techniques of the main streams of information and library research, and in doing so aim to contribute to the national understanding of data handling and information flow. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the dissertation, the MSc Econ in Information and Library Studies is awarded. The descriptions relating to this dissertation and all the study modules can be found on the At a Glance tab.

In addition to the teaching input from this leading department, you will be exposed to guest speakers and visits to services local to the University. You will participate in a four-day study tour to London in which you will have the opportunity to observe a wide variety of libraries and information organisations in both public and private sectors, and to meet the professional staff involved.

Upon graduation from the MScEcon/Diploma in Information and Library Studies, you will have demonstrated the academic excellence, personal rigor and interpersonal adaptability required by recruiting corporate bodies, government agencies and research institutes alike. As someone with a wealth of up-to-date theoretical knowledge and practical experience, you will be on the cutting edge of the subject. In a competitive jobs market, your particular skills set, proven through highly relevant business, education and health applications, will make you highly desirable to employers from a range of industries.

Skills in Management of Systems and Stakeholders

The MScEcon/Diploma is designed to give you a broad knowledge of a range of transferable skills that you can apply in a variety of research interests, particularly in your Master’s dissertation. A significant proportion of postgraduate jobs demand management abilities; this course aims to support your progression into professional employment beyond by including such training.

You will become well versed in contemporary management theory and practice of relevance to the management of the relationship between information and organisations. You will learn to analyse and control how information is transmitted to users, including access to information and measurement of use. The monitoring an analysis of data is crucial to the success of business organisations and initiatives. Mastering it will enable you to manage within a changing and turbulent environment and provide you with an understanding of the inter-relationship of the organization with its customers and stakeholders.

As business relies on meeting needs, this training will be a significant advantage to you when you enter the jobs market.

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