Phases, or, Thoughts on Syracuse

December the 15th marks the conclusion of my studies for my MSLIS at Syracuse. I suppose that means that it's time for me to think about my experiences there, and perhaps share a few of those experiences with you. A year and a half ago, I applied to several schools for my library degree (I call it that as I think they all give them different acronyms). In no particular order, I applied to the University of North Texas, Rutgers University, University of Washington, and Syracuse University. I was accepted at North Texas, Rutgers (on a wait list), and Syracuse. Of all these universities, Syracuse was simply stellar in talking to me and getting me up to speed. That (as well as their reputation) had a great deal to do with my choice to pursue my MSLIS there.

Here's a short video pitch from Scott Nicholson (former MSLIS program director), one of my favorite professors. This helps to define what it is they do in a very broad sense in the program...



So, now, a year and a half later, what do I see as the merits of my degree and studies from Syracuse? I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I have a nice list to share with you:

• One of the strengths of the Syracuse program is the required residency at the beginning of your degree. This really accomplishes three things: it helps you establish what Syracuse actually is, rather than some online abstract entity. You get to see the campus and take classes in the building where you normally would as an on-campus student. Second, you get to meet many of your professors that you will take courses from during your studies. Having a face and a voice (and a personality) to pair with a name is very helpful. Finally, you get to meet many of the people you'll be taking classes with for the rest of the semester. This last part has been great for me, as I have made a couple of very strong professional and social connections as a result of the residency (Lauren M. and Liz C., this means you).


• The course work, for the most part, is applicable and challenging. Many of my projects have been interesting and very helpful. Or course, there are exceptions to this (as I am sure there would be in any school), but I was very pleased by the level of work expected from the students. Many of these tasks helped be to gain very applicable knowledge and skills, but I will talk more about that in a moment.


• Many of the professors are very much experts in their field - I can think of several off the top of my head that are extremely well-respected and have contributed significant works to the study of specific aspects of librarianship. Of course, as I said above, there is some variety in the quality of the professors, but overall they are top-notch.


• Another of Syracuse's strengths lies in its interdisciplinary approach to the classes offered under the umbrella of the iSchool. As an MSLIS student, I had certain core requirements I had to fulfill, but beyond that, I could take courses in any of the other degree areas - telecommunications, or information management. As a result of this, the array of classes you can take to support your degree can be really varied, and you also get a wide variety of students in many classes. Folks from outside the MSLIS program usually brought a very interesting and different perspective to the courses - which was great.


• As I mentioned briefly above, I think that one of the great parts about much of the significant coursework (papers, projects, etc.) gives you opportunities to implement that which you are learning in the classroom in a hands-on, real-world way. In addition, these projects also give you great excuses to make professional contacts as a librarian in training. If you utilize these properly, they can be infinitely helpful in teaching you more real-world applications, as well as give you contacts for the job hunt and after you get that elusive first position.


• I really enjoyed that one can take (pretty much) what one wants to take to fulfill the credit hour requirements (there are 36 one must take). I really liked this, as I could tailor the courses I took to exactly what I wanted to do. Of course, this could very easily be a problem, as some students might seek out the path of least work. That would be a waste of your money, and really would be difficult to do - there are not a great deal of "easy" courses.


• Finally, one of the best things about earning your MSLIS at Syracuse is the great alumni network. The first name that comes to my mind is the inimitable Erin Dorney. That said, I have made many other connections based on my Syracuse education - and one which adds a significant amount of value to your degree.

Ok, so, do you have any questions about the profession, different degrees, good prof's, etc? Let me hear from you in the comments!