The School of Information and Library Science will begin offering a five-year bachelor’s and master’s degree program for all students in the school with at least one year left, school officials said.
The school’s new dual-degree program was approved at the end of the fall semester and is aimed at pinpointing the most dedicated students early on in their academic careers.
“We want to identify these students early so we can help them plan degrees as a whole unit rather than two separate pieces,” said Stephanie Haas, a professor in the school and coordinator of the program.
“It will also give them an advantage in the job market.”
UNC’s Academic Plan encourages the University to offer more bachelor’s to master’s degree programs that can be completed in four or five years. The school, ranked No. 1 library and information studies school in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, is the latest at UNC to do so.
Haas said students pursuing the dual degree will have more opportunities for internships, allowing students to make lasting professional connections.
“They will have the ability to get a breadth of experience through coursework and be able to do more in-depth study in a particular area, to really specialize,” she said.
The dual degree is also aimed at keeping the school competitive with its peers, which offer similar educational programs.
“We hope to offer (this program) as a competitive advantage,” Haas said, adding that the joint program doesn’t cut any courses from either degree.