University of North Texas
College of Information
School Library Certification varies from State to State but completion of the required sequence of courses listed below has been acceptable to meet the course requirements generally in all States.
In Texas, the requirement to work as a School Librarian includes:
A grade of B or better in all courses is required for certification.
All certification courses count as electives toward the Masters Degree.
Please see the General Program of Study including School Library Certification
While there are a great many NCATE accredited programs, there are only about 50 ALA accredited programs in the country. If you ever want to work in a library type other than K-12 schools, it usually requires an ALA accredited degree. ALA participates in establishing NCATE standards; but do not confuse NCATE accreditation with ALA accreditation.
If you already have a Masters, you may not be required to take entrance exams even if you never took them for your first Masters. We recommend you apply for the Masters (rather than certification only) and take certification course work first. It allows you to decide later and still have the opportunity to complete this Masters without loss of credit hours.
UNT allows you to transfer only 12 hours of "certification only" course work into the Masters. If you start out in the Masters, it costs you nothing more, gives you flexibility later to complete it if you choose. You may do certification first and then walk away without completing the Masters without penalty. If you complete your application for "certification only", you lose any hours taken beyond 12 if you decide later to complete the Masters. So check the box for "Masters" on the application!
Information about admissions may be found at the Master’s Admission Checklist.
We recommend you begin with SLIS 5001 and/or SLIS 5720.
If you are in-state it is section 001, if out-of-state it is section 005. Day/Time/Location is online.(We recommend only one course your first semester while working full time).
On the first day of the semester go to the WebVista Home Page. After logging in you will see the courses in which you are registered. Begin the course immediately. If you registered late, it may take 24 hours to add you into the course.
Online classes follow a regular semester schedule, just like traditional classes. You will have deadlines and assignments in a traditional manner. However, you may accomplish those assignments on your own timetable within the timeframe established by the course. Each class is managed differently by the professor in charge. Sometimes guest speakers may be present in chat areas of the courses at a specific time. Class members working on a group project may decide to convene at a specific time in the chat room. Generally speaking, the time of day that you access and interact with course materials is your own choice.
The UNT eCampus lists all the colleges and schools providing online courses for the current and upcoming semesters. Under the "Courses" heading, choose the semester about which you wish information. Then select the College Information, Library Science and Technologies, then select the Library and Information Sciences department listings. Course listings usually include textbooks, course description, course requirements, etc.
No, a certificate is not required to take the classes. Classroom teaching experience is required to actually receive School Library Certification in Texas. Other States vary in their requirements.
No, teaching experience is not required to take School Library classes. But 2 years of teaching experience in an accredited school are required to receive School Library Certification in Texas. Other States vary in their requirements.
You may apply for an official deficiency plan after you pass the 12th class day of any certification required course and are fully admitted to the department. Most districts require a deficiency plan to grant you emergency certification.
This is granted by the District, not through UNT. The District usually requires at least six credit hours completed and an official deficiency plan showing you are enrolled in a certification program. You can apply for a deficiency plan through UNT after you pass the 12th class day of your first semester of certification course work. You must be fully admitted to the department.
The UNT Certification office has an online site to assist you with this process. Applying direct to TEA may delay or negate your effort to receive your certificate.
SLIS 5720 requires you complete the A-V checklist and you are encouraged to begin this with your mentor ahead of time. The A-V checklist for SLIS 5720 may be found here.
The University Financial Aid Office has many sources of scholarship money. In addition, these organizations provide scholarships for those seeking to become school librarians:
Consult professional organizations within your state for other opportunities.
Barbara Schultz-Jones, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Toby Faber
Academic Counselor
Toll free: 1-877-ASKSLIS
E-mail: lis-school@unt.edu
The UNT Department of Library and Information Sciences Master's Degree is accredited by the American Library Association. 
This page was last modified at 10:17AM on Thursday, July 1, 2010
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