What major will lead to work as a Librarian?

Question

I want to be a Librarian, however there are no schools near me that offer undergraduate Library Science. And I do not have the funds to go out-of-state in undergrad. Therefore, I planned to major in History, and then hopefully earn a Master's in Library Science.

Will I be able to earn a BA in History, then MS in Library Science? or do I need a (BA in Library Science) to work as an Librarian or go to the MA degree?

Answer 1

Check out some schools that offer MLIS degrees to see what their requirements are. Here in California, there are two MLIS programs. One is at SJSU, which only requires a bachelor's degree in any subject. The other is at UCLA, which again requires a bachelor's degree in any subject along with some specific classes (including statistics and computer programming).

Answer 2

You say you don't have the funds to go out-of-state. Consider how much "extra" it will cost to attend two additional years of college to get a Master's degree. Of course, a Master's in library science would make you more competitive in the job market than would a Bachelor's degree in library science.

Answer 3

Yes, most librarians earn a BA in a social science or humanities then go onto getting their MS in Library Science. History would be good preparation, go for it.

Answer 4

Do you have a sense of what school you want to attend for your Masters (or at least know what schools offer it)? Take a look at their websites and see what the requirements are - you may find that different schools will have different expectations about what undergrad degree you should have.