Educational Technology, Research & Assessment
Northern Illinois University
Gabel Hall 208
DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone: (815) 753-9339
Fax: (815) 753-9388
etra@niu.edu
The Instructional Technology program offers courses to assist individuals in achieving certification or endorsement for work in Illinois school library/media centers as Library Information Specialists. The Library Information Specialist Certification is not a degree program, but rather a set of courses that may be included within a program leading to either a master's or doctoral degree in Instructional Technology.
Students may seek either certification or endorsement without being admitted to a degree program. With the approval of the student's faculty advisor, a student who has completed endorsement or certification requirements for the Library Information Specialist or Endorsement Certification at NIU as a student-at-large may apply some or all of those student-at-large hours toward the master's or doctoral degrees in instructional technology.
This certification provides individuals with educational qualifications to work in an Illinois school libraries and media centers for grades K-12, regardless of the level of existing teaching certification.
For certification: 36-39 semester hours in media (instructional materials, library science, audio-visual) including professional preparation (at four-year college and/or graduate levels) in administration, organization (cataloging and classification), reference, selection of media for both elementary and secondary levels, production and communications.
Graduate Advisor: (815) 753-9321
This endorsement provides individuals with the qualifications to work in an Illinois school libraries and media centers at the level of existing teaching certification as a Library Information Specialist.
For endorsement: 24 semester hours in library science-media; professional preparation (at four-year college and/or graduate levels) in administration, organization (cataloging and classification), reference, and selection of media (elementary and/or secondary levels). Students seeking a Middle Grades endorsement are also required to complete EPS 519, The Middle School Child (3 credit hours) and TLCI 522, Middle School Organization and Instruction (3 credit hours), unless these or representative courses have previously been taken.