Admission requirements

The admission requirements for the further education Master's programme "Library and Information Science" (MA LIS) at Humboldt University in Berlin consist of several important criteria.

First of all, every applicant must be able to present a professional qualifying degree. This could, for example, be a Bachelor's, Master's, Diploma, or Magister degree. Additionally, it is necessary that after this degree, at least one year of qualified work experience in a relevant field has been gained. This field does not necessarily have to be in library or information science, but can also come from the fields of education, IT, science, or management.

If there are more applicants than available study places, a selection will be made based on a ranking list. The ranking order is determined by several criteria. Firstly, the final grade of the first degree will be taken into account, with the grade being multiplied by a factor of 10. Degrees in certain disciplines such as library science or documentation, as well as in legal, economic, social, natural, and engineering sciences, lead to point deductions. Work experience also plays a role: Those who can demonstrate at least one additional year of relevant work experience in the library, information, or documentation sector, in addition to meeting the entry requirements, will also receive point deductions that have a positive impact on the ranking list.

Various documents must be submitted for the application. These include the fully completed and signed application form, copies of the certificates for the first and, if applicable, other degrees, as well as proof of professional activity. These proofs must demonstrate that the work experience is qualified and relevant to the course of study. If applicants have gained relevant work experience in library science in the past or currently, they can provide evidence to receive bonus points.

The application can be made online as well as by submitting the documents by post. Applicants from non-German-speaking areas must also provide proof of German language skills at level C1.

Details

The Master's programme in Library and Information Science is a postgraduate distance learning course that offers a combination of self-study and face-to-face events. The lectures take place on 5-6 weekends per semester and can be attended on-site in Berlin or remotely via video conference. The standard duration of the programme is four semesters. The aim of this course is to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge of the library sector and to develop skills in organizing information processes. In addition, participants will be enabled to manage libraries and carry out their own scientific projects.

As part of the course, internships totaling 720 hours must be completed, which students must organize themselves. Previous professional experience may be partially recognized for internships.