Imagine a career where you bring music to life by connecting people with the world’s vast musical heritage. As a music librarian, you play a pivotal role in preserving and sharing the art of sound.
Manage, organize and make accessible collections of music scores, recordings and digital media. With an expert’s eye for detail and a passion for music, you’ll help researchers, students, and enthusiasts find inspiration and knowledge, bridging the past and future of music. Through this program, you'll gain first-hand experience of practical and theoretical matters to help you in the real-world setting of a functioning music library.
UB’s Music Librarianship program offers a unique dual-degree pathway, allowing students to earn both a Master of Science in Information and Library Science and a Master of Arts in Music within an accelerated four-year timeline. This efficiency is unmatched by many programs, providing graduates with comprehensive expertise in both fields faster than the traditional five-year track.
Students gain hands-on experience through practica, directed study courses, and specialized projects within real-world music library settings. Additionally, UB offers student-centered learning experiences, such as active student groups, departmental seminars, and committee involvement, all of which foster professional networking and skill development.
The program is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), enhancing the value and recognition of the degree in the job market. With flexible delivery formats (online, on-campus, and hybrid) and options for part-time or full-time enrollment, students can tailor their learning experience to fit their personal and professional needs.
Academic credentials granted | Master of Science/Master of Arts (MS/MA) |
---|---|
Credits required for completion | 36 |
Time to completion | 4 full-time semesters |
Course delivery options | On campus, online or hybrid |
Application deadline | Rolling admissions |
LIS 507 Information Life Cycle
LIS 508 Information Users and Uses
LIS 575 Introduction to Research Methods
Concentrations are available within this collaboration. You can prepare to be generalists or choose courses with concentrations in one or more areas:
Separate applications must be submitted and you must be admitted to the Music Department (MA degree) as well as the Graduate School of Education Department of Information Science (MS degree). Follow the normal admission procedure for each unit.
You can apply to both schools at the same time; if you are already admitted to the MA or the MS program, you can apply for the dual major during your first year and seek admission to the other school.
You must have received an undergraduate bachelor degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better by the intended beginning semester. Applications with lower GPA’s may still be considered and granted a “conditional admission” (see below for more information).
Submit your completed online application, which includes:
Conditional Admission Status: You may be admitted conditionally to this MS program when you do not meet all admission requirements (most often because of an undergraduate GPA below 3.0) but your personal statements, transcripts, entrance examination scores, employment history and letters of reference demonstrate potential for success. At the end of the semester in which you have attempted 9 credit hours in the program — including two core courses (e.g., LIS 507, LIS 508, LIS 575) (courses with a grade of R/resigned do not count as attempted, but I and U do) — your academic standing will be reviewed by IS staff. At the time of the review, if you meet all the conditions of good academic standing and have no incomplete or unsatisfactory grades, conditional status is automatically lifted and you are considered to be in good academic standing.
Former/Maiden Name: Please provide us with your former/maiden name if you have one. When requesting transcripts, please ask the sending institution to indicate your current name and former/maiden name.
Admission Decision: The admission decision will be communicated to you as soon as review is complete. The decision is based on a number of factors and is the result of a thorough and deliberate process. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
In order to qualify for the in-state residency tuition rate, you must provide residency documentation indicating you have lived in New York State (NYS) 12 months before your semester start date.
If accepted, you will need to upload three documents to qualify for the in-state tuition rate. See Required Documents for Residency Application for more information.
All financial forms and supporting documentation with required signatures must be uploaded with your application and dated within one year of your intended enrollment date.
Music librarians can work in many different types of environments, including: