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Library Science (BA)

Student recherchiert in Bibliothek der FH Potsdam

Libraries bundle large amounts of diverse information and make it accessible to their users. In doing so, they make a valuable contribution to understanding the past, present and future. 

As a library researcher, you not only hold the key to this knowledge in your hands, but also produce it and thus actively contribute to the transfer of information.

 

Abschluss:
Bachelor of Arts
Type:
Full time
Course language:
German
Standard study period:

7 semesters

Start of study:
Winter semester
Application deadline:

15/06 – 15/08 (free of admission)

Admission requirements:
General university entrance qualification/ entrance qualification for studies at universities of applied sciences/ equivalently recognised prior vocational training
Credits:

210 ECTS credits (NC-Free)

Module Manuals & Regulations
Profile

Create information spaces

Library scientists ensure high quality of information services of scientific libraries. They make sure that these information collections available to current users as well as to future future generations future generations.
In the library science programme you will learn, at use of thethe latest technologies to structure information, process, network and make information available. You will also acquire the knowledge and skills to adapt library services to the information behaviour information behaviour and the needs of your target groups in the knowledgescientific libraries.

Is this degree programme right for me?

Interest in people and technology is in demand

The focus of the programme is the development of competences for systematically organising large amounts of information, for networking and making information visible. Excursions and internships enable you to apply the knowledge you have acquired and give you insights into your future professional life - primarily in academic libraries. Both in theory and in the practical parts of the degree programme, you will learn how to combine information with digitality in a way that is suitable for use.

You bring these qualities with you

  • Open-mindedness for changes in the digital media and information society
  • Abstract and analytical thinking
  • Great interest in daily political debates about knowledge and facts
  • Open-mindednessopenness towards digital content and modern IT technology
  • Interest in classification systems and the structuring of scientific data
  • Communication skills
  • Interest in the development of didactic and counselling skills

Online Study Choice Assistant

Would you like to find out more about the library sciences degree programme, get opinions and tips from students and lecturers or take a look at typical study tasks?

With the Online Study Choice Assistant (OSA) you can test whether the degree programme is right for you.

Podcast of the Campus Specialists

Santiago is studying library sciences and is one of our campus specialists who talk about their degree programmes in their podcast. Together with Carolin, who studies archival studies, he talks about the courses and university life.

Contact

The colleagues at the student counselling service provide information to prospective students, first-year students, parents, teachers and students on all general questions about the degree programme. If you have specific questions or concerns about the Bachelor's degree programme in library sciences, please contact the student counselling service.

Student Counselling Service

Chair of Library Science – Strategies, Service Development, Science Communication

These degree programmes might also interest you

More courses
Department Degree programme Teaching language Start of study Application deadline
Archival Sciences (MA) German Winter semester

15/05 – 10/06 in odd-numbered calendar years (admission restricted)

Archival Studies (BA) German Winter semester

15/06 – 15/08 (free of admission)

Digital Data Management (MA) German Summer semester

Note: No enrolment for summer semester 2024

Information Studies (BA) German Winter semester

15/06 – 30/09 (free of admission)

Library Science (BA) German Winter semester

15/06 – 15/08 (free of admission)

Career Prospects

Career Prospects

The successful completion of your Bachelor's degree qualifies you in particular in scientific general- and special libraries or research institutions to work. Aber also an activity as a self-employed service provider or in a company, for example a law firm law firm or a pharmaceutical company, are are possible due to the core competences possible.

Working in academic libraries

  • University libraries
  • Libraries in research institutions
  • Science general libraries

 

Work in special libraries, institutions or companies

  • Parliaments
  • Courts
  • Museums
  • Associations
  • Private companies
  • Independent service

Web portal "meinjob-bibliothek"

The web portal meinjob-bibliothek.de offers all those interested in libraries - whether they are trainees, students, potential employees or colleagues - comprehensive information on entry-level, training and career opportunities in the fascinating world of libraries.

This video provides more insight into the diversity and dynamism of the profession, the various library formats, and the tasks that employees take on daily. 

  • Portrait von Bibliothekswissenschaft-Studentin Tabea in der Bibliothek
    Studentin Tabea

    I gained work experience throughout my studies, first at the Grimm Centre in Berlin and then, since my internship semester until today, to my great delight, at the Fontane Archive in Potsdam. But now I'm still going to do my Master's degree at the FHP after I finish my Bachelor's degree.

    Tabea
    Student in the 7th semester
  • Student Daniel (Informations- und Datenmabagement)
    Student Daniel

    In the course of my studies, I gained deep insights into public and academic libraries and learned how to work with them. and academic libraries and learned to work in and with them. and with them. With the Bachelor's degree, I am also prepared for the Master's degree.

    Ich actually have all doors open.

    Daniel
    Student in the 6th semester

These degree programmes might also interest you

More courses
Department Degree programme Teaching language Start of study Application deadline
Archival Sciences (MA) German Winter semester

15/05 – 10/06 in odd-numbered calendar years (admission restricted)

Archival Studies (BA) German Winter semester

15/06 – 15/08 (free of admission)

Digital Data Management (MA) German Summer semester

Note: No enrolment for summer semester 2024

Information Studies (BA) German Winter semester

15/06 – 30/09 (free of admission)

Library Science (BA) German Winter semester

15/06 – 15/08 (free of admission)

Study Content

Course of study in the Bachelor's degree Library Science

The Bachelor's degree programme in Library Science offers an exciting mix of theory and practice: with plenty of room for your own interests and professional orientation. The study plan is clearly structured and accompanies you step by step from entry to graduation.

In the first two semesters, you will acquire the professional foundation for your future career. You will learn about the central tasks and topics of modern librarianship - such as library technology infrastructures, cataloguing, metadata and research skills.

During this early phase, you will complete an initial six-week internship - e.g. in an academic library. This allows you to apply what you have learnt directly, explore different areas of work and hone your own interests.

In the third and fourth semesters, you will deepen your knowledge - both subject-specific and interdisciplinary. This includes data literacy, library management, library information didactics and collection management.

Compulsory elective modules give you the opportunity to focus on specific topics.

The majority of the compulsory elective modules that you have to choose during the course of your studies are assigned to one of three possible specialisations:

  • Library and Information Didactics consisting of the modules UX for Digital Information Services, Mediation of Data, Information and Media Literacy as well as Science Communication & Public Relations
  • Data steward consisting of the modules data culture, fair data management and long-term archiving as well as data and information visualisation
  • Openness consisting of the modules Public Libraries, Open Sciences Services & Legal Foundations as well as Openness in the Information Society

If you successfully complete at least two compulsory elective modules in a specialisation, this specialisation will be shown on your degree certificate.

However, you can also choose your own elective modules.

The fifth semester is all about practical experience: you will spend several months working in a library or similar institution. There you will gain in-depth insights into professional processes, take on your first tasks and establish contacts with experts and potential employers.

The final internship day at the FH Potsdam provides an opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow students and reflect on your own experiences.

In the last two semesters, you can specialise further with compulsory elective modules and prepare yourself specifically for starting a career or continuing your studies. Some of the compulsory elective modules are assigned to a specialisation.

You will complete a project course in which you will work on practical issues.

In addition to the specialised content, the focus is also on overarching skills - e.g. project design and management. The final part of the programme is your Bachelor's thesis, in which you demonstrate that you can work independently on a library science topic in a well-founded and practice-oriented manner.

Study Content

In the library sciences degree programme, different forms of teaching and learning are used to enable knowledge to be imparted in a practical way. In addition to the classic basic training, you will also learn the methodology that is important for working in the field of librarianship in practical modules.

In the currently valid module handbooks and study and examination regulations of the information sciences department you will find the module overview, a detailed description of the modules and study contents as well as the study plan for the degree programme in library sciences.

Integrative modules

  • Start me up

  • Basic Concepts and Practices of Information Science

  • Lab: Data Literacy

  • Copyright and Internet Law Basics for Information Institutions

  • Project Design

Compulsory modules

  • Libraries in the Information Society

  • Library technology infrastructures

  • Introduction Metadata & Semantics

  • Programming & Research Methods

  • Library technology services

  • Library indexing

  • Library research skills

  • Library information didactics

  • Library management

  • Lab: Collection Management

  • Current topics and methods of international professional discussion

Elective modules

  • Data culture

  • UX for digital information services

  • Public Libraries

  • Open Science Services and Legal Bases

  • Science Communication & Public Relations

Integrative & partially integrative elective modules

  • Openness in the Information Society
  • Data & Information Visualisation
  • Teaching data and information literacy
  • English in Information Services
  • Knowledge Management – Basics
  • Fair data management and long-term archiving
  • Digital editions
  • FLEX 1
  • FLEX 2
  • PRO: Project

Projects & Excursions

  • Depending on current topics, cooperation partners and research projects

Extension area

  • Attendance of subject-related events at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam or other universities or professional associations
  • Participation in the interdisciplinary teaching and learning opportunities offered by the university

Internships

  • Two internships: six weeks after the 2nd semester and 20 weeks in the 5th semester

Thesis

  • Writing and defending a Bachelor's thesis on one's own initiative

Downloads

Application & Contact

Dates & requirements for your application

The most important deadlines, dates and admission requirements for the Bachelor's degree programme in library science are compiled here. You can find out which steps you need to take for a successful application in the next section.

Dates

  • by the 15th of August: apply for matriculation
  • By the 15th of July: apply for a higher semester in order to continue a degree programme you have already started at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

Access requirements

  • General university entrance qualification according to the Brandenburg university act: General university qualification or entrance qualification for studies at universities of applied sciences or previous vocational training recognised as equivalent

This is how you apply!

Do you have a university entrance qualification? Then you have the opportunity to submit an enrolment application for the winter semester from 15 June to 15 August on the MyCampus university portal of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

Following online enrolment, upload all required documents as PDF files via the upload portal. Enrolment is only valid once all documents have been uploaded in full and on time.

Documents to be submitted

  • an officially certified copy of your university entrance qualification or university degree certificate
  • electronic notification of your insurance status for the statutory health insurance for students or electronic notification of exemption from the statutory insurance obligation
  • Proof of payment or order confirmation of semester fees
  • Photo for issuing the Campus.Card: This can also be uploaded during online enrolment.
  • If applicable, certificate of exmatriculation from the last university attended

Please refer to the enrolment application form to find out whether you need to submit any additional documents.

Do you have any questions about the enrolment process at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam? Our enrolment page offers you further information and a FAQ section on all aspects of admission and enrolment.

Start your studies

After you have successfully completed the application process, we recommend that you take a look at the start of studies page of the information sciences department. There you will find important information and dates regarding the start of your studies at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

Further information

The following links provide you, and especially international applicants, with further information on the topics of application and enrolment at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

International applicants

You would like to apply for studies from the first or a higher semester and have acquired your school-leaving qualification and/or university degree abroad? Then you can have degrees and achievements acquired abroad recognised and study with us.

Application & Enrolment Procedure

The application and study service provides information and advice on general questions regarding the application process, admission and enrolment at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, application for a higher semester, but also on topics such as compensation for disadvantages, part-time studies, waiting semesters and hardship applications.

Contact & Services

The student counselling service provides information and advice on general questions about studying as well as on topics such as choosing a degree programme, application, enrolment and study organisation.

For subject-specific questions on module content, credit transfer, examinations or specialisations in the library sciences degree programme, the subject counselling service is the right place to go.

Student Counselling Service

Chair of Library Science – Strategies, Service Development, Science Communication

Student Financing

Room 3.02a

Family Affairs Commissioner

Room 026

Office hours

Tue and Thu 9.30 am – 1.30 pm

Commissioner for University Employees with Impairment

Room 017

Office hours

Monday and by appointment

Contact persons department of student affairs