Drexel University Online

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 Post-Master’s Digital Libraries Specialist Program

Curriculum

The Post-Master’s Digital Libraries Specialist Program is a five-course, 15 credit program that can be completed in 6-9 months.  Students must complete the 9 required credits, then select 2 courses (6 credits) from either the Resource Focused courses or the Systems Focused courses.

REQUIRED, 9 credits
INFO 522Info Access & Resources3.00 credits
INFO 653Digital Libraries3.00 credits
INFO 657Digital Library Technologies3.00 credits

Resource Focused Courses:
INFO 622Content Representation3.00 credits
INFO 662Metadata & Resource Description3.00 credits
INFO 740Digital Reference Srvcs3.00 credits

Systems Focused Courses:
INFO 605Intro to Database Management3.00 credits
INFO 608Human-Computer Interaction3.00 credits
INFO 624Information Retrieval Systems3.00 credits
INFO 658Information Architecture3.00 credits

Course Descriptions

INFO 522 Info Access & Resources - 3.00 credits

Presents access and applied information retrieval as the foundation for information services. Provides an overview of contemporary information sources and access methods. Focuses on the structure of tools used for satisfying users' information needs. Emphasizes techniques for building effective search strategies for large-scale retrieval systems. Affords opportunities to evaluate sources.

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INFO 653 Digital Libraries - 3.00 credits

This course introduces research and development in the world of digital libraries. Focuses on intellectual access to digital information resources. Topics include foundations and architectures of digital libraries, searching and resource organizing, knowledge representations and discovery, metadata and standards, interfaces and information visualization, intellectual property rights and electronic publishing.

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INFO 657 Digital Library Technologies - 3.00 credits

Introduces technologies that enable the design and implementation of digital libraries. Focuses on hands-on activities relating to content description technologies (such as XML) systems technologies, and user interface technologies. Students learn through building components of digital libraries collaboratively.

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INFO 622 Content Representation - 3.00 credits

Focuses on fundamental decisions in designing subject access systems and alternative approaches to indexing. Explores current issues in content representation: principles of subject analysis; natural language vs. vocabulary control; manual, computer-assisted, and automatic indexing; faceted indexing and classification systems; image indexing and retrieval; indexing and the World Wide Web. Includes evaluation of indexer consistency and indexing system performance.

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INFO 662 Metadata & Resource Description - 3.00 credits

Introduces the critical roles played by metadata for resource description and discovery. Provides instruction on application and implementation of current metadata schemes and tools. Provides practice in creating metadata records, analyzing the usage of metadata elements and vocabulary schemes, and evaluating the metadata quality of digital repositories.

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INFO 740 Digital Reference Srvcs - 3.00 credits

Presents an overview of digital reference services with hands on experience. Prepares students to become managers of digital reference services by exploring question answering services, developing virtual collections, exploring the state of the art in digital reference, and discussing issues related to digital reference services.

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INFO 605 Intro to Database Management - 3.00 credits

A first course in database management systems. Covers database design, data manipulation, and data-base integrity. Emphasizes concepts and techniques related to the entity-relationship model and relational database systems. Discusses normalization up to third normal form and commercial query languages.

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INFO 608 Human-Computer Interaction - 3.00 credits

This course focuses on the design and evaluation of human-computer interfaces covering such topics as task analysis techniques for gathering design information, iterative design through prototyping, and formative and summative usability testing; theoretical foundations of HCI and cognitive modeling of user interactions; the integration of HCI techniques into the software development life cycle and the use of user constraints to generate new interaction designs.

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INFO 624 Information Retrieval Systems - 3.00 credits

Covers the theoretical underpinnings of information retrieval to provide a solid base for further work with retrieval systems. Emphasizes systems that involve user-computer interaction. Covers aspects of information retrieval including document selection, document description, query formulation, matching, and evaluation.

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INFO 658 Information Architecture - 3.00 credits

Introduces fundamental concepts, methods and theories in Information Architecture for virtual, physical, and hybrid worlds. Focuses on organization, representation, and navigation of conceptual space. Topics include foundations, Web design, cognitive aspects, search, interaction design, knowledge organization, and user experience.

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