It was important to establish the departments’ details in terms of institutions, names of the departments, faculties, qualifications offered and their duration, teaching and learning modes and the duration of teaching in a year (semester or modular). Responses were obtained from LIS Departments at the University of Zululand, University of South Africa, University of Pretoria, University of Cape Town, University of KwaZulu Natal, University of the Western Cape, and the Durban University of Technology. Two departments were named Departments of Library and Information Science (University of Zululand and University of the Western Cape), two were Departments of Information Science (University of South Africa and University of Pretoria), two were Departments of Library and Information Studies (Durban University of Technology and University of Cape Town), and one was the Department of Information Studies (University of KwaZulu Natal). Traditionally, all LIS departments were called Departments of Library and Information Science. Departments have, over the past few years, changed their names to keep up with trends in the job market and to be more marketable. With regard to faculties, two Departments were in the Faculty of Arts (University of Zululand and University of the Western Cape), and one [each] was in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment, and Information Technology (University of Pretoria); the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics (Durban University of Technology); School of Sociology and Social Studies (University of KwaZulu Natal); School of Arts, Education, Languages and Communications (University of South Africa); and the Faculty of Humanities (University of Cape Town).
Table 4. 1. Academic Offerings
Institution Department Academic Offerings
University of Zululand Library and Information Science Bachelor of Library and Information Science (4 years),
Bachelor of Information Science (3 years)
BA Hons Library and Information Science
Master of Arts, Library and Information Science
Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science
Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science
Diploma in Specialized Education:
School Library Science
University of South Africa Information Science Bachelor of Information Science (3 years),
Diploma in Information Science (2 years), Hons BInf (1 year), MInf – Dissertation (2-3 years),
DLit et Phil (Info Science) [3-4 years]
University of KwaZulu Natal Information Studies Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE),
School Library Development and Management,
Bachelor of Library and Information Science Honours,
Postgraduate Diploma in Information Studies Postgraduate Diploma in Museology,
Postgraduate Diploma in Archives and Records Management
Durban University of technology
Library and Information Studies National Diploma in Library and Information (3yrs)
Bachelor of Technology in Library and Information Studies (one-year full-time or part-time study over a minimum of two years),
Master of Technology in Library and Information Studies (a minimum duration of one year full-time and two years part time) and
Doctor of Technology in Library and Information Studies (two years full- time).
University of Pretoria Information Science Baccalaureus Informationis Scientiae [BIS] (with specialization in
Information Science, Multimedia, and Publishing);
Baccalaureus Informationis Scientiae Honores (specialization in Information Science, Multimedia, and Publishing);
Magister Informationis Scientiae (Research) with specialization in Library Science, Information Science, Multimedia and Publishing; Doctor Philosophiae (DPhil) with
specialization in Library Science and Information Science; and Philosophiae Doctor (PhD), with specialization in Publishing
University of Cape Town Information and Library Studies Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science - PGDipLIS Honours in Library and Information Science - BBiblHons
Master of Library and Information Science - MBibl (by coursework and minor dissertation)
Master of Library and Information Science - MBibl (by major
dissertation)
Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
University of Western Cape Library and Information Science BBibl and MBibl Degree programme.
Advanced Certificate in Education, School Librarianship
Short courses in School Librarianship
The results in Table 4.1 indicate that academically, the University of Zululand’s department offers a Bachelor of Library and Information Science (4 years), Bachelor of Information Science (3 years), BA Hons Library and Information Science, Master of Arts, Library and Information Science, Doctor of Philosophy, and Library and Information Science; the University of South Africa offers a Bachelor of Information Science (3 years), Diploma in Information Science (2 years), Hons BInf (1 year), MInf –Dissertation (2-3 years), and DLit et Phil (Info Science) [3-4 years]; the University of KwaZulu Natal’s department offers an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE), School Library Development and Management, Bachelor of Library and Information Science Honours, Postgraduate Diploma in Information Studies, Postgraduate Diploma in Museology, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Archives and Records Management; and the Durban University of Technology offers a National Diploma in Library and Information studies as a full three-year academic programme, Bachelor of Technology in Library and Information Studies (one- year full-time or part-time study over a minimum of two years), Master of Technology in Library and Information Studies (a minimum duration of one year full-time and two years part time) and Doctor of Technology in Library and Information Studies (two years full-time).
The Information Science Department at the University of Pretoria offers the following academic programmes: Baccalaureus Informationis Scientiae [BIS] (with specialisation in Information Science, Multimedia, and Publishing); Baccalaureus Informationis Scientiae Honores (specialization in Information Science, Multimedia, and Publishing); Magister Informationis Scientiae (Research) with specialisation in Library Science, Information Science, Multimedia and Publishing; Doctor Philosophiae (DPhil) with specialisation in Library Science and Information Science; and Philosophiae Doctor (PhD), with specialization in Publishing. The Department at the University of Cape Town offers the following programmes: Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science (PGDipLIS); Honours Bachelor in Library and Information Science (BBibl- Hons), which takes one academic year; and Master of Library and Information Science (MBibl). At the University of the Western Cape, the core of the department’s teaching programme is its BBibl and MBibl Degree programme. New courses on offer are the Advanced Certificate in Education, School Librarianship and short courses in School Librarianship
Almost all the LIS schools use the contact teaching and learning mode, with the exception of the University of South Africa which uses distance education. In terms of the duration of teaching in a year, all the LIS Departments use the semester method, with the exception of the University of Zululand (the semester method was to be implemented in 2008).