Re: degree requirements are good and necessary
Hi Dana and others,

Please allow me to reply to a few of your comments.  You write:

...I don't think it's reasonable for anyone to expect to be considered for positions at prestigious institutions these days if they don't meet the minimum requirements, in this case we're talking about the MLIS.

I reply:

Personally, I don't expect an applicant to be considered for a position at any institution (prestigious or otherwise) if he or she lacks the needed qualifications.  Rather, what I am questioning is the logic and efficacy behind those minimum requirements, as demonstrated by the successful completion of a certification program.  I think there are other (maybe even better?) avenues for demonstrating competency. I hope that is reasonable!  Allow me the following example...

You write:

In what other field would that be acceptable? You wouldn't expect to be a law clerk for 12 years at a small firm and suddenly become an attorney at a large, fancy firm without first going through a JD program and passing the bar.

I reply:

Passing something like the bar is exactly the example I previously gave for demonstrating minimum requirements.  What I am questioning is the need to go through the JD program.  For an example of my point, please see the California State Bar website at the following URL:

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_generic.jsp?sImagePath=Bar_Exam.gif&sCategoryPath=/Home/Attorney%20Resources/Bar%20Exam&sHeading=Summary%20of%20Requirements%20for%20Admission%20to%20Practice%20Law%20in%20California&sFileType=HTML&sCatHtmlPath=html/Admissions_Rules-Regulating-Admission.html#v

The California State Bar requires the following legal education as a prerequisite for taking the state bar examination (especially note 2.(b).2):

Section 2. Legal Education. Every general applicant has the burden of establishing that he or she has met the following legal education requirement:

    (a) Graduated from a law school approved by the American Bar Association or accredited by the Committee; or

    (b) Studied law diligently and in good faith for at least four years in any of the following manners:

        (1) In a law school that is authorized by the State of California to confer professional degrees; is registered with the Committee; and which requires classroom attendance of its students for a minimum of 270 hours a year; or

        (2) In a law office in this State and under the personal supervision of a member of The State Bar of California who is, and who has been continuously, an active member of The State Bar of California for at least the last past five years; or

        (3) In the chambers and under the personal supervision of a judge of a court of record of this State; or

        (4) By instruction in law from a correspondence law school requiring 864 hours of preparation and study per year and which is registered with the Committee; or

        (5) By any combination of the methods referred to in this subsection (b).


The example above demonstrates that one may become a licensed attorney without obtaining a JD.  An exam is one way to separate the men from the boys, as you put it! :)

Formal education in an accredited (and expensive) university may not be as crucial as some would have us think.  It isn't clear (to me, at any rate) that formal education helps one do his or her job any better than someone who is self-trained and studied in an apprenticeship type of environment.  Apparently, the California State Bar agrees.

Thanks to those on the list so many personal emails to me about this.  I completely understand why some of you have asked to remain anonymous!


Cheers,

John



-- 
John Erdmann
Graduate Student
Library & Information Science
Email:  [log in to unmask]
Phone:  206-685-5240
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