Program overview
Library and information science might sound a bit old-fashioned, but it's long been about more than just libraries. Simply put, this major teaches you how to turn massive amounts of information into useful resources—whether it's corporate databases, government open data, or user behavior on social media, you'll learn how to collect, organize, analyze, and ultimately help others make better decisions. Core courses include information organization (like how to classify and tag data), information retrieval (like an advanced version of Baidu search), data analysis and visualization, digital library technology, knowledge management, and user behavior research. Many Chinese universities have strong practical features in this field, such as Wuhan University, Nanjing University, and Renmin University of China. Their schools of information management collaborate with the National Library of China and major internet companies, giving you opportunities to work on real projects. This major is especially suitable for those who are sensitive to data, enjoy logical analysis, and want to help others solve problems—you don't necessarily need to know programming, but if you're willing to learn some Python or SQL, it will be a big advantage.