LBCC to offer first bachelor’s degree starting in 2027 – Press Telegram

Long Beach City College will soon offer a bachelor’s degree — the first program of its kind for the local institution.

The college recently got approval for the new degree offering from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, according a Tuesday, Dec. 16, news release. The effort too more than a year of research and academic planning, and a 16-part application to the Chancellor’s Office.

The program will offer LBCC students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in library and information sciences — making it the first baccalaureate program at LBCC, and the only library and information sciences bachelor’s degree at any community college in the nation, according to LBCC.

“This is a historic academic moment for Long Beach City College. Our new bachelor’s degree offers an affordable pathway into a rapidly evolving field, with forward-looking coursework in areas such as artificial intelligence and emerging information technologies,” said LBCC’s Superintendent-President Mike Muñoz. “This milestone reflects the power of innovation and collaboration, and I am incredibly proud of the team whose dedication made it possible.”

As part of the process to get the program approved by the Chancellor’s Office, the college did a labor market analysis, employer outreach and research to ensure its program wouldn’t be a duplicate of other programs offered by the California State University and University of California systems, LBCC said.

“No bachelor’s-level library and information sciences program currently exists in the region, ensuring that LBCC’s new baccalaureate complements, rather than competes with, the educational offerings of our Long Beach College Promise partners,” LBCC said.

The new degree program, LBCC said, will help address the growing statewide and national need for library and information science professionals — while also offering a more affordable education option for people working toward master’s-level library studies, which many librarians are required to complete.

“With curriculum that anticipates the future of the field, including coursework in AI, digital preservation, and information technologies, LBCC students will be well-positioned for careers in libraries, archives, education, research, and information management,” the college said.

Applications for the new bachelor’s degree program, LBCC said, are expected to open in spring 2027.