The Dual Degree program is designed to equip participants with a master's degree in librarianship, a master's degree in an area of academic inquiry, and a solid grounding in the concrete areas of library practice. Students take classes through LIU's Palmer School and New York University's Graduate School of Arts and Science or the Steinhardt School (three specific programs). Practical training occurs through the mentoring component of the program. The purpose is to provide the necessary background and skills for an individual to enter the profession within a research institution