Traditional professional library education since 1946 has centered on the master's degree, often called the Master of Library Science (MLS). A review of historical literature and characteristics of the profession suggest that the library-specific MLS degree can be replaced with alternative graduate programs which provide equivalent or superior education through extant curricula. This change would also reduce administrative costs for the program. The MLS example can be generalized to administrative and planning applications for other academic programs. It is suggested that acculturation to librarianship can be provided through a certification program, rather than a degree program. A certification program would provide a brief postgraduate experience that would unite the various specialists in a common understanding of the cultural parameters of the librarian's role. The core knowledge for professional librarians could be summarized in the following curriculum: Organization of Information (6 hours); Evolution of the Library as an Institution (3 hours); and Public Information Services (3 hours). Contains 14 references. (KM)