FAQ

No, we welcome students from all majors. The only requirement is that the applicant holds a bachelor’s degree.

Students who apply to our program should be comfortable with being challenged—whether those challenges come from new technology, new ideas, or new ways of working together, we expect our students to be open to new experiences and ready to take their past skills in new directions as a graduate student.

Yes, we offer an MSLIS Leep program that can be completed online. The courses are taught synchronously, meaning that instructors and students participate in a virtual classroom during the assigned class time noted on the course schedule.

You can transfer up to eight credit hours from another ALA-accredited university as long as they do not replace our two required courses. These credits however cannot have counted toward another conferred degree. The review/confirmation of transfer credits is done after the first semester of enrollment.

No, standardized tests such as the GRE or GMAT are not required. If you have taken either test and feel it would strengthen your application, you can submit the results, but applicants are not expected to submit standardized test scores.

The iSchool is able to offer a limited number of application fee waivers. To be considered, please contact us for an explanation of the process. Please note, we are unable to refund application fees that have already been paid.

Our Admissions Committee will evaluate your application as a whole, taking into account all submitted information. Only completed applications will be reviewed. Application materials will not be returned to the applicant.

Students complete 40 graduate credit hours to earn an MS in library and information science. All MSLIS students must complete the two required courses, IS 505 Information Organization and Access (four credit hours) and IS 510 Libraries, Information, and Society (four credit hours) during the first academic year of enrollment in their degree program. These courses are foundational for all areas of the field and provide a context for future coursework in areas of specialization. The remaining credit hours provide students with a great deal of flexibility and allow them to customize the program to suit their individual career goals.

This depends on how many credit hours you take each semester. Students who take a full course load (more than twelve credit hours) each semester typically finish in four semesters, which translates to two academic terms. Sometimes if a student takes extra courses and summer courses, they can finish in eighteen months. Students who take courses part-time (like many of our online students) typically finish in three-to-four years. Regardless of full- or part-time status, students must complete the program within five years.

On-campus tuition is billed in ranges based on the number of credit hours you take; campus fees are also assessed in a range. Online students are charged by the credit hour (with no additional campus fees). More information and current rates are available on our website.

Student loans 
U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizen students are eligible for student loans based on guidelines administered by the University's Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA). Many jobs in LIS also qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. If you have received loans and then receive another form of funding (GA, RA, TA, hourly, fellowship, scholarship, etc.), contact OSFA immediately. Other awards will affect your loan amount, and you may be required to repay or relinquish loan-based funds if you receive other awards.

Assistantships 
Graduate assistantships are available through the iSchool, University Library, and many other units across campus. Information about campus assistantships is available through the Assistantship Clearinghouse. Students in these positions work anywhere from 10–20 hours per week and receive both a monthly stipend and a base, in-state tuition waiver. The majority of campus fees are also waived.

Graduate hourly
Graduate hourly positions are available through the iSchool, University Library, and other units across campus. These appointments are paid at an hourly rate, and do not include a monthly stipend or fee and tuition waivers.

Scholarships 
As part of the application review, all MSLIS applicants are considered for nominal recruitment scholarships offered by the iSchool. Selection criteria include merit, need, and diverse experiences. If selected, this award would be included in the offer of admission.

Other financial opportunities 
The Graduate College at the University of Illinois maintains a list of external fellowships. Students are encouraged to seek out professional organizations from which they could secure financial support. The American Library Association's Spectrum Scholarship Program chooses candidates based on their commitment to community building, leadership potential, and planned contributions to making social justice part of everybody's everyday work in LIS. In addition to the ALA scholarship, the iSchool awards Spectrum Scholars with tuition waivers to cover the 40 credit hours of required coursework. The American Library Association publishes Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies, an annual directory of financial awards from a variety of organizations.

Practicum (IS 549) The practicum is a professional field experience program designed to provide the student with the opportunity to work in a professional environment under the supervision of an experienced librarian or information professional with the guidance of a faculty member. This opportunity allows students to integrate the theory and knowledge of course content with the application of principles and practices in a work environment.

Independent Study (IS 589) Independent study enables the intermediate or advanced student opportunity to: undertake the study of a topic not otherwise offered in the curriculum and pursue a topic beyond or in greater depth than is possible within the context of a regular course.

No, a thesis is not required and a large majority of our students chose not to do a thesis. However, you may complete a thesis if you would like. The student will, with the approval of their academic advisor, identify a problem in library or information science suitable for a master’s thesis.