Adinkra Symbol for Wisdom	THE CULTURAL HERITAGE INFORMATICS LEADERSHIP (CHIL) PROGRAM A Doctoral Program

Important Note:
SLIS will not admit for the doctoral and CHIL programs in 2012. Please visit the website later this year for information about future admissions.

The School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at the University of South Carolina was recently awarded an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant to enhance library and information science education and to help develop library leaders. The program focuses on the intersection of cultural organizations including libraries, museums, and archives.  The program calls for more dynamic and sustained interaction with faculty mentors and employers from a wide variety of sectors, including business, government, non-profit and educational organizations.  The SLIS grant program, Cultural Heritage Informatics Leadership (CHIL), addresses the need for new doctoral professionals who understand the unique problems that these cultural institutions face.  
The major features of this program are: 

• An interdisciplinary focus with courses and learning experiences that include Library and Information Science, Museum Studies,  Archival Studies, Public History, Journalism and Mass Communications, Public Administration, and Business Administration. Students in the program will explore problems and perspectives that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries.
• A focus on the practical problems facing cultural heritage institutions with required part-time and full-time internships in these institutions during the student’s program of study.  
• Extensive opportunities for gaining teaching experience, development of workshops, seminars, presentation of research papers, and attendance at national professional conferences.
• The size of the program is designed so that students will have sustained interaction with faculty from a variety of fields of study and work experience. 
• The informatics perspective of the program encourages the student to explore the connections between technology, information, and cultural institutions.    
• The creation of new partnerships, with faculty, with fellow students, and with the managers and leaders of museums, archives, and libraries. Great emphasis will be placed on creating and fostering a life-long learning environment.
• Graduates of the program will be prepared to assume a variety of positions in cultural institutions as well as teaching and research positions in universities.

SLIS is currently seeking applications for seven funded full-time doctoral positions beginning in Spring or Fall 2011.  Participants will receive three to four years of funding for tuition, research and teaching opportunities, resources to support research and travel, an annual stipend/scholarship, and mentoring from SLIS faculty as well as the Digital Humanities Research Fellows.

Contact
Tilda Reeder
Graduate Admissions Coordinator
Student Services Office
(803) 777-3887
(800) 304-3153
slisss@mailbox.sc.edu
http://www.libsci.sc.edu

 

Consideration of applications for the federally funded IMLS CHIL fellowships is ongoing.   Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible for Fall 2011 admissions.  We will also be matriculating students in Spring and Fall 2012 so please indicate when you want to begin your study and that you are requesting a fellowship.

If you are interested in this program, fill out the attached form.

---

Thank you for your interest in the doctoral program at School of Library and Information Science (SLIS).  You have expressed interest in applying for the Cultural Heritage Informatics Leadership (CHIL) fellowship. The following are additional instructions that are not available within the application process.

1.  Rather than respond to the statements for the essay, please write the following statement in the space allocated for the essay:

I will submit the essay for the CHIL fellowship to SLIS.

2.  Submit your essay directly to the Student Services Office via e-mail using “CHIL Essay” as the subject.  The SLIS e-mail address:  slisss@mailbox.sc.edu.  Your essay should respond to the following statement:
         
Write an essay describing your anticipated research interest which would be completed through the CHIL fellowship doctoral program.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the grant to SLIS very recently.  We are pleased to receive this grant and must implement additional procedures to amend the application process.  We appreciate your patience.