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The Master of Library and Information Science degree is a program of basic professional education designed to prepare students for entry into positions in libraries and information centers in colleges, schools, communities, industries, and businesses. The MLIS program provides students not only a strong core of general knowledge of the profession but also the opportunity to explore individual areas of interest as related to specific career preparation. Instruction is available to students in all areas of South Carolina through an extensive program of distance education. Advances in educational technology have made it possible for the University of South Carolina to work cooperatively with appropriate agencies in West Virginia, Virginia and New England to offer the complete MLIS program to students in those states who would not otherwise have had access to an ALA accredited program of library and information science. |
Application Procedures
Admission to the School of Library and Information Science is selective and is based on the faculty's assessment of the applicant's aptitude for graduate study and potential contribution to the profession. The School of Library and Information Science takes a holistic approach to the admissions process. Consequently, an applicant's entire file is taken into consideration before an admission decision is made.
The admission policies of the SLIS shall apply to every applicant,
full-time and part-time, regardless of the location in which
the applicant plans to attend classes. An applicant for admission
as a degree candidate in library and information science must
fulfill all general admission requirements of the Graduate School
of the University and the School of Library and Information Science
prior to registration.
The School of Library and Information Science and the University
of South Carolina provide equal opportunity and affirmative action
in education and employment for all qualified persons regardless
of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or
veteran status. The University of South Carolina System has designated
as the ADA Title II, Section 504 and Title IX coordinator the
Executive Assistant to the President for Equal Opportunity Programs.
Admissions Requirements for the MLIS Program include the following:
-
A completed USC Graduate School Application and a non-refundable $50.00 application fee. Go to the home page of the
Graduate School and
click on "Apply Now" or go directly to the
Application.
- An official transcript showing possession of a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting agency. The undergraduate record should show promise for graduate study with a GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- Official transcripts from all other colleges or universities attended.
- Letters of recommendation from 2 persons. These persons should be in a position to evaluate (a) your academic performance at the undergraduate or graduate level (e.g., faculty or instructors) or (b) your job performance (e.g., supervisors or administrators). Letters from friends and relatives which speak only of the person's personal attributes will not be accepted. For guidance concerning this matter, please contact the SLIS Admissions Coordinator. Forms
are available at http://gradschool.sc.edu/doclibrary/documents/G-LOR.letter.of.recommendation.pdf .
- The School of library and Information Science supplementary information form, which requests a Statement of Purpose.
- The School of Library and Information Science requires one
of the following:
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Official score reports
for the GRE taken within the last five years must indicate
a total score of 950 on the combined verbal and quantitative
portions. The verbal portion must have a score of at least
500. You may register online at www.ets.org/gre .
USC institution code is 5818.
- Miller Analogies Test (MAT) Official score reports
for tests taken within the last five years must indicate
a score of at least 410. For MAT information and testing
center locations go to www.milleranalogies.com.
- International Students: Test
of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL ) International students
whose native language is not English must also submit an official
score report with a minimum score of 570 paper-based. TOEFL
scores are available from ETS for two years. Information can
be found at www.ets.org/toefl
.
Degree Requirements:
- 36 hours of graduate level courses including 9 hours of required core courses (SLIS 701, SLIS 707 and SLIS 705)..
- Passing score on the Computer Competency Exam or successful completion of SLIS706.
- Portfolio
- **SLIS 701 must be taken in your first semester and cannot be exempted.
For the Master of Library and Information Science degree, an
approved program of at least 36 semester hours of graduate
course work must be completed with a minimum grade point ratio
of 3.00 (B) on all 700-800 level courses. Nine hours of required
courses are designed to provide the student with an understanding
of the information professions. Students and their advisors
will choose a minimum of 27 hours of elective courses. Elective
courses in the School of Library and Information Science and
graduate departments in other institutions may be used to develop
a specialization in one or more areas or to provide a broad,
general preparation for the information professions. A minimum
of 24 graduate hours must be completed within the School.
A student who receives grades below B on more than six hours
of course work, or an F or U in any course, may not continue
in the Master of Library and Information Science program. The
student's admission to the MLIS program will be cancelled, and
he or she will not be allowed to enroll in any further SLIS courses
for at least one year. Additionally, a student's cumulative grade
point average on all courses attempted for graduate credit at
USC within the past six years, whether listed on the Program
of Study or not, must be at least 3.00 (B) in order for the student
to graduate with the Master of Library and Information Science
degree.
Transfer Credit
A minimum of 24 graduate hours must be completed within SLIS.
The remaining 12 hours may be taken in other related academic
units of the University. Students also have the option of transferring
up to six semester hours of graduate course work from colleges
or universities other than the University of South Carolina.
Transfer credit may be transferred under the following conditions:
- The credit may not be more than six years old at the time the student will graduate
- Courses, which have been used to earn another degree, will not be accepted
- Course work in library science must be earned at an ALA accredited library school
- the credit must be germane to the student's career objectives
- in the case of a required course, the student will present sufficient evidence (such as a syllabus or similar material) to permit determination by the advisor that the course reasonably duplicates the USC equivalent course
- the course must have been taken for graduate credit and must be recorded as such on an official transcript which has been sent from the granting institution to the USC Graduate School
- the grade received must be a B or higher
- the student must provide a course description comparable to that produced in the University catalog.
Cancellation of Admission
SLIS POLICY
A graduate student who receives grades of C+ or below on more than six hours of coursework, or a grade of F or U in any course, may not continue in a School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) graduate program. The student's admission to the SLIS program will be cancelled and he/she will not be allowed to enroll in any further SLIS courses for at least one year. Additionally, a student's cumulative grade point average on all courses attempted for graduate credit must be at least 3.00 (B) in order for the student to graduate from the SLIS program.
SLIS PROCEDURE
When a student earns grades of C+ or below on more than six hours of coursework, or a grade of F or U in any course, a reclassification action sheet will be sent to the Graduate School requesting that the student's admission to the SLIS graduate program be cancelled. A letter explaining the reasons for the request will accompany the action sheet.
A student who is dismissed from a SLIS program for academic reasons may request reinstatement to the program after one year. If three or more years have passed since dismissal, the student must re-apply. The student is disqualified from enrolling in any SLIS courses for a minimum of one year from the date of his/her dismissal from the SLIS program regardless of the student's status in another degree program of the University.
Students who receive grades of C+ or below in a course will be sent a letter from the Director advising the student of the dismissal or the possibility of dismissal from the SLIS program. A copy of the letter will be given to the advisor. These letters will be mailed at the end of each semester and each session of summer school.
