|
|
| School of Library and Information Science | University Library (UL) 1110C 755 West Michigan Indianapolis, IN 46202 (317) 278-2375 School of Library and Information Science Home Page |
|
|
|
Application to SLIS graduate programs requires a minimum of the following (additional requirements may be found under listings for individual degrees):
| For matriculation in: | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applying for SLIS financial aid: | Jan. 15 | Oct. 1 | N/A |
| Not applying for SLIS financial aid: | May 15 | Nov. 1 | Mar. 15 |
Applicants who complete the financial aid form included with the SLIS application packet and who have a completed file by the financial aid deadlines given above will be considered for all aid for which they are eligible that is offered directly by the school. This includes fee scholarships, guaranteed hourly positions, graduate assistantships, and some one-time cash awards that do not have additional requirements listed. Financial aid opportunities from SLIS are detailed elsewhere in this bulletin. For information on financial aid not directly funded by SLIS, applicants to the Indianapolis program should contact:
Application packets for both Indianapolis and Bloomington programs may be requested on-line.
All international applicants for any SLIS degree program-Master’s, Specialist, or Ph.D.-must submit a recent official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General (aptitude) Test score report from the Educational Testing Service. The test must have been taken within three years before application. Scores on all three sections (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) will be considered. A minimum combined score of 1500 is required for an application to be processed further. The Educational Testing Service provides GRE information and application forms.
International applicants whose first language is not English must submit recent official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum TOEFL score of 600 is required for admission to SLIS graduate programs. The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service once each month at locations throughout the world. Information about TOEFL administration schedules may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service at the address given with GRE information above.
International students whose first language is not English must also take an English language placement test upon arrival at Indiana University. The results of this test are used to determine what, if any, remedial English courses must be successfully completed before graduate study begins. International students should understand that all admissions are granted conditionally, upon verification of English language proficiency, and that enrollment in graduate course work is not permitted, or is limited, until all language deficiencies have been removed.
Additional Indianapolis campus information for international applicants can be found at the IUPUI Office of International Affairs. For more Bloomington information, see the International Center.
An applicant must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent in the total undergraduate program or an average of 3.2 in the latest graduate degree or representative graduate hours (usually 30 semester hours) completed. The SLIS Admissions Committee makes individual judgments about the rigor of grading in the undergraduate or graduate course work presented and about the relative significance of course work completed at various times in an applicant’s academic history.
A substantial number of credit hours of appropriate content-based course work must be included in the overall undergraduate and graduate course work previously completed. This appropriate background includes, but is not limited to, course work in the humanities and the social, biological, and physical sciences. Not considered in this background are courses in music and theater performance, studio art, teaching and other internships, and similar course work. If an applicant is judged deficient in background preparation, additional course work may be required to remove the deficiency. Such additional course work may be at the undergraduate or graduate level, but it will not in any case count toward the credit hour requirements for the SLIS degree. Ordinarily, students must remove deficiencies in background preparation before beginning the SLIS degree program, and they must, in all cases, remove the deficiencies before they can earn the SLIS degree.
Letters of recommendation must address academic performance, social and interpersonal skills, character, and maturity. Letters from professors who are familiar with the applicant’s intellectual skills are preferred. Letters from employers and information professionals who are familiar with the applicant’s intellectual abilities and work habits are also acceptable.
The applicant’s 500 word essay (item 15 on the M.L.S. application; item 18 on the M.I.S. application) must indicate academic and professional goals appropriate to the desired SLIS degree program. The writing skills indicated in this statement are also considered as part of the admission decision.
Admission to all SLIS degree programs is subject to availability of space, and the number of students admitted for any semester may vary according to the number of spaces available in the desired program.
Indiana University prohibits admission decisions being made on the basis of arbitrary consideration of such characteristics as age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Matriculation Applicants may enter SLIS master’s degree programs at the beginning of fall semester, spring semester, and the second (eight-week) summer session.
Unconditional admission is a full nonprobationary admission status. It indicates that the applicant has met all essential admission requirements. This admission status is valid for one year, with an additional year available upon petition. If an admitted student fails to matriculate within the allowed time, the admission status is terminated, and the student must reapply.
The SLIS Faculty Admissions Committee may grant probationary admission to a student who fails to meet one or more of the admission requirements listed above, if, in the judgment of the committee members, there is sufficient other evidence of probable success in the degree program. Probationary admission carries a requirement that the student maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 throughout the program. Other conditions of the probationary admission, if any, will be stated in the admission letter. The student’s progress will be monitored throughout the program to ensure that the conditions are maintained. If, at any time in the program, the student does not meet the conditions of the probation, admission will be terminated.
Applicants who are denied admission to a SLIS graduate program may not take course work in SLIS without the permission of the dean of the school.
Interim admission is a temporary status available to persons who seek admission to graduate degree or certification programs, but whose applications are not complete. It allows them to register for not more than 6 credit hours nor more than one semester while their application is being completed. An application for a graduate degree or certification program must be in the SLIS Admissions Office in order for an applicant to be eligible for interim admission. This status may be granted only if sufficient information is available, including academic records, to indicate that the applicant is probably eligible for admission. The director of admissions must approve interim admission. Granting of interim admission does not guarantee that the student will ultimately be admitted. Final admission decisions can be made only by the SLIS Faculty Admissions Committee.
Continuing nondegree student status is awarded to applicants wishing to take a small number of credit hours for professional development. Such persons ordinarily have a graduate degree in librarianship, information science, or a related field; at minimum, they must hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. Continuing nondegree students must complete all necessary prerequisites before taking any course. In no case may more than 6 credit hours taken as a nondegree student count toward a SLIS degree. Non-degree students should understand that they may be removed from any SLIS course if their place is required for a degree-seeking student.
With permission of the instructor, students may register for courses on an auditing basis. Audited courses are listed on the transcript as such, and no credit or grade is listed. A student is not permitted to audit courses without registering as an auditor and paying the current fee for auditing.
Application Deadlines for International Students
The SLIS Admissions Office will not act upon applications until all required documents have been received (including transcripts, letters of recommendation, application fee, and test scores as required). Ordinarily, applications for Master’s and Specialist degrees are processed within one month of being completed and received at SLIS from the Office of International Admissions. International applicants must comply with the deadline dates indicated in international application materials.
Admission Criteria
Master of Library Science/Master of Information Science Degree Programs
Students holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year collegiate institution are eligible to apply for admission. Applicants in the final year of their undergraduate program may apply and be granted admission conditional upon their being awarded the bachelor’s degree. In some cases, and only with permission of the admissions director, students in the final semester of work toward a bachelor’s degree may enroll for SLIS courses for that portion of their program not required for completion of the bachelor’s degree. Unless the bachelor’s degree is completed within that semester, the credit earned may not be counted toward a SLIS master’s degree. Such courses must not be counted toward completion of the undergraduate degree, and certification of this must be submitted in writing from the undergraduate school and become part of the student’s official SLIS record.
Admission Categories
Advising
Upon admission each student is assigned an official faculty adviser whose name is given in the admission letter. Students should be aware that not all courses that will be required for a given area of study or degree will be available during all semesters, so careful consideration of course offerings and schedules, as well as continued contact with the student’s faculty adviser, is required to ensure that prerequisite and sequential courses are taken at the optimum times. Although SLIS students may consult with any member of the faculty, a record of consultations with the official adviser and course decisions made for each semester must be kept in the student’s file and will be consulted to determine eligibility for graduation. Completion of a required number of graduate credit hours is not in itself adequate to ensure that a degree will be awarded. The degree program must show cohesiveness and a structured attempt to meet the individual student’s academic and professional goals.
|
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
-
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
INDIANAPOLIS |