Bulletin 2000-2002

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

Degree Requirements

Master of Library Science/Master of Information Science Degree Programs

Note: Deviations from program requirements, waiver of required courses, or substitutions of courses taken at other institutions or of work experiences will not be final until approved in writing by the dean or the dean’s authorized representative. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that documentation of all such exceptions is in the student’s official file.

Computer-Based Information Skills

The School of Library and Information Science requires that students pursuing either the Master of Library Science (M.L.S.) or the Master of Information Science (M.I.S.) degree be computer, network, and information literate and be familiar with basic operations that will be used throughout the students’ course work. This knowledge is prerequisite to many courses in the SLIS curriculum and will form the basis for further learning and skill development throughout the students’ academic and professional careers. To acquire this base, each student must complete, or apply and receive a waiver for, the SLIS course L401 Computer-Based Information Tools. Normally, the course should be completed during the first semester of enrollment. This 3 credit undergraduate level course is a prerequisite for many courses in the SLIS curriculum, although it does not count toward the credit hours required for a SLIS graduate degree.

Probation Policy

In addition to the probationary admission described earlier, a SLIS student admitted unconditionally may be placed on probation at any point in the program when failure to achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 occurs. The student will be assigned a time frame in which the required 3.0 GPA must be restored. Failure to achieve 3.0 within the required time or to maintain the 3.0 GPA for the remainder of the degree program will result in dismissal from the graduate program. In no case is a master’s degree awarded for course work in which a cumulative grade point average of less than 3.0 has been achieved. Students will not be permitted to continue graduate course work beyond the number of credit hours required for the degree solely in an attempt to raise the grade point average to the required level.

Time Requirements

All requirements for the M.L.S. and M.I.S. degrees must be met within five consecutive calendar years from the date of completion of the first credited course. In some circumstances a one-year extension of the five-year time frame may be given, but in no case will a longer extension be granted. Application for the a SLIS master’s degree must be submitted early in the fall semester for candidates planning to graduate in December and early in the spring semester for candidates planning to graduate in May, June, or August.

Foreign Language

Although language skills are recognized as significant and in some cases essential in the information professions, and although such courses may be taken through the university, credit earned for such courses may not be applied toward the M.L.S. or M.I.S. degree.

Course Requirements

Note: All course selections, both core and elective, must be made in consultation with the faculty adviser.

Common Core Requirements

A candidate for either the Master of Library Science or the Master of Information Science degree must complete at least three of the following four common core courses: L503 User Needs and Behavior in Theory and Practice
L505 Organization and Representation of Knowledge and Information
L507 The Management of Information Environments
L509 Introduction to Research and Statistics

M.L.S. Degree Requirements

A candidate for the Master of Library Science degree must complete 36 semester credit hours of graduate course work, all of which must be taken from the IU School of Library and Information Science. A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours from another ALA-accredited master’s degree program may, with the permission of the dean, be applied to the M.L.S. degree. The transferred courses must have a grade of B or higher and must be taken within the five-year time frame allowed for completion of the degree. Only within recognized joint programs, as outlined in this bulletin, may other non-SLIS courses be applied toward the M.L.S. degree.

M.L.S. Core Requirements In addition to the common core course requirements noted above, students in the M.L.S. degree program must, in consultation with the faculty adviser, select and complete at least three of the following five M.L.S. core courses:

L520 Bibliographic Access and Control
L522 Perspectives on Librarianship, Literacy, Communications, and Reading
L524 Information Sources and Services
L526 Library Automation
L528 Collection Development and Management M.L.S. Elective Courses In addition to the six courses (18 credit hours) taken from the common and M.L.S.-specific cores, students must select a minimum of 18 credit hours of elective courses to complete the 36 credit hours required for the M.L.S. degree. These electives must be chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser in order to best satisfy the student’s academic and professional goals. Elective courses for the M.L.S. degree may be chosen from the common core, the M.L.S. or M.I.S. core, or the large pool of other SLIS courses available to all master’s degree students. Care must be taken to ensure that prerequisites have been satisfied before registering for any course. In no case may more than 6 credit hours to be applied toward the degree come from the workshop courses listed under the L595 course number.

M.I.S. Degree Requirements

A candidate for the Master of Information Science degree must complete 42 credit hours of graduate course work; at least 36 credit hours must be taken from the IU School of Library and Information Science. A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours from outside the IU School of Library and Information Science may, in certain circumstances and with the permission of the dean, be applied to the M.I.S. degree. These 6 credit hours may be taken in other schools and departments of Indiana University or in another appropriately accredited collegiate institution. Outside courses are warranted only when they are more relevant to students’ career objectives and will contribute more to the enrichment of their program than would additional SLIS courses. Ordinarily, permission for such outside course work must be obtained before enrolling in the course. The course must be completed with a grade of B or higher, must not be applied to another degree (except in the case of a recognized dual degree program), and must be taken within the five-year time frame allowed for completion of the degree.

M.I.S. Core Requirements In addition to the common core course requirements noted above, students in the M.I.S. degree program must, in consultation with the faculty advisor, select at least four of the following six M.I.S. core courses:

L542 Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction
L543 Strategic Intelligence
L544 Information Technology Standardization
L545 Systems Analysis and Design
L546 User-Centered Database Design
L547 The Organizational Information Resource M.I.S. Elective Courses In addition to the 7 courses (21 credit hours) taken together from the common and M.I.S.-specific cores, students must select a minimum of 21 credit hours of elective courses to complete the 42 credit hours required for the M.I.S. degree. These electives must be chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser in order to best satisfy the student’s academic and professional goals. Elective courses for the M.I.S. degree may be chosen from the common core, the M.I.S. or M.L.S. core, or the large pool of other SLIS courses available to all master’s degree students. In no case may more than 6 credit hours to be applied toward the degree come from the workshop courses listed under the L595 course number. Care must be taken to ensure that prerequisites have been satisfied before registering for any course.

Joint Programs

Master of Library Science or Master of Information Science–Chemical Information Specialist Candidates in this joint program receive the M.L.S. or M.I.S. degree and a certificate indicating the specialization. They must meet all common and M.L.S. or M.I.S. core requirements as selected in consultation with their SLIS advisers. In addition they are required to include in their elective courses L624, L570, and additional SLIS courses to total at least 30 credit hours for M.L.S. candidates or 36 credit hours for M.I.S. candidates. The remaining hours are directed by the Department of Chemistry and must include C400, C401, and C402. Candidates for this specialization must have the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.

Specialization in Music Librarianship Candidates are advised that a master’s degree in music in addition to the M.L.S. is usually required for placement in the field of music librarianship (see the School of Music Bulletin and the description of the dual master’s program below). This specialization program is available within the dual master’s degree program, or within the M.L.S. program for students who already have a master’s degree in music or who do not desire a master’s degree in music from Indiana University. The program combines the instructional and professional training resources of the School of Library and Information Science and the Music Library. Applicants are expected to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in music from an accredited four-year collegiate institution. Admission to the specialization is a joint decision by SLIS and the admissions committee for the specialization (IU music librarians). It is possible to be admitted to the M.L.S. degree program or to the dual master’s program and not be accepted to the music specialization. To obtain the specialization in music, the following courses must be successfully completed within the M.L.S. degree program.

  1. MUS M539 Introduction to Music Bibliography (3 cr.).
  2. SLIS L596 Internship in Library and Information Science (6 cr.). 3 cr. will normally be in music cataloging; the other 3 cr.may also be in music cataloging or else in music collection development, reference, or technology.(P: M539, L520; P or concurrent: L582)
  3. SLIS L631 Seminar in Music Librarianship (3 cr.). (P: M539 and consent of instructor) Music library administration, circulation, collection development, facilities and design, performing ensemble collections, recording collections, reference, and technology; music printing and publishing.
Dual Master’s Degree Program: Master of Library Science–Master of Arts in History Interest in public history, genealogy, historic preservation, and archives and museum administration creates a demand for professionals with expertise in both historical research and information management. The dual M.L.S.–M.A. in history program requires completion of a minimum of 50 credit hours of graduate course work. Students must apply for admission to the master’s programs of both the School of Library and Information Science and the Department of History and meet the admission criteria established for each. The two degrees must be awarded simultaneously.

Requirements for the Master of Library Science degree are as follows:

  1. Completion of SLIS courses from the common (9 credit hours minimum) and M.L.S.-specific (9 credit hours minimum) cores for a total of 18 credit hours. Explanations of the common and degree-specific cores are found in the previous section on degree requirements.
  2. Other required SLIS courses (9 cr.): L586 (or History H547 [Archives]), L596, and L625.
  3. SLIS elective courses to bring the total of SLIS credit hours completed to 30.
  4. Elective courses in history (6 cr.).
A minimum of 20 credit hours is required in the Department of History for the Master of Arts degree. For specific requirements, see the entry for the Department of History in the Indiana University Graduate School Bulletin.

Dual Master’s Degree Program: Master of Library Science–Master of Public Affairs (Information Systems Management) The dual M.L.S.–M.P.A. program addresses the demand for information specialists with public management and problem-solving skills. The program requires completion of a minimum of 63 credit hours of graduate course work. Students must apply for admission to the master’s programs of both the School of Library and Information Science and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) and meet the admission criteria established for each. The two degrees must be awarded simultaneously.

Requirements for the Master of Library Science degree are as follows:

  1. Completion of SLIS courses from the common core (9 credit hours minimum) and the M.L.S.-specific core (9 credit hours minimum) for a total of 18 credit hours. Explanations of the common and degree-specific cores are found in the previous section on degree requirements.
  2. SLIS elective courses (12 cr.) to bring the total of SLIS credit hours completed to 30.
  3. Elective SPEA courses (6 cr.).
A minimum of 33 credit hours is required in SPEA. For specific requirements see the entry for the dual M.L.S.–M.P.A. program in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs Graduate Programs Bulletin.

School Library/ Media and Information Technology Certification

The student must be admitted to the M.L.S. degree program in order to complete the course work leading to the minor or major in school library or media certification as a library media specialist in Indiana.

Emphasis in this area includes knowledge of a wide range of information sources and formats; selection and preparation of instructional plans and materials; promotion and use of quality literature for children and young adults; management of budgets, staff, and automated information services; collaborative teaching and cooperation with community information agencies; understanding of facilities planning; and instructional design for emerging technological innovations in education. Individuals specializing in this area are educators, information managers, and instructional designers.

Indiana library/media/technology certification transfers to most other states in the United States. The student seeking certification in a state other than Indiana should contact the certification office in that state to be certain of meeting any additional teacher training requirements.

A student may enter a program leading to either the minor in school library services or the major in school media technology services after completion of a bachelor’s degree and after meeting the requirements for an Indiana teaching license at either the elementary or secondary level. The bachelor’s degree should include a minimum of 90 credit hours in liberal arts. At the secondary level, it is strongly recommended that the student have a teaching major in social studies, language arts, science, or computer technology. Entry requirements for either certification program are the same as for those entering any master’s-level SLIS program. A student must submit an application for a certification program before completing 6 credits in SLIS. Questions concerning course work leading to a valid teaching license in Indiana should be directed to the:

School of Education
ES 3143
902 W. New York Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5156
(317) 274-6801 Students in Bloomington should contact the Certification Office, School of Education, IU Bloomington, (812) 856-8511.

The program leading to certification as a school library/media specialist at Indiana University is approved by NCATE, and the SLIS M.L.S. program is ALA accredited.

School Library Services Minor (24 credit hours)

Completion of this minor allows the graduate to hold a building-level position as a professional library media specialist. Course work leading to the minor may be obtained through the SLIS graduate program as follows:

Required course work:

L520, L524, L526, L528, L533, L553, L596
and one course from the following school library services minor electives:
L551, L552, L554, L557, L570, L571, L578
or any 3 graduate credits from SLIS seminars, readings, workshops, or special topics courses dealing with educational theory and technology use or information resources for children and young adults. Completion of 24 credit hours as outlined above will allow the library services minor to be added to the standard teaching license in Indiana. The student may elect to stop graduate studies on completion of the 24 credit hour minor or may complete the M.L.S. degree by completing three courses from the following: L503, L505, L507, L509
and one additional course from the school library services minor electives given above or any other course recommended by the student’s advisor from the M.L.S. curriculum. If the student elects to complete the minor without seeking the M.L.S., graduate course work from the School of Education and other graduate programs may be used to complete the minor provided they are approved by the director for library media education and the local certification officer. In this case, courses such as R503 Application of Instructional Media or R547 Computer Mediated Learning, for example, would be acceptable. See Indiana University School of Education Bulletin, Instructional Systems Technology, for more options.

If the student holds a life license for teaching in Indiana, the minor in school library services can be added only after it has been professionalized by completion of 12 graduate credit hours beyond the minor. Of the total 36 credit hours, 12 must be in course work that emphasizes use or preparation of instructional technology or application and management of information technology related to public school education.

School Media Services Major (Emphasis in Information Technology) and the M.L.S.

Completion of this 36 credit hour major for school media information technology services to be added to the provisional teaching license also meets the requirements for the M.L.S. degree. Completion of this major enables the student to hold a position as a professional library media specialist with additional responsibilities in information technology and audiovisual services.

Required course work:

L520, L524, L526, L528, L533, L553, L596
plus three courses from:
L503, L505, L507, L509
and two courses from:
L551, L552, L554, L557, L570, L571, L578 The student who holds a life license for teaching in Indiana must professionalize this major before it can be added to the license. Professionalization requires completion of 12 additional graduate credit hours beyond the 36 described above, and these additional credits should be in educational technology, instructional theory, selection and use of instructional resources, and information technology. Any of these additional 12 credit hours may come from graduate programs outside SLIS.

The student should consult with the director for library media education in order to determine approval of these additional courses.

Courses Open to Undergraduates

The following courses may, with permission, be taken in the junior or senior year with a view toward school library certification: L533, L551.

If such course work is taken as an undergraduate, the credit may count as an elective in the student’s undergraduate work. Since all course work for either the minor in library services or the major in media services must be taken as a graduate student, an undergraduate who has completed either or both courses listed with a grade of B or better may, on consultation with the graduate adviser, substitute other graduate-level course work from SLIS in meeting the certification and/or M.L.S. degree requirements.

Public Library Certification Requirements

Students who desire certification for positions in Indiana public libraries must meet the requirements established by the State Library Certification Board. For complete information, contact the:

Indiana Library Certification Board
Indiana State Library
140 N. Senate
Indianapolis, IN 46204
1-800-451-6028 The board lists two kinds of education in determining the grade of certificate granted:

Accredited library education is described as completion of graduate study in an accredited program and validated by a diploma. This level relates to the higher grades of certification: Librarian I, II, or III. Librarian I and II levels have experience as well as educational components. Librarian III is the minimum grade for heads of libraries serving populations of 10,001 to 25,000 and for comparable positions as determined by the library certification board. The Master of Library Science degree from Indiana University meets this requirement.

Approved library education is defined as elementary instruction in library science taken after completion of a prescribed period of undergraduate education. Approved library education requires specified amounts of study in library science and relates to the lower grades of Indiana library certificates. Two levels of approved education are recognized:

Students wishing to meet Indiana public library certification requirements for Librarian III must meet all requirements for and be admitted to the M.L.S. degree program. Students wishing to take course work toward the Librarian IV and V certifications may, with permission, take the required courses without applying to the M.L.S. program. They must enroll as special students and have completed necessary prerequisites. Students wishing to enter as special students must contact the SLIS director of admissions.
 

INDIANA UNIVERSITY -  PURDUE UNIVERSITY  INDIANAPOLIS
425 University Blvd. Indianapolis, IN 46202-5143
Comments: IUPUI Office of the Registrar
Copyright 2000, The Trustees of Indiana University