Master of Library and Information Science

Owned by Katherine Worboys Izsak, created
Oct 07, 2021
4 min read

The Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program prepares students to support information institutions such as libraries, museums, and archives, innovate to meet the information needs of individuals and communities, and advocate for information and technology inclusivity, accessibility, and literacy. The MLIS Program has been continually, fully accredited by the ALA since Fall 1965. It requires the completion of 36 credit hours, including 12 credit hours of core courses and the completion of either a thesis or a field study. Our core courses provide students with foundational knowledge in information behavior, information services, management, and technology. Students also learn how information intersects with youth learning, ethics, human rights, information policy, and advocacy. MLIS students can choose to develop advanced expertise through a specialization or career path.

What do students learn in the program?

Graduates of the MLIS program are equipped with a unique set of skills to launch successful careers. Graduates are able to:

  • Lead and manage information institutions, and be able to adapt to continually changing social, cultural, technological, and economic contexts;

  • Advocate for the needs of information institutions, their users, and their communities, as well as the needs of creators of information;

  • Develop and implement theories and best practices of information at all stages of the information cycle, from creation to evaluation to dissemination to access;

  • Apply user-focused strategies to work inclusively and equitably with diverse populations;

  • Promote information literacy and technology literacy by educating users about programs, systems, and technologies related to information behavior;

  • Solve community-based problems related to information; and

  • Contribute new approaches, ideas, and innovations in the field.

What courses do our students take?

Core Courses

The MLIS degree consists of four foundational (core) education courses. Students in all specializations are required to complete the following courses:

  • LBSC602: Serving Information Needs

  • LBSC631: Achieving Organizational Excellence

  • LBSC671: Creating Information Infrastructures

  • LBSC791 Designing Principled Inquiry

Electives & Focus Areas

MLIS students are able to choose 7 elective courses from one or more of the program’s focus areas. Students use our specialization guide and career guides to help create a plan of study that meets their skills, interests, and career goals. The MLIS Program also provides students with career guides that align coursework with careers in public librarianship, archives, law librarianship, school librarianship, youth services, academic librarianship, museums & cultural institutions, and PhD candidacy. Students in the School Library Program take a prescribed curriculum based on requirements for certification through the Maryland State Department of Education.

Current focus areas include:

  • Archives and Digital Curation

  • Diversity and Inclusion

  • Intelligence & Analytics

  • Legal Informatics

  • School Library

  • Youth Experience (YX)

Field Study or Thesis Options

MLIS students have the option to complete either an experiential learning (field study) experience or a thesis as part of their degree. The field study requires 120-hours of work at an information institution (e.g., a library, archive, museum, government) under the supervision of an information professional. The field study is completed in conjunction with LBSC707, a course that helps students reflect on their field study experience and prepare to apply to professional positions. The thesis requires students to take 9 credits of electives: INST 608 Research Methods in Information Studies (3 credits) and LBSC 799 Master’s Thesis Research (6 credits)

Who are our students?

The MLIS Program admits students during both the Spring and Fall semesters. Spring cohorts are generally smaller than Fall cohorts, with approximately 50 students entering in the Spring and 80-90 students entering in the Fall. HiLS admissions are limited to the Fall semester, with ten or fewer students enrolling in this joint degree program each year. The MLIS program has experienced steady growth in recent years, increasing from approximately 220 students in Fall 2015 to 309 students in Fall 2021. Among both prospective and current students, archives and digital curation is the most popular specialization. A majority of applicants and current students indicate an interest in archives and digital curation and take courses from this specialization. Diversity and Inclusion is the second most popular specialization followed by Youth Experience, School Library, Intelligence and Analytics, and Legal Informatics. Students are able to complete their degree entirely online, in-person, or through a mixture of online and face-to-face classes. About 40% of students complete their course of study entirely online, 10% do so entirely in-person, and 50% are hybrid. Students have 5 years to complete their degree and 48% take classes on a full-time basis with the remaining 52% taking classes on a half-time or part-time basis. Almost 90% of our students are currently employed, holding either part or full-time positions or GA appointments, with 45% working full-time during this time in the program. The program is 82% female and 18% male. Racially, the program demographics are:

  • American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.32%

  • Asian: 4.21%

  • Black or African American: 9.06%

  • Hispanic/Latinx: 7.44%

  • White: 70.55%

Where do our students go?

According to the Library Journal (LJ) 2020 Placements & Salaries Report for the University of Maryland MLIS program:

  • Of those who are employed, alumni are located in the following geographic areas:

    • Maryland (45%)

    • Washington, DC (20%)

    • Virginia (5%)

    • Elsewhere (CT, UT, WA, GA, SC...30%)

  • Alumni work in the following areas:

    • Academic Libraries (23.8%)

    • Other Academic Unit on Campus (14.3%)

    • Archives/Special Collections (9.5%)

    • Public Libraries (19%) ○ Special Libraries (9.5%)

    • Government Libraries (4.8%) ○ Other Gov’t Agency (4.8)

    • Private Industry (4.8%) ○ Other (9.5%)

  • Alumni hold the following titles: Academic Advisor, Archivist Assistant, Branch Manager, Content Editor, Data Systems Architect, Digital Collections Specialist, Freelance Researcher, Information Analyst, Instruction & Assessment Librarian, Knowledge Management Associate, Kress Fellow in Art Librarianship, Librarian of Youth Services, Project Archivist, Project Manager, Public Services Librarian, Reference and Digital Services Librarian, Research and Instruction Librarian, Technical Research Librarian, Technician, Youth Services Librarian

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