School of Information Sciences—Department of Library and Information Science

The Department of Library and Information Science (DLIS) offers programs of graduate study leading to the Master of Library and Information Science degree (MLIS), the Certificate of Advanced Study, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree, as well as two certification programs for school library media specialists. Students enrolled in DLIS programs, under the mentorship of the program faculty, prepare for careers in the information professions as librarians, as archivists and records managers, as college and university faculty members, as supervisors in diverse information centers, and as information specialists. The MLIS degree program is offered both on campus and through the FastTrack MLIS Program, an asynchronous online program that can be completed in six terms of study.

The basic professional program leads to the MLIS degree, which requires completion of 36 credits of course work. The core curriculum (15 credits) is enriched by advanced courses in management, technology, resources, organization of knowledge, and the behavioral aspects of information transfer. Upon award of the MLIS degree, graduates are prepared to make contributions to the profession at the local, national, and international levels. Students may specialize in six different areas: archives and record management, preservation management, digital libraries, medical librarianship, school librarianship, and services to children and young adults.

Beyond curricular offerings, educational experiences available to students in the program include colloquia, workshops, participation in local conferences, and attendance at professional association meetings. DLIS sponsors the "Summer Institutes for Librarians and Teachers Who Serve Youth," and "Professional Development Opportunities," a series of professional development workshops offered each summer for school library media specialists and public librarians who serve young people.

Research Focus

Members of the DLIS faculty are active researchers, with records of funding from governmental agencies and private sources. While both master's and doctoral students have opportunities to work with faculty on research projects, doctoral students are most involved in the research process.

The major areas of research interest include archives and records management (including electronic record keeping); biomedical; children's literature; continuing education; digital libraries; ethics; history of books, printing, and publishing; human information behavior; information policy; information retrieval; interactive information retrieval; library automation; library management; organization of information; preservation of library materials; and school library media center management.

Contact Information

Department of Library and Information Science

School of Information Sciences

135 North Bellefield Avenue

412-624-5230

Fax: 412-628-5231

E-mail: lisinq@mail.sis.pitt.edu

www.sis.pitt.edu/~dlis

Admissions

The Department of Library and Information Science seeks students with diverse educational and cereer backgrounds. Applicants for graduate study must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a scholastic average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better. Students who have not worked in libraries may elect to do a three credit Field Placement during which they perform professional activities in a library or information center under the supervision of a librarian or information specialist and with the cooperation of a member of the faculty.

Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) Program

The MLIS program is responsive to the information marketplace and encourages the development of creativity, professionalism, and a proactive attitude to the needs of various clienteles in library and information service environments.

The MLIS degree is ranked third in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association.

MLIS Degree Requirements

Students seeking the MLIS must complete the following requirements:

• Complete a minimum of 36 credits of graduate-level course work
• Complete five core courses: LIS 2000, 2001, 2002, a management course, and a technology course
• Maintain a B (3.00) average for the required 36 credits of graduate-level course work

Requirements for the MLIS degree must be completed within a period of four calendar years from the student's initial registration.

In addition to admission to the MLIS program, students must apply for (and be admitted to) the SLCP or ARM program.

The School Library Certification Program and the Archives and Records Management Program each have specific course requirements that must be met.

School Library Certification Program (SLCP)

The School Library Certification Program fulfills requirements for certification established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through two options:

Endorsement Option—Fulfills the requirements for the MLIS degree as well as for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania certification in Library Science, K–12. Students who enter this program already possess a teaching certificate from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and receive an endorsement to their Instructional I or Instructional II certificates upon completion of the program as well as their MLIS degree.

Intern Option—Designed for students who have not fulfilled the requirements for an Instructional I teaching certificate established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Students completing this program receive an Instructional I teaching certificate in Library Science, K–12, from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as their MLIS degree.

SLCP Admission Requirements

For both options of the School Library Certification Program (SLCP), admission requirements are the same as those for admission to the MLIS program. Applicants who do not hold a valid Pennsylvania teaching certificate must apply for the Intern Option.

SLCP Certification Requirements

Certification requirements for the School Library Certification Program, with the MLIS degree, are completion of 36 credits (Endorsement Option) or up to 57 credits (Intern Option) in required courses in a competency-based course of study leading to the MLIS degree and school library certification concurrently as well as passing the required Praxis test(s). Students who have demonstrated competency in areas covered by specific courses may have those courses waived as requirements but must complete the number of credits required for the degree.

Certificate of Advanced Study in Library and Information Science Program

Students enrolled in the Certificate of Advanced Study in Library and Information Science program are, in most cases, experienced professionals who have advanced in their careers in librarianship and information management and wish to update their skills and knowledge and enhance their professional development through a planned program of individualized study beyond the MLIS degree. The program leads to a certificate rather than a degree and is designed specifically for those who do not wish to pursue the PhD degree but who wish to continue their education in an area of special interest.

For admission to the Certificate of Advanced Study in Library and Information Science program, applicants must:

To receive the advanced certificate, the student must complete a total of 24 credits of course work acceptable to the advisor with a grade of B or better. Requirements must be completed within a period of four calendar years from the student's initial registration in the program.

Supervisor of Library Science Certification (SLSC) Program

Candidates for the Supervisor of Library Science Certification (SLSC) Program have demonstrated leadership in school librarianship and enter the program to update and upgrade their skills in preparation for a position of additional responsibility in district-level school library media management and/or curriculum development. The SLSC program may be used as the course work required for the Certificate of Advanced Study (see details on certificate above) or as part of the 36 credits of course work required for the PhD degree. Students who have demonstrated their competency in the areas identified will receive their supervisor's certificate from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as their Certificate of Advanced Study.

SLSC Program Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to the Supervisor of Library Science Certification (SLSC) program are the same as those for the Certificate of Advanced Study, with the following additions:

SLSC Program Requirements

Candidates complete 24 credits selected from a competency-based course of study leading to the Certificate of Advanced Study in Library and Information Science and Supervisor of Library Science Certification concurrently.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Library and Information Science Program

The Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science program prepares students for advanced work in research, teaching, and administration. The primary purpose of the PhD program is to develop an understanding of library and information science beyond the master's degree, with particular emphasis on the conduct of original research, the production of significant and generalizable research findings, and the contribution of such findings to public knowledge.

The advisor selected by the student for the period prior to the dissertation stage of the program is the program advisor; before the dissertation proposal is prepared, the student should select a dissertation advisor. The program advisor and the dissertation advisor may be the same person, but the student has the option to select a different advisor for the dissertation. The advisor must be a member of the graduate faculty in the Department of Library and Information Science who is able to spend the time and effort necessary for the advising role, be available for examinations, and with whom a productive and comfortable working relationship can be established. Advisor selection is subject to approval by the department chair and the dean.

For complete information on the Doctor of Philosophy program, consult Statement of Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at www.sis.pitt.edu/~dlis/degrees/phd.html.

PhD Admission Requirements

In addition to those school-wide requirements for admission detailed at the start of SIS's section of this bulletin, the following are requirements for admission to the program:

• A master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association, a recognized international program, or the equivalent in a closely related field of study.
• Attainment in graduate work of a minimum grade point average of 3.50 (on a scale where A=4.00). An international student's grade point average will be calculated on the basis of equivalency from universities that use a different scale.
• Submission of scores from a predictor test, such as the Graduate Record Examination or the Miller Analogy Test, taken within the last five years.
• At least three references from persons in the professional and academic communities.

As evidence of the ability to undertake doctoral work, the student's application must be accompanied by:

• An essay (not exceeding 1,000 words) indicating, as specifically as possible, the student's academic and professional goals in relation to the Department of Library and Information Science doctoral program and identifying potential areas and/or topics in which the student expects to pursue dissertation research.
• A complete curriculum vitae that provides an overview of education, work, publication, and other professional activities.
• At least one example of scholarly research or professional writing in any format (print or electronic). The student should describe fully any published or unpublished research, thesis, contributions to the professional or scholarly literature, and other professional or academic experience relevant to an assessment of capacity to pursue doctoral study successfully.
• A brief description, if appropriate, of professional work experience in libraries, archives, information centers, publishing, the information industry, education, or similarly related areas of professional activity.

Applications from all individuals, regardless of citizenship, who have a degree from a non-U.S. institution, must be reviewed by the University Office of International Services (OIS). International students must submit evidence of competence in the English language. The status of English in the country of origin may constitute such evidence. A minimum score of 575 on the paper-based TOEFL (or equivalent score of 231 on the computer-based TOEFL) is required for international students.

Credentials of prospective students are reviewed by the Admissions and Review Committee and voted upon by the DLIS Committee on Doctoral Studies throughout the year. However, students who are applying for financial aid should be aware that they must be admitted and meet financial aid deadlines to ensure consideration for funding. See Financial Assistance for more detail. PhD students may begin their studies only in the fall term in order to ensure a coherent program of study.

PhD Degree Requirements

This PhD program requires a minimum of 54 credits beyond the master's degree with a total credt minimum of 72. A minimum of 36 credits must be taken in advanced course work. The student must receive a letter grade in each course taken in this 36-credit requirement. An additional 18 credits are required, which must be applied to dissertation research and writing. However, regardless of the number of credits taken, no more than 18 credits for dissertation research and writing may be applied toward graduation.

The minimum of 36 credits of course work, all of which must be on the graduate level, must be distributed as follows:

• Three credits: LIS 3000: Introduction to Doctoral Studies
• Nine credits: 3000-level doctoral seminars in SIS
• Three credits: LIS 3950 Teaching Practicum
• Six credits: Courses in research methodology and statistics
• Six credits: Courses in cognate field
• Nine credits: Which may be
  • 2000-level courses in SIS (with the expectation that doctoral level work will be conducted)
  • 3000-level independent studies or doctoral seminars in SIS
  • Additional cognate courses
  • Additional research methodology courses

Graduate degrees are conferred only on those students who have completed all courses required for the degree with at least a 3.50 GPA.

Doctoral students are required to devote some portion of their studies to work on other disciplines in order to broaden their perspectives and deepen their understanding of library and information science. To fulfill the cognate requirement, students are required to take a minimum of 6 credits and a maximum of 12 credits in some area of graduate study outside the field of library and information science. These credits may be from more than one department or school or from another institution.

The research methodology course requirement must be fulfilled prior to taking the preliminary examination. Research methodology courses may include courses in statistical analysis, general research methodology, and specific research methods or research methods used in specific fields of study such as historiography, ethnography, or case and field study.

A three-credit teaching practicum is required for all doctoral students in order to provide the student with teaching experience that may become part of the student’s professional vita. The teaching practicum is usually taken after completion of two terms of study. The student is responsible for identifying an appropriate course related to his or her areas of interest and obtaining the agreement of the instructor of record. The teaching practicum is graded on a pass/fail basis.

Residence and Registration Requirements

Doctoral students must register for at least 3 credits in each term until they have achieved candidacy. To maintain active status, all doctoral candidates must be registered for a minimum of 3 credits in each 12-month period (3 credits in one term or 1 credit in each of three terms) from the time of admission to candidacy until receipt of degree.

Preliminary Examination

Upon completion of 24 hours of course work each student submits for review a written portfolio comprising the best representation of work completed thus far. The student presents this portfolio orally to the Doctoral Studies Committee (DSC) as a whole, which votes on its acceptability. The Preliminary Examination is based on the breadth and depth of knowledge as addressed through course work, as well as whether the course work taken will support the research plan the student submits and defends to the DSC.

Comprehensive Examination

The Comprehensive Examination is conducted by the student's advisor, one faculty member chosen by the student with agreement of the faculty member, and one faculty member chosen by the chair of the Doctoral Studies Committee. The examination consists of a written take-home exam over two weeks and an oral examination conducted by the student's committee. The take-home exam has two parts: a broad perspective on current issues in the field of library science, information science, or archives, depending on the student's general area; and the area of the student's research specialization.

Language Requirement

Students are required to be proficient in any languages necessary for completion of doctoral work. Depending upon the student’s course of study, proficiencies in modern languages, linguistics, and/or computer languages may be required.

Candidacy and Dissertation

For admission to formal candidacy for the PhD degree, a student must have:

• Passed the preliminary evaluation
• Completed a minimum of 36 credits beyond the master's degree with a GPA of 3.50 or higher
• Passed the comprehensive examination
• Successfully defended the dissertation proposal and received permission from the Dissertation Committee to begin research

Students demonstrate their ability to complete a sound project of original research by presenting and defending the dissertation proposal to their Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee must unanimously approve the dissertation topic and research plan before the student may be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree.

Colloquium Requirement

During the course of the PhD program, each student is required to present a colloquium to faculty and students in the school. This colloquium may be on a research project the student is engaged in, or on preliminary results of the dissertation project.

Statute of Limitations

All requirements for the PhD degree must be completed in not more than six calendar years from the time of first registration. Students may, in extenuating circumstances, submit a formal request for extension of their statute of limitations or for a leave of absence from the program.

Library and Information Science Course Listings