- Prepare library and information practitioners to be successful in entry-level professional positions in academic, public, and special libraries.
- Use data gathered and analyzed through the assessment system to make program-related decisions.
Graduating students of the VSU MLIS program will demonstrate the ability to:
- perform administrative, service, and technical functions of professional practice in libraries and information centers by demonstrating skills in
• information resources
• reference and user services
• administration and management
• organization of recorded knowledge and information.
- use existing and emerging technologies to meet needs in libraries and information centers.
- integrate relevant research to enhance their work in libraries and information centers.
- demonstrate professionalism as librarians or information specialists.
- the Applied Library Experience Notebook, a collection of fieldwork and simulations of fieldwork conducted across four core courses in the MLIS program
- a collection development project
- a reference transaction assessment
- a social cataloging technology project
- a research proposal
- a career ePortfolio organized in a digital format
- an analysis of an LIS-related code of ethics
Admission to the MLIS Program
Prior to admission to any graduate program at Valdosta State University, applicants must first submit a completed application to the Graduate School. A completed application includes evidence of completion of a bachelor’s degree and official transcripts from all institutions previously attended, completion of application form, application fee, and any additional program requirements; all required materials and fees must be submitted by the admission deadline. It is the responsibility of the applicant to allow adequate time for document submission and to ensure receipt of documents. Full information about applying to the MLIS program can be found on the VSUGraduate School website.
Admission Deadlines
- Fall Deadline: March 15
- Spring Deadline: October 15
- Students must have a cumulative institutional GPA of 3.0 for all graduate courses in order to graduate from the MLIS program.
- Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences: Students will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a graduate degree) equals two deficiency points. Candidates admitted PRIOR to Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below “C” (“D,” “F,” “WF,” “U”) will be dismissed from the program. One grade below a “C” results in a warning letter. Additionally, all MLIS students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter must earn a grade of “B” or better in MLIS 7000, MLIS 7100, MLIS 7200, MLIS 7300, MLIS 7700, and MLIS 7800. All MLIS students admitted in Fall 2016 and thereafter must earn a grade of "B" or better in MLIS 7400 or MLIS 7440.
- If dismissed from the MLIS program, the student must wait a minimum of two semesters and obtain approval from the MLIS Program Director before applying for readmission. The MLIS Program reserves the right to place specific conditions and contingencies on any offer of readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed, and prior academic performance and conduct in the MLIS Program will be considered.
- The maximum time allowed for completion of the master’s degree is 7 calendar years. No work completed more than 7 years prior to degree completion will be accepted toward the degree, except with special permission from the student’s major professor and the Director of the Master of Library and Information Science Program, and approval from the Dean of the Graduate School.
- Transferring graduate coursework into VSU MLIS is discussed on an individual basis with the student’s advisor. If students wish to transfer in a comparable graduate-level course, they must provide the course description, the syllabus, and other course materials to the advisor to determine course equivalence/similarity. If the advisor determines that the course is an appropriate transfer course, a course substitution form will be sent to the Graduate School for approval. The course substitution form specifies the course, hours, the institution of origin, and how the course should be applied (i.e., a general elective or a substitution for an existing course in the curriculum). All transfer requests are subject to approval by the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research, and grades transferred fall under the current deficiency point system. MLIS students wishing to transfer credits from an outside institution must follow these guidelines:
- a maximum of 6 credits can be transferred;
- transferred credits may not be more than 7 years of age at the time of admission to the MLIS program;
- the credits must have been earned at an institution that is regionally accredited;
- the credits must have been earned with a grade of B or better;
- MLIS 7000 and MLIS 7800 must be taken at VSU and cannot be satisfied through transferred credits.
- A grade of “B” or better in each of the MLIS Program’s core courses. These courses are
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| MLIS 7000 | Foundations of Library and Information Science | 3 |
| MLIS 7100 | Information Sources and Services | 3 |
| MLIS 7200 | Management of Libraries and Information Centers | 3 |
| MLIS 7300 | Organization of Information | 3 |
| MLIS 7700 | Research Methods | 3 |
| MLIS 7800 | Capstone | 3 |
For students admitted in Fall 2016 and thereafter, a grade of "B" or better in MLIS 7400 or MLIS 7440.
- A 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
- Submission of a graduation application no later than one semester prior to the anticipated graduation date.
Go to the Graduate School website and click on Our Programs, then click on MLIS Program for complete information on:
- Specific MLIS Program Admission Requirements
- MLIS Program Retention, Dismissal, and Readmission Policies
- MLIS Program Graduation Requirements
To Apply Online, click here.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| MLIS 7000 | Foundations of Library and Information Science | 3 |
| MLIS 7100 | Information Sources and Services | 3 |
| MLIS 7200 | Management of Libraries and Information Centers | 3 |
| MLIS 7300 | Organization of Information | 3 |
| MLIS 7700 | Research Methods | 3 |
| MLIS 7800 | Capstone | 3 |
| 3 |
| Collection Development | |
| Literature for Children | |
| Multicultural Youth Literature (effective Fall 2020) | |
| Literature for Young Adults | |
| Electronic Resources in Libraries | |
The grade of “B” or higher is required for MLIS 7000. A student earning a grade below “B” must repeat MLIS 7000 at the first opportunity. A grade below “B” in MLIS 7000 does not fulfill the MLIS 7000 prerequisite requirement for other courses.
Optional Areas of Interest
The MLIS program has developed optional areas of interest in Cataloguing and Classification; Library Management; Reference Sources and Services; Technology; Youth Services; and Special Libraries, Archives, or Conservation Librarianship. To help you select courses that have been beneficial in LIS professional positions in each of these areas, the following lists have been constructed. The lists can be used as starting points for constructing your program of study and adapted to meet your individual interests, experiences, or expertise or to enhance current or develop new areas of expertise.
Cataloging and Classification
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| |
| MLIS 7300 | Organization of Information | 3 |
| MLIS 7310 | Introduction to Metadata for Catalogers | 3 |
| MLIS 7330 | Advanced Metadata | 3 |
| MLIS 7355 | Cataloging and Classification | 3 |
| MLIS 7360 | Indexing, Abstracting, and Thesaurus Construction | 3 |
Library Management
Reference Sources and Services
Technology
Youth Services Librarianship
Special Libraries, Archives, or Conservation Librarianship
