Expand your skills without putting your life on hold, by earning our Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree online. Graduates join a community of highly regarded professionals who provide creative, data-driven ideas that empower library patrons, corporations, civic groups, and our communities.
Information experts in our digital age
At a glance
Format
Online
Start dates
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
Opportunities in the information sciences include positions in museums and other cultural institutions, research facilities, businesses, nonprofits—and anywhere that information expertise is needed.
You’ll also find our graduates in public, school, academic, and special libraries—as well as in corporate information centers. They manage physical and virtual collections, and are passionate about the vital role that libraries play in community engagement.
Learn more from our virtual LIS Industry Speaker Series, open to prospective students and the broader community.
ALA-accredited
Our Master of Library and Information Science, the entry degree for a professional librarian, is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA-MLS). Universally required for professionals in academic libraries, the MLIS is essential for leadership in public libraries and provides valuable management skills.
Program details
Admission requirements
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or 3.2 in the latest graduate degree or representative graduate hours.
- GRE scores are required for applicants not meeting minimum GPA requirements.
My Journey
My Journey is a professional development and portfolio process. It is a graduation requirement for Master of Library and Information Science students. My Journey was created to improve student preparation for career success and build community across courses. New students are introduced to My Journey in their first course, LIS-S 500, and will participate in the process through their graduate studies. My Journey is accessed through the department's Community Canvas course, a resource site for all students.
There are eight M.L.I.S. program goals. These are derived from the ALA Core Competences of Librarianship that indicate the basic knowledge to be possessed by all persons graduating from an ALA-accredited master’s program in library and information studies.
- Generalist (No Specialization)
- Academic Librarianship Specialization
- Archives Management Specialization
- Digital Curation Specialization
- Facilitated Learning Specialization
- Health Sciences Librarianship Specialization
- Public Librarianship/Adult Services Specialization
- School Library Specialization
- Technical Services Specialization
- Youth Services Specialization
These programs have agreed to share some courses and reduce the total credits that would be required to earn both degrees independently:
Chat with a student
Career outcomes
$42,250Annual Median starting salary
92%Employed / Continuing Education
Job titles
- Branch librarian
- Community engagement coordinator
- Data governance lead
- English teacher
- Information services manager
- Library associate
- Programming and outreach specialist
What our graduates do
- Assist patrons
- Write grants
- Catalog government documents
- Develop data research tools
- Take part in academic, corporate, legal, and medical research
- Create library technology plans and websites
- Archive and preserve digital information for easy retrieval
From blog to book: Local attorney and MLIS alumnus documents Indianapolis history
What started as a hobby turned into a master's degree focused on archive management and eventually a book, Vanished Indianapolis.
Read more about the book
Library of Congress internship informs MLIS student’s future as curator and creator of multicultural stories
Khrisma McMurray gained real-world experience with her summer internship at the Library of Congress.
Read more about her internship