MSLIS students outside the iSchool building

MS in Library and Information Science

Continuously ranked the #1 program of its kind

You'll stand out in your field because we stand out in ours. Receive an exceptional professional education from an MSLIS program consistently ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report. As an iSchool student, you'll be immersed in a rich learning environment that provides a strong academic foundation as well as opportunities to explore your interests through extracurricular and networking activities, internships and other professional field experience, and interaction with expert faculty.

2022 Maria Bonn

Our MSLIS is an important venue for the intellectual and professional conversation that shapes and guides our profession. We are leaders in creating well-trained professionals who support information access and think critically about the values that inform and drive their practice.

Maria Bonn, Associate Professor and MSLIS and CAS Program Director

Become a leader in the information professions

A versatile degree, our ALA-accredited* MSLIS gives you the skills to manage, analyze, and preserve information in a variety of careers. Choose from a broad range of course electives or select a pathway, working one-on-one with our advisors to customize a program that supports your professional goals.

Our graduates fill leadership positions in diverse information settings, including public, academic, and school libraries as well as healthcare, business, and science.

  • Archivist
  • Information Technology Manager
  • Children's Librarian
  • Rights and Reproductions Coordinator
  • Competitive Intelligence Analyst
  • Reference Librarian
  • Information Architect
  • User Experience Designer
  • Library Director
  • Web Developer

*Continued accreditation status since first approval in 1926

Learn about the top skills for MSLIS graduates as learned from ongoing consultation with our alumni and employers.

Anna Wiegand (MSLIS '22) is now a cataloger at Illinois Heartland Library System.

Get connected with the iSchool Ambassadors

These dedicated students promote the iSchool's mission and vision. They work with Recruitment & Admissions and Student Affairs, serving as liaisons for prospective and incoming students. They also are valuable resources for sharing the iSchool experience and connecting students who have similar interests.
 

Megha Bamola

I appreciate LIS more and more as a field because it's vast and expansive, and the breadth of topics is endless. I am incredibly passionate about information and accessibility in education, fostering city-resident relations and the expansion of initiatives that improve people's lives by helping them access resources to become active and have a voice in their communities. I want to focus on experiential learning, transformative justice, and decolonization through a wider accessibility lens.

Megha Bamola, current MSLIS student

Customize your degree

After completing only two required courses—Information Organization and Access (IS 505) and Libraries, Information, and Society (IS 510)—you can select classes that match your interests or follow one of our professional pathways:

  • Archival and Special Collections
  • Youth and K-12
  • Information Organization and Management
  • Research and Information Services
  • Data and Asset Management
  • Knowledge Management and Competitive Intelligence
Tamela Chambers

The iSchool gave me the soft and hard skills I needed to deliver library programs and services to diverse communities in both school and public libraries. I received a well-rounded education that enabled me to transfer those skills across intellectual levels to serve all ages.

Tamela Chambers (MSLIS '05), Southwest District Chief for Chicago Public Library

Earn your degree on campus or online

Our program meets your needs by providing on-campus and online options. Through our popular Leep online learning option, you can engage with peers and faculty in real-time virtual classrooms, giving you access to the same high-quality education no matter where you are in the world. Both on-campus and online students meet faculty, staff, and classmates during an on-campus orientation. And once you are admitted, you have the flexibility to change your learning option if your circumstances change.

Prepare for a bright future . . . wherever you are.

Our high-touch, high-tech Leep online option allows you to fully engage with faculty and other students. You'll have access to all the resources offered by our MSLIS program while tailoring your degree to meet your goals.

No matter where you are, or where you're going, the iSchool help you find your path to success!

Get the support you need

Our faculty are nationally recognized, award-winning, innovative teachers and researchers. At the iSchool you'll learn from leaders in the field.

Our experienced advisors will help you develop a program that best meets your career goals. Throughout the program, you'll remain in close contact with your advisor to discuss course options, opportunities for practical experiences, and/or research opportunities. Meetings with advising staff can take place in person, over the phone, online (i.e., Skype), or via email.

Isaac Wink

I hope to work as an academic librarian and work with students and researchers in developing their projects while pursuing my own research agenda in history. I love hearing what other people are excited about and want to work with them to turn their passions into projects.

Isaac Wink, MSLIS '23 and MA in History