Program Structure

Students in the library The MLIS degree is earned by completing 15 courses. Students must complete 5 required courses (9001, 9002, 9003, 9004, 9005), and 10 elective courses including at least one from each of four of the five Program Content Areas.

Program options

Students may complete their degree requirements entirely through coursework or, if they have an interest in original research, they may choose to combine coursework with one or more of the MLIS original research options.

Full-Time Studies

The degree can be completed in a minimum of 12 months (3 terms) by a full-time student taking 5 courses per term; however, the 4-term, 16-month program, is preferred by many students. Each term consists of 14 weeks. Students who participate in co-op may take one or two work terms.

The progression of required courses will vary depending on student course loads. Below is a chart that shows typical progression.

Student Course Load Term 1 Term 2
5 courses per term 9001, 9002, 9003, 9004, 9005 5 electives
4 courses per term 9001, 9002, 9003, 9005 9004, 3 electives
3 courses per term 9001, 9002, 9003 9004, 9005, 1 elective


Part-Time Studies

The MLIS degree may be earned completely on a part-time basis but must be completed within a four year period. Students who cannot complete the program within four years may seek an extension through the FIMS Associate Dean and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Part-time students normally are required to complete the core courses prior to taking electives.

The program offers evening courses in order to assist those who are already on the job to acquire part of their professional education. Students who have significant commitments on their time outside of the MLIS program must allow sufficient time to do readings and complete assignments, in advance of each class.

Program Delivery

The MLIS program offers both in-person and online course delivery. Students should expect to take a combination of both in-person and online courses to complete the MLIS program. Please see Courses for specific course delivery methods.