Department Website

Tom Reichert, Dean
Lyda Fontes McCartin, Ph.D., Director, School of Information Science

The mission of the School of Information Science is to provide and promote education and leadership in library and information science, services, and studies through the highest levels of teaching, research and service. The school is committed to supporting the development and improvement of library and information services as an essential part of cultural enrichment, the dissemination of knowledge, and the enhancement of overall quality of life.

The School of Information Science offers the Ph.D. in Library and Information Science, the Master of Library and Information Science degree, and two programs of advanced study beyond the master’s degree: the Certificate of Graduate Study in Library and Information Science and the Specialist in Library and Information Science degree. In addition, the school offers the Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Communication in cooperation with the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (of the Arnold School of Public Health) and the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Joint master’s degrees are offered in conjunction with the English department and with the Public History Program (see Graduate Dual Degree Programs).

The Ph.D. in Library and Information Science is a research-intensive degree designed to prepare graduates for faculty and administrative careers in universities, research centers, and the public sector. The Ph.D. program is broadly interdisciplinary, with a curriculum balanced between the intellectual realms of library science and information science. While providing foundational courses covering theoretical and methodological approaches to information-seeking behavior and interactions with information in its many formats, the program also allows for study in a cognate discipline that sharpens and enriches a student’s major research emphasis.

The Master of Library and Information Science degree is a program of basic professional education designed to prepare students for entry into positions in libraries and information centers in colleges, schools, communities, industries, and businesses. The M.L.I.S. program provides students not only a strong core of general knowledge of the profession but also the opportunity to explore individual areas of interest related to career preparation. Instruction is available to students in all areas of South Carolina through an extensive program of distance education. Advances in educational technology made it possible for the University of South Carolina to work cooperatively with appropriate agencies in Georgia, West Virginia, Maine, and Virginia to offer the complete M.L.I.S. program to students in those states who would not otherwise have access to an ALA-accredited program of library and information science.

The Certificate of Graduate Study in Library and Information Science is tailored to complement the Master of Library and Information Science program by providing post-master’s degree instruction designed to enhance the student’s career opportunities in a chosen area of specialization. Completion of the Certificate of Graduate Study in Library and Information Science will acknowledge to prospective employers the student’s additional preparation for specific job responsibilities.

The Specialist in Library and Information Science is a sixth-year degree program for librarians, information managers, media specialists, and other related professionals who wish to refresh and update their knowledge and skills, gain greater specialization in their professional training, or redirect their careers from one area to another. The school meets the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education standards for teacher education programs.

Programs

Courses