Library and Information Science, Ph.D.

Ph.D. in Library and Information Science

Admission to the Ph.D. program is competitive and is based on the strength of the applicant’s educational background (with the expectation of an M.L.I.S. or master’s-level degree in a related field), standardized test scores, work experience, a statement of research interests, and a personal interview.

Application requirements for the Ph.D. program include:

  1. completing the Graduate School’s online application form, including a written statement describing the applicant’s anticipated research focus or interest and a nonrefundable $50 application fee;
  2. official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended;
  3. for international students whose native language is not English, an official report showing a minimum score of 570 (230 computer-based) on the TOEFL or a minimum overall band score of 6.5 on the IELTS Academic Course Type 2 exam;
  4. three letters of recommendation from persons able to comment on the applicant’s academic ability and scholarly potential -- letters of recommendation cannot come from family members;
  5. a resume or curriculum vitae outlining the applicant’s educational and professional achievements (sent directly to the School of Information Science);
  6. following the receipt of all documents listed above, an interview with a member of the graduate faculty.

Degree Requirements (54 Post-Masters Hours)

Core Courses (15 Hours)

Course Title Credits
ISCI 801Theoretical Issues in Library and Information Science3
ISCI 802Research Methods and Design in Information Science3
ISCI 803Information and Society3
ISCI 804Preparation for Academic Careers in Library and Information Science3
ISCI 805Information Policy and Ethics3
Total Credit Hours15

Research Methods (6 Hours)

Qualitative Methods (3 hours)

Chosen from advisor-approved options such as the following:

Course Title Credits
EDFI 731Qualitative Inquiry3
ANTH 719Field Problems in Ethnology3

Quantitative Methods (3 Hours)

Chosen from advisor-approved options such as the following:

Course Title Credits
STAT 700Applied Statistics I3
STAT 701Applied Statistics II3

ISCI Electives (12 Hours)

Chosen from advisor-approved 800-level seminars or 700-level courses appropriate to research interests and the production of work designed for scholarly publication or presentation.

Cognate Courses (9 Hours)

Chosen from advisor-approved courses from another discipline related to the student’s research interests (i.e., mass communication, sociology, education, anthropology, computer science, English, geography, history, marketing, philosophy, political science, psychology, public administration).

Comprehensive Written and Oral Examinations

Dissertation Preparation (12 Hours)

Course Title Credits
ISCI 899Dissertation Preparation12
Total Credit Hours12