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Admissions

SLIS welcomes applications from individuals interested in entering the library and information professions. Applicants to the Indianapolis program bring a range of backgrounds to their graduate education, in both their prior academic fields of study and work experience. Applications from those who have been in the work force and from recent graduates are equally desirable. SLIS encourages diversity in the student body, believing that a wide spectrum of experiences and ideas strengthens our program.

We welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Indiana University prohibits admission decisions being made on the basis of arbitrary consideration of such characteristics as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Our online application process is explained below. If you need additional information about SLIS or assistance with the application process, please contact the SLIS office, directly by phone (866-758-6254 / 317-278-2375) or email (slisindy@iupui.edu).

General Requirements

Application Form

SLIS at Indianapolis uses an online application form. To apply to SLIS, you will do two things: first, you must establish a secure account for your application information. When completing the online form, select the options Library and Information Science for your Academic Program and Library Science / MLS for your Major on the Educational Objectives page.

Go to the Online Application form.

Application Fee

Application to the MLS program requires a fee of $50 for U.S. citizens.

Other Application Components

In addition to the application form and fee, applicants to SLIS must submit
 -  three letters of recommendation,
 - official transcripts from all universities or colleges attended, and
 - a statement of personal goals.

Letters of recommendation, submitted as part of the online application, should be requested from professors or employers who are familiar with your abilities and your prospects for success in a rigorous graduate program. To submit recommendations via the online process, you will need to provide email addresses for those who will write on your behalf. Letters from faculty who are familiar with your intellectual skills and aptitudes are preferred. Letters from employers and professionals familiar with your work habits and skills are also acceptable.

Official transcripts must be submitted from every college or university you have attended. These transcripts should be sent directly from the institution to the following address:

IU School of Library & Information Science at Indianapolis
755 W. Michigan Street, UL 3100N
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5195

You do not need to submit IU transcripts (any campus). SLIS can get those directly from IU.

A personal goals essay of at least 500 words is required. We encourage an essay of 1000-1500 words to include experiences in leadership, teamwork, and technology. The essay must indicate a student’s academic and profession goals appropriate to the desired SLIS degree program. The writing skills indicated in this statement are also considered as part of the admission decision.  Please see the Personal Essay Question page for guidelines. You only need one essay.

GPA

An applicant must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent in the total undergraduate program, or an average of 3.2 in the latest graduate degree or representative graduate hours (usually 30 semester hours) completed.

Standardized Tests/GRE or GMAT

If the applicant does not meet the SLIS cumulative grade point average requirements, he or she may submit Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores for consideration to justify admission. Scores should be recent and based on exams completed within three years prior to the application. Minimum GRE scores which will be considered for applicants with low grade point average are 500 verbal, 500 quantitative and 4.5 written analytical. See www.gre.org for test schedules. A minimum GMAT score of 550 achieved on an exam completed no more than three years prior to application may serve to justify further consideration for admission for the student who holds a GPA below entry requirements. The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) may be submitted in place of the GRE. For information on the GMAT call 1-800-717-GMAT (4628) or visit www.mba.com. In the statement of goals or a separate letter of application, a student who has a GPA below that of the stated requirements is encouraged to address the reasons for this deficiency.


Disability Accommodation

Accommodations for students with disabilities are made in accordance with University policies and procedures through the University's Adaptive Educational Services office (http://life.iupui.edu/aes/) at 317-274-3241.

International Application Requirements

Minimum Eligibility Requirement for Applicants with International Educational Credentials Seeking Admission to IU Graduate Programs at IUPUI

Given the move toward three-year bachelor’s degrees throughout much of the world, including the 40-plus European nations participating in the Bologna process, many American universities are reconsidering their previous insistence on a four-year bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) to be considered eligible for admission to an American graduate program. In this light, IUPUI has established the following standard for minimum eligibility for admission to its Indiana University graduate programs.

MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION

Graduate applicants are expected to have completed the equivalent of a U.S. Bachelor’s degree in order to be considered for graduate study, such as:

  1. Have completed at least 16 years of primary+secondary+tertiary education and have earned a university first degree, or
  2. Have completed a university first degree that grants eligibility for graduate study in a recognized university in that same country.

Persons without this background cannot be accepted for graduate study, regardless of the name of any first degree they may hold. 

Once minimum eligibility is determined, Indiana University graduate programs will make the final admissions decision, based on reviewing the applicant’s educational credentials to determine if the applicant is academically competitive and has the preparation needed for success in that program. The Office of International Affairs at IUPUI will provide evaluations of the applicant’s educational background and academic documents upon request from the departments.

Purdue University graduate programs follow the eligibility standards established by the Purdue University Graduate School.

International applicants must submit both GRE and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores. To gain admission, international applicants must earn minimum scores in the table below.
TOEFL and GRE details:
TOEFL - TOEFL minimum 600 (Paper test) or 250 (Computer test) or 100 (new test Fall 2005)
TOEFL - IU Institutional Code: 1325;

GRE - minimum v = 500, q = 500, a = 4.5 or GMAT - minimum 31 in each area
GRE - IU Institutional Code: 1325
GRE - SLIS Library Science Code: 4701

International applicants must comply with the deadline dates indicated in Office of International Affairs Web site at www.iupui.edu/~oia. The Office of International Affairs can be contacted at

IUPUI Office of International Affairs
902 W. New York St., ES 2126
Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA
Phone: (317) 274-7000
Fax: (317) 278-2213
Email: intlaff@iupui.edu

Deadlines and Matriculation

Priority application deadlines for U.S.

  • Summer I -- March 15
  • Summer II -- May 15
  • Fall -- July 15
  • Spring -- November 15

Matriculation
Applicants may enter SLIS master’s degree programs at the beginning of fall semester, spring semester, or the first and second (eight-week) summer sessions.

Academic Background

Students holding bachelor’s degrees from accredited four-year collegiate institutions are eligible to apply for admission. Applicants in the final year of their undergraduate program may apply and be granted admission conditional upon being awarded the bachelor’s degree.

We welcome a wide diversity in undergraduate backgrounds and academic degrees. Most students who seek a graduate degree in library and information science come from successful undergraduate studies in English, history, general liberal arts and education. We also encourage students from the sciences, the arts, business and engineering to apply. Over 25% of those entering SLIS hold a master's degrees, and a few hold a Ph.D. The Master of Library Science provides an excellent set of academic credentials to enhance another academic degree and often increases employment possibilities.

The admissions committee reserves the right to review the content of specific transcripts. Below average academic performance in some courses may be a factor in denial of admission. A large number of credits, over 20 percent of the undergraduate degree, earned for methods or practice-based courses in business, language, music, or education may lead to a recommendation that additional liberal arts courses be completed either before admission or before the M.L.S. is granted.

An applicant must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent in the total undergraduate program, or an average of 3.2 in the latest graduate degree or representative graduate hours completed.

Advising

Upon admission, each student is assigned an official faculty advisor whose name is given in the admission letter. Students should meet with their faculty advisors to discuss academic course planning and professional goals. Advisor signatures are also required for various approval forms. Students should carefully plan their course selections, noting appropriate prerequisites and required sequences.

Preparation and Education in Technology

SLIS requires that students be technologically proficient. This is demonstrated through command of computer, network, and information literacy, as well as familiarity with basic information retrieval skills that will be used throughout students’ course work and subsequent careers. Students are encouraged to acquire these basic computer skills early in their programs so they can apply this knowledge in course work, especially their first graduate classes with SLIS. Consequently, S401 is a common prerequisite for most SLIS courses. Many students seek to waiver S401 based on previous academic and work experience which has provided them with current computer skills. S401 or a waiver for the course is required before students complete nine (9) credit hours in SLIS.

Post-Master's Specialist

Those who have already earned an accredited MLS or MIS degree may apply to the post-master's degree specialist program which is administered through SLIS Bloomington. Further information about the specialist program may be obtained from the Bloomington Web site (http://www.slis.indiana.edu/degrees/specialist.html), or 1‑888‑335‑7547.

Admission Categories

Admission—A student’s full admission status is valid for one year, with an additional year available upon petition. If an admitted student fails to matriculate within the allowed time, the admission status is terminated, and the student must reapply.

Probationary Admission—The SLIS admissions committee may grant probationary admission to a student who fails to meet one or more of the admission requirements listed above, if, in the judgment of the committee members, there is sufficient other evidence of probable success in the degree program. Probationary admission carries a requirement that the student maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 throughout the program. Other conditions of the probationary admission, if any, will be stated in the admission letter. The student’s progress will be monitored throughout the program to ensure that the conditions are maintained. If, at any time in the program, the student does not meet the conditions of the probation, admission will be terminated.

Applicants who are denied admission to a SLIS graduate program may not take course work in SLIS without the permission of the dean of the school.

SLIS Nondegree Student Status—Students with an undergraduate degree may be permitted to take up to 6 credit hours of SLIS graduate course work prior to admission that could count towards their degree if admitted. Nondegree students must complete all necessary prerequisites before taking any course. Nondegree students may be removed from any SLIS course if their place is required for an admitted degree-seeking student. SLIS S401 is a prerequisite course to our degree programs, and does not count towards the credits for the degrees offered. Undergraduate and nondegree students may take SLIS S401.