Student Organizations
The Library and Information Studies Students’ Association represents all students enrolled in the MLIS program. Students elect their own officers, with the presiding officer representing them at meetings of the School Council. LISSA provides liaison between students and faculty and encourages participation in a variety of academic, professional, and extracurricular activities.
Entrance Requirements
An applicant with a four-year undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta, or a comparable degree from another accredited university, who has obtained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (or its equivalent) in the last 20 half-courses (or equivalent) of academic studies may be admitted as a candidate for the MLIS degree. Applicants who lack these qualifications are advised to make up any deficiency in consultation with the School of Library and Information Studies in order to be considered for admission as a candidate for the MLIS.
All applicants who are required to write an English language examination are advised to do so at an early date because a satisfactory score is required in order to be considered for admission (see English Language Requirement ). The passing score is 90 for the MELAB; 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based) for the TOEFL; 70 for the CAEL with a minimum of 70 on each subtest; or 7.5 on the overall band for the IELTS (Academic) with a minimum of 7 on each test band.
Applicants without a degree from a Canadian university may be required to take the Graduate Record Examination administered by the Educational Testing Service. Students should arrange for the testing agency to report results to the School of Library and Information Studies, which will judge whether or not the results are satisfactory. Acceptable scores are 600 in the Verbal Section, 525 in the Quantitative Section, and 600 in the Analytical Section.
Applicants are judged not only on their academic record but also by their professional promise as indicated in three letters of reference (letters to support application for graduate admission), statement of purpose, and curriculum vitae.
Admission offers are made from a review of complete applications received by the School by February 1. A complete application includes the application form and its supporting materials, transcripts, and three letters of reference (letters to support application for graduate admission). Where fewer than three academic referees are available, one professional/supervisor referee is acceptable for one of the references. All must be received before applications can be reviewed for admission to the MLIS program. Applicants considered will receive notification of a decision on their application no later than March 31. Once the School’s acceptance limit is reached, subsequent acceptable applicants may be placed on a waiting list.
Decisions on internal scholarships and awards are normally made by June 1. Students are encouraged to seek out opportunities for scholarships and awards and to apply for these prior to and during the course of their programs.
Students who are offered admission to the MLIS program may have their admissions deferred to the following fall term if the School is notified in writing before the beginning of the Fall term.
Please consult www.slis.ualberta.ca for full application details.
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