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Master of Science in Information Sciences Program Learning Outcomes

It is our vision to provide a quality educational program, and for students to have the very best educational experience possible. By the end of their time in the MSIS program, each student should be able to:

1. Describe and discuss the processes of creation, organization, distribution, storage, access, retrieval, management, use, and preservation of information.
2. Describe and discuss the nature of leadership and management in the information professions and the importance of participation in the global information society.
3. Apply the general principles, values, and ethical standards of providing information services in a variety of settings and for diverse populations.
4. Comply with the changing responsibilities of the information professional in a culturally diverse and networked global society.
5. Identify critical professional issues in a variety of organizational, cultural, societal, disciplinary, transdisciplinary, and historical contexts.
6. Analyze and apply standards or policies related to the processes of creation, organization, distribution, storage, access, retrieval, management, use or preservation of information.
7. Explain the changing nature of information, information needs, and information behavior.
8. Assess and implement information technologies, systems, sources and services that serve users effectively and efficiently.
9. Analyze research and apply it to information practice.

MSIS Student Achievement

The School of Information Sciences engages in ongoing program assessment to continually improve the student experience and ensure that the program is preparing students to be successful in the information professions. We systematically involve students, alumni and prospective employers in this process by conducting periodic surveys and interviews, and by using other data gathering and analysis techniques to understand how we are doing. We engage an advisory board of alumni and other leaders in the information professions who meet annually to review the program, talk with students, and offer input about the current state of the information professions. We collect and analyze student coursework so we can verify if the curriculum has prepared students to demonstrate the MSIS program learning outcomes. We also track retention rates, time to degree completion, and employment in the year following graduation.

Graduation and Retention Rates

Students have a maximum of six years to complete the program. Students may attend full time or part time.

Time to Degree Completion

Data below indicates the average time taken to complete the 36 credit hour degree program.

Academic Year	MS Degrees Awarded	Average # of enrolled semesters for graduates
2015-2016	64	6.58
2016-2017	58	6.16
2017-2018	59	5.71
2018-2019	59	5.46
2019-2020	105	5.79
2020-2021	105	6.12
2021-2022	130	6.20
2022-2023	102	6.15
2023-2024	32	7.03

Employment Rates

Each year, Library Journal (LJ) conducts a placement and salaries survey. All accredited library and information science schools in the US are invited to participate. SIS has been participating for several years by sending a link to LJ’s survey to all students who graduated in the prior calendar year (e.g., in 2022 the invitation went to those who graduate in 2021). LJ publishes a report describing the data and sends participating schools results submitted by their graduates.

The table below shows the number of SIS MSIS graduates who reported they were employed in either a library or information science institution, or in a library or information science capacity but not in a library or information science institution, within the first year of graduating.

Graduation Year	Number of Graduates	SIS Respondents	ILS Employment
2022	120	28 (23%)	27 (96%)
2021	106	19 (18%)	19 (100%)
2020	103	18 (17%)	12 (71%)
2019	83	20 (24.1%)	10 (50%)
2018	59	26 (44.1%)	23 (88.5%)
2017	56	18 (32%)	16 (89%)
2016	63	28 (44%)	24 (86%)
2015	73	24 (33%)	22 (92%)