MLIS to be revised, effective Fall 2007
SOIS has recently proposed to the University that the MLIS program be redesigned to reflect changes in the discipline, to provide students with appropriate basic knowledge and competencies to allow them to follow various paths into the profession. Several campus committees will consider the proposal during October and we plan to implement the new program fully in the Fall of 2007.
There are three major changes: 1) the design of four required courses to replace the existing five core courses (one remains the same); 2) the revision of prerequisites for electives; and 3) a renumbering according to a plan that reflects certain disciplinary areas.
For students who have finished the required courses, the transition will be almost undetectable. Some electives have been renumbered according to some general categories.
The four new required courses are:
501 Foundations of Library and Information Science
511 Organization of Information (same as the current 531)
571 Information Access and Retrieval
591 Research in Library and Information Science
For students who have taken one or a few of the required courses, they may choose to finish all five of the required courses or, more likely, transition into the smaller set of four. We are drafting a table of equivalencies that will be used by students and advisors to assist students who choose to migrate to the new curriculum. For instance, if a student has completed a certain combination of core courses, the table would indicate which of the new ones remain to be taken, if any. By reducing the number of required courses, students have more options for electives.
Current students will have the option of finishing according to the curriculum in place when they entered the program or to declare their adoption of the new one, which we believe is more attractive. In either case, the length is the same (36 credits, 30 if a student has another advanced degree) and there will be a culminating event (currently a comprehensive exam or thesis).
As we have more information, we will inform you about the changes. A more formal summary of the revised program will come out at the end of October and we anticipate that all faculty and advisors will be informed about the changes well before the registration period for the Fall 2007 term.
An additional program is in the works as well: a new coordinated master’s degree with Healthcare Informatics. Like our other collaborative degrees (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SOIS/academics/coordinatedMLIS/index.htm), this one offers students the opportunity of obtaining two master's degrees at the same time, one in Library and Information Science and one in a subject area.
We will be providing more information in the near future, but if you have questions now, please feel free to contact me or one of the advisors.
Best wishes in your studies!
Tom Walker, Associate Dean
There are three major changes: 1) the design of four required courses to replace the existing five core courses (one remains the same); 2) the revision of prerequisites for electives; and 3) a renumbering according to a plan that reflects certain disciplinary areas.
For students who have finished the required courses, the transition will be almost undetectable. Some electives have been renumbered according to some general categories.
The four new required courses are:
501 Foundations of Library and Information Science
511 Organization of Information (same as the current 531)
571 Information Access and Retrieval
591 Research in Library and Information Science
For students who have taken one or a few of the required courses, they may choose to finish all five of the required courses or, more likely, transition into the smaller set of four. We are drafting a table of equivalencies that will be used by students and advisors to assist students who choose to migrate to the new curriculum. For instance, if a student has completed a certain combination of core courses, the table would indicate which of the new ones remain to be taken, if any. By reducing the number of required courses, students have more options for electives.
Current students will have the option of finishing according to the curriculum in place when they entered the program or to declare their adoption of the new one, which we believe is more attractive. In either case, the length is the same (36 credits, 30 if a student has another advanced degree) and there will be a culminating event (currently a comprehensive exam or thesis).
As we have more information, we will inform you about the changes. A more formal summary of the revised program will come out at the end of October and we anticipate that all faculty and advisors will be informed about the changes well before the registration period for the Fall 2007 term.
An additional program is in the works as well: a new coordinated master’s degree with Healthcare Informatics. Like our other collaborative degrees (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SOIS/academics/coordinatedMLIS/index.htm), this one offers students the opportunity of obtaining two master's degrees at the same time, one in Library and Information Science and one in a subject area.
We will be providing more information in the near future, but if you have questions now, please feel free to contact me or one of the advisors.
Best wishes in your studies!
Tom Walker, Associate Dean
posted by SOIS at 10:03 PM
