The MLIS/MLS/IS: Top Rated Online Programs
The MLIS/MLS/IS: Top Rated Online Programs
So you’ve decided to become a degree-holding librarian. Congratulations on making such a big decision, and welcome to the club. We’re a vibrant and dedicated bunch who love learning, our communities and helping others.
Choosing a program is daunting, but nowadays, you have many more options as most colleges offer online learning. One of the most trusted sites, U.S. News and World Report, has listed the top 10 online programs for earning your MLIS/MLS/IS degree.
Before diving in, consider what you want to do with your degree. This will determine which concentrations and classes you choose. If you aren’t sure what you want to do, look into different types of librarian jobs. Earlier this year, I wrote a post discussing this and encourage you to take a look.
The top online library schools are:
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University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign – Top rated for several years for a good reason. If you can get in, it will look great on your resume.
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University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill – Like Urbana-Champaign, this has been a long-standing top-rated library school.
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University of Washington – Highly ranked in 6 types of librarianship
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University of Maryland–College Park – Also highly rated in 6 kinds of librarianship
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University of Texas–Austin – Highly rated in 4 types of librarianship
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Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey–New Brunswick – Also highly rated for four types of librarianship
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Syracuse University – Rated highly for three kinds of librarianship
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University of Michigan–Ann Arbor – Top rated university overall, in my home state (go blue!), and has four highly acclaimed librarianship programs.
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Indiana University–Bloomington – Highly rated for three types of librarianship
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University of Tennessee–Knoxville – Rated highly for two types of librarianship
All these schools have excellent programs, and there are 55 results on the list by U.S. News and World Report. Choose more than one school to apply to, though, as acceptance is not guaranteed. When I applied to library programs in 2010, there were only a few 100% online options than there are today. I went to the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (ranked #14 on the list). I enjoyed the online learning experience and highly recommend it to anyone who thinks it’d benefit them. There’s no commute, and you can study anywhere with decent wifi.