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Department of Library and Information Studies


POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL
ADMISSION TO THE MLIS DEGREE & CERTIFICATION PROGRAMs : POLICY Number I
Date: Revised: 4/13/94

This policy covers admission to the MLIS degree program as well as Media Coordinator (076) and Media Supervisor (078) certification. All changes to Department POLICY must be submitted to and approved by the full faculty.

LIS Admissions Committee
Criteria for Admissions
Admission Recommendations
Procedures for Provisional Admissions

 

Department Admissions Committee

A. Membership

  1. Admissions Committee members include 3 members of the regular full-time faculty
  2. Admissions Committee is appointed annually by the Department Chairperson who also appoints one faculty member to serve as Committee Chairperson.

B. Responsibilities

  1. Review files of all applicants and reach a consensus on admission recommendations.
  2. Review status of provisionally admitted students (see PROCEDURES - Attachment A).
  3. Forward to Department Chairperson admissions recommendations.
  4. Meet with applicants for interviews as needed; listen to and consider information from applicants who wish to appeal Department level admissions recommendations. All appeals must be made in writing to Chair of Admissions Committee.
  5. Identify and evaluate financial aid/scholarship candidates and make recommendations to Department Chairperson.
  6. Review policy/procedures for admission biennially and recommend changes to faculty.
  7. Accept and review suggestions from faculty and/or students for changes in admissions policy/procedures.

C. Meetings

  1. The Admissions Committee Chairperson will schedule at least five meetings for the academic year.
  2. At the scheduled meetings recommendations on admissions will be made for provisional admissions and denied admissions. Other business will be transacted as needed.
  3. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson of the Admissions Committee, as needed, in consultation with the Department Chairperson.


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    III. Criteria for Admissions

    Admissions recommendations will be made by the Admissions Committee based on the applicant's previous academic record, results of test scores, references, and personal commitment.

    A. Previous Academic Record:

    1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Two official copies of all applicable transcripts must be submitted to the Graduate School.
    2. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale during the last two years of study.
    3. In lieu of 1-2 above, the Committee may consider applicant's record of successful previous post- baccalaureate or graduate study. Factors to be weighed include institution and accreditation, program and courses taken, number of credits earned, and GPA.

    B. Test Scores:

    1. Applicants must submit GRE scores: verbal, quantitative, and analytical. GRE scores up to five years old will be accepted.
    2. Applicants for 076 and 078 certification only are not required to submit GRE scores.
    3. Foreign students are required by the Graduate School to submit acceptable scores (550) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

    C. References and Personal Commitment:

    1. A minimum of three supportive letters of reference from teachers, supervisors, employers, or other persons who are in a position to assess qualifications and professional potential.
    2. Completion of Personal Data Sheet, including a statement of professional goals.

    D. Special admissions criteria which may be considered by the Admissions Committee in selecting among applicants who meet the prerequisites and standard requirements, as well as in evaluating applicants who may not meet all the standard requirements include:

    • demonstrated maturity of student with low undergraduate GPA from years ago;
    • unusual aptitude for graduate study as indicated by high scores on the Graduate Record Examination General test;
    • strong references from supervisors;
    • socioeconomic background;
    • successful working experience in relevant fields;
    • knowledge of foreign languages;
    • knowledge of formal sciences (e.g., mathematics, statistics, logic, computer science); and
    • probable contributions to the educational enrichment of the program.

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    IV. Admissions Recommendations

    A. Admission

    Recommended for those applicants who have met all criteria for admission by unanimous agreement of the Admissions Committee.

    B. Provisional Admission

    One or more of the stated requirements is not met by the applicant but strong evidence of potential exists as evaluated by the Committee.

    Provisionally admitted students are required to complete their first twelve (12) semester hours of credit in the Department with a grade of "B" or better to achieve admission. Nine of these hours must be taken from the required courses (including LIS 600) with students earning the grade of "A" in at least one of these 3 semester hour required courses. Credits successfully completed will count toward the MLIS degree at time of admission.

    C. Admission Denied

    One or more of the stated requirements is not met by the applicant and there is little or no evidence of potential for successful graduate work in library and information studies as evaluated by the Committee.

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    PROCEDURES: PROVISIONALLY ADMITTED STUDENTS

    At the end of each semester the Chair of the Admissions Committee will check the list of provisionally admitted students against the grade sheets (from the Department secretary) for the most recently completed semester. Student folders will be examined for those who have completed 12 semester hours of graduate credit.

    1. Within one week after grade sheets are received by the LIS office, the Chairperson of the Admissions Committee will forward the names of individual students with status recommendations for action to the Department Chairperson.
    2. Possible recommendations include:
      • Students with grades of C or below will not be admitted to the program.
      • For students who have met the conditions of their provisional status the department secretary will complete the Removal of Provisional Admission to the Graduate School form and send it along with a transcript to the Graduate School for approval. Once approval is received from the Graduate School, the department secretary will send a letter to each student stating that they have met their provisions.
      • Students who have completed 12 semester hours and have failed to meet the conditions of their provisional status will be informed in writing by the Graduate School that they will not be admitted to the program. Students will be given a maximum of two weeks from the date of notification to appeal the decision in writing. All appeals will be reviewed by the Committee within one week of receipt and a recommendation will be submitted to the Department Chair. The Department Chair will forward a recommendation to the Graduate School as appropriate. Appeals of Graduate School decision must be made to the Graduate School Dean.
      NOTE: Students must complete 12 semester hours of graduate credit with at least 9 semester hours from the required courses. In addition, students must earn a "B" grade or better in all 12 semester hours, with at least one "A" grade in a required core course (See Admissions POLICY).
    3. If needed, a formal meeting of the Admissions Committee may be called by its Chairperson.

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    POST-BACCALAUREATE UNCLASSIFIED STUDENTS (PBU) :
    Date: Revised: 4/13/94
    DATE ADOPTED BY FACULTY: April 10, 1989 REVISED: May 1, 1989, April 13, 1994

    This policy covers admission to LIS courses as post- baccalaureate unclassified students (PBU). All changes to Department POLICY must be submitted to and approved by the full faculty.

    Post-baccalaureate Unclassified Students

    Individuals who are exploring a potential career area, who are awaiting admissions recommendations, or who have been denied admission to the MLIS program may apply through the Graduate School for PBU status. However, students wanting to take 600 level and above courses who are not in a degree program must have an application on file with the Graduate School and then obtain a letter of permission from the Chairperson of the Department to present to the Registrar.

    1. PBU students: no admission decision.
      Individuals who have not applied for admission to the MLIS degree program or who are awaiting a recommendation by the Admissions Committee should be cautioned that credits earned prior to admission may not be applicable toward the MLIS degree. (See current Graduate School Catalog for full policy).
    2. School library media specialists applying for the first time for courses solely for "G" Certificate renewal credit may be admitted as PBU students. If, however, credit is to be applied to a graduate degree, the student must make specific application for this credit before the completion of the course and meet all requirements for full admission as a Graduate Degree Student.

      **NOTE that PBU Students in LIS typically may not enroll in more than six (6) credits of LIS courses before an admissions recommendation is made.

    3. PBU students: denied admission. To be reconsidered for admission to the MLIS degree program, individuals who have been denied admission must complete nine (9) semester hours of graduate courses from the Department. The nine hours must be selected from the required core courses (LIS 600, 557, 615, 640, or 650). Students must achieve at least a "B" grade in six (6) semester hours and an "A" grade in three (3) semester hours. After successfully completing the nine credits, individuals may then reapply for admission. The nine credits will not count toward awarding of the MLIS degree. Individuals admitted in this manner must complete an additional 36 semester hours, for a total of 45 semester hours.
    4. PBU students: audit. Students with bachelor's degrees not otherwise enrolled for credit but who desire the record of audit to be posted to a transcript may register as PBU Students, with the permission of the instructor, and pay the tuition for zero (0) hours. (Refer to the current Graduate School catalog).

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    TITLE: WAIVER OF ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS : Date: 10/92

    In general, applicants to the MLIS degree program are expected to adhere to the Graduate School admissions policy as detailed in the University's Graduate School Catalog. Applicants must also meet all LIS Departmental standards for admission. Applicants may petition the Department for waiver of one or more LIS Departmental admissions requirements. Such waiver may be granted only for unusual and compelling reasons at the discretion of the Department Chair in consultation with the LIS Admissions Committee. Students are responsible for initiating requests for waiver and for assembling necessary documentation in support of such requests. Requests are usually initiated through direct application to the Department Chair. In addition, students should complete a special application form available from the Department Secretary, in addition to the usual application forms. All requests for waiver must be accompanied by a completed special application form as well as a personal letter directed to the Department Chair detailing such reasons for requesting such waiver.

    TITLE: COURSE REQUIREMENT WAIVER :
    Date: 5/89

    POLICY Upon presentation of proper documentation that course content and competencies have been satisfied prior to admission, a student may obtain a waiver for a particular required course. The faculty member teaching the course to be waived must approve the request. Factors considered as valid evidence by the faculty member teaching the course, the faculty adviser, and the Department Chair, are that the student:

    • has completed within the past five years courses which constitute the equivalent of one or more of the required courses. It is expected that, except for unusual circumstances when a student has completed comparable work in an approved graduate library education program, all students will enroll in LIS 600 Foundations of Library and Information Studies.
    • has taken the work at an institution offering an approved library education program and has made a grade of B or better.
    • will not be relieved from completing the minimum thirty-six semester hours requirement. Rather the student will have the opportunity to elect more courses that can provide depth and breadth to the individual's program of studies.
    • may be required to take a qualifying examination when there is need to further verify content and/or competencies mastered.

      Final approval for a waiver rests with the Department Chair.

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    TITLE: TRANSFER CREDIT :
    Date: Revised 9/94

    POLICY: A student may transfer up to six hours of courses to apply toward the MLIS degree.

    PROCEDURES: A maximum of six hours of graduate credit taken at other accredited institutions prior to or subsequent to full admission to the Department of Library and Information Studies -- or credit taken within UNCG prior to full admission to the Department -- may be transferred under the following conditions:

    • the credit may not be more than three years old at the time of admission to the program
    • coursework in library science must be earned in an ALA- accredited program
    • the credit must be relevant to the student's career objectives
    • in the case of a required course, the student will present sufficient evidence (such as a syllabus or similar material) to permit determination by the advisor that the course reasonably duplicates the UNCG equivalent course (a student may be advised to audit core courses when the instructor feels such action would be beneficial to the student)
    • the course must be recorded on an official transcript from the granting institution and that transcript must be on file with the Graduate School
    • courses that have been used to earn another degree will not be accepted
    • the grade received must be a B or higher
    • the student must provide a course description comparable to that produced in the University catalog

    Click here for Transfer Course Form

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Page updated: 22 - October - 2007
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Department of Library and Information Studies, UNCG
349 Curry Building, PO Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
Tel: (336)334-3477
FAX (336)334-5060
EMAIL cpfelts@uncg.edu