Dec 10, 2024  
2023-2024 Academic Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Library and Information Science, MLIS


The San José State University (SJSU) School of Information  prepares individuals for careers as information professionals. Graduates work in diverse areas of the information profession, such as user experience design, digital asset management, information architecture, electronic records management, information governance, digital preservation, and librarianship. The SJSU School of Information delivers all of its degrees and certificates fully online. It is a recognized leader in online education and received the Online Learning Consortium’s Outstanding Online Program award.

For more information: ischool.sjsu.edu.

Requirements for Admission to Classified Standing

Candidates must meet all university admission requirements . Applicants who meet the following requirements beyond university requirements will be considered for admission into the School of Information:

  • A bachelor’s degree from any regionally accredited institution in any discipline with a GPA of at least 3.0 at the bachelor’s degree institution or in the last 60 semester or 90 quarter units.
  • A general understanding of computers and technology. See Technology Literacy Requirements.
  • The School requires that all students have computer access from home. See Home Computing Requirements.
  • Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on the Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage of GAPE.

Requirements for Admission to Conditionally Classified Standing

The School of Information does not admit students on a conditional basis.

Requirements for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy

In order to achieve candidacy, students must meet the university requirements for candidacy. General university requirements for advancement to candidacy  for the MLIS degree are detailed in the Graduate Policies and Procedures  section. Candidacy includes the successful completion of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) .

Students must complete and submit the Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy after completion of nine units and by the posted deadlines for the semester in which they plan to graduate. For additional program requirements and submission instructions, refer to the MLIS Candidacy Approval Form Information website.

Requirements for Graduation

University Graduation Requirements

Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements  section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures .

Special Session Program Information

Academic Programs offered through Special Session are operated by the College of Professional and Global Education (CPGE). Registration and enrollment in a Special Session course or program must use the special session application form and will follow the special session fees and course schedules. Note that regular session students seeking to enroll simultaneously in a special session course or the program will trigger a separate and additional set of fees.

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

At SJSU, students must pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) .

This requirement is satisfied by passing INFO 200 .

Culminating Experience

Plan A (Thesis)

The thesis must meet university requirements as stipulated in this catalog and in the SJSU Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines. It will be written under the guidance of the candidate’s thesis committee chair with the assistance of the thesis committee.

Plan B (ePortfolio)

The e-Portfolio provides a program-based assessment to ensure that each student demonstrates mastery of all program learning outcomes for the MLIS degree before graduation. It requires students to select, document, and assemble evidence of their competence in a series of skill areas the faculty have deemed essential for entry-level professional performance.

Master’s Requirements (43 units)


Electives (27 units)


Complete twenty-seven units from:

Culminating Experience (3 units)


Complete One Option (Plan A Thesis Or Plan B Portfolio):

Total Units Required (43 units)


Students can transfer up to 9 units subject to the School’s transfer policies.

Elective courses must be planned in consultation with the Graduate Advisor

The maximum number of upper-division undergraduate units that can be applied toward the master’s degree is 15.

Upon completion of the degree requirements, the student must have achieved minimum candidacy and SJSU cumulative grade point averages of 3.0 in order to graduate.