Learn more about our annual assessments

The Department of Information & Library Science (ILS) assesses the Master of Library Science and Master of Information Science degrees yearly as part of our ongoing accreditation status in the following areas: recruitment, retention, graduation, and placement.

2022-2023 Assessment:

Retention Rate for incoming cohorts retained or graduated:

• Fall 2016: 90% 
• Fall 2017: 95%
• Fall 2018: 83%
• Fall 2019-2020: 86%
• Fall 2020-2021: 88%
• Fall 2022-2023: 100%

Average time to completion: 75% of students complete their degree within 2 years. 95% complete within 5 years.

Placement rate for class of 2023 (summer 22/fall 22/spring 23): 100% of MLS graduates found employment or continuing education within 12 months of graduation*. 100% of MIS graduates found employment or continuing education within 12 months of graduation**.

Access the full assessment here.

*Knowledge rate: 86%
**Knowledge rate: 87%

Past Year's Assessments

The vision, mission, and goals of our department

We use the vision, mission, and goals of our department to assess the programs we offer. We also regularly assess our vision, mission, and goals to ensure that they meet the evolving needs of our students and world.

Vision

We believe our department has a special role in the Information Age. We focus on the creation and management of, and access to, documents, data, and other types of information, and the study of such in overlapping information, communication, and media ecologies. We study the socio-technical means through which people, information, and technologies are joined in social, cultural, and organizational contexts.

Mission

We prepare socially responsible graduates for fulfilling careers characterized by ethical practice, professional values, analytical skill, critical thinking, leadership, and lifelong learning. We are committed to excellence and innovation in the education of librarians and other information professionals, the creation of knowledge, and service and understanding in a diverse and changing global information environment.

Goals

To accomplish our mission, we strive to:

• Contribute knowledge and advance theory by working from cognitive, social, behavioral, cultural, philosophical, and technological perspectives; fostering interdisciplinary collaboration; and cultivating an appreciation for the role of information in society
• Serve our students, our state and local constituencies, society, and the library and information science profession
• Model a climate of intellectual engagement, openness, integrity, diversity, and respect within the department

Other assessment methods

We also systematically review and update the ILS strategic plan so that it aligns faculty, alumni, and support units around our primary objectives as a department.

Student outcomes

We assess our programs to ensure ILS graduates are prepared for successful careers in the field of information and library science.

Specifically, our goal for M.L.S. students is that they are prepared to:

• Assist and educate users of libraries and information tools and environments.
• Identify, secure, organize, and represent information resources.
• Provide effective leadership using appropriate management and evaluation tools.
• Demonstrate skills for the storage, transmission, and retrieval of digital resources.
• Demonstrate critical and appropriate technical expertise for their chosen career path.
• Understand and apply the ethical, cultural, and social values and traditions of the profession.

Our goal for M.I.S. students is that they are prepared to:

• Analyze, evaluate, design, and manage information technologies to support effective organizational activities, work practices, and human usability.
• Employ a sound conceptual foundation and critical understanding of research to enable them to develop strong, leadership-oriented careers as information professionals.
• Develop appropriate information management strategies and policies for organizations.
• Understand the theoretical and practical bases of information organization, storage, delivery, and retrieval systems.
• Understand the economic, social, political, and strategic value, and the ethical use of information and information technologies.