If you’re a highly motivated undergraduate interested in furthering your education with a master’s degree, consider enrolling in the Library Science 4 + 1 M.L.S. or Information Science 4 +1 M.I.S. programs where you can add an M.L.S. or M.I.S. to your bachelor’s degree with only one additional year of classes.
Add an M.I.S. or M.L.S. to your bachelor’s degree
How it works
Our 4 + 1 programs allow you to earn your master’s and your bachelor’s in as few as five years while providing a significant cost savings: during your senior year, you’ll be paying for graduate level courses at the undergraduate credit rate. It also allows you to launch your career sooner with a broader range of opportunities available.
To add an M.I.S. or M.L.S. to your bachelor’s degree, 36 hours of graduate-level coursework is required.
You’ll meet the credit requirements for your bachelor’s degree by the end of your senior year (120 credits), in addition to 12 of your 36 graduate-level credits.
Most students earn the remaining 24 graduate-level credits the following year.
Note that this program is for the most accomplished undergraduates; many, but not all, of the students who enroll are on track to complete their undergraduate programs in less than four years.
Eligibility
You must:
- be a current undergraduate student enrolled at IU Bloomington.
- have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 at IUB.
- have at least 12 credit hours available during senior year to take graduate-level courses.
By the time you apply, you should have completed:
- all general education requirements
- at least 60 credits towards your undergraduate degree.
Review your degree requirements
All ILS degree requirements are listed in the Luddy academic bulletin. To review your degree requirements, choose the bulletin that represents the year you started, or plan to start, your program.
Deadlines
Apply during the first semester of your junior year, and no later than January 15.
You will be admitted into the program in the spring semester of your junior year so that you can register for graduate courses during the fall semester of your senior year. We will notify you of your admission in time for fall registration.
If you are a senior with flexibility in your final spring semester, you are also invited to apply by November 15. The timeline and options for you will not be the same for juniors, but we will be glad to look at options. Contact us to start a conversation about enrolling.
How to apply
To apply to an ILS program, you'll submit your Indiana University Graduate CAS application online.
Application materials
- GPA of 3.2 (No GRE)
- Personal goals statement (min. 500 words)
- Transcripts
- At least one letter of recommendation
- Resume/CV
International students
To apply for the Library Science 4 + 1 M.L.S. or Information Science 4 + 1 M.I.S. programs, you will need to change your immigration documents from undergraduate to graduate status.
To do this, submit the New Degree Program e-form via Atlas by April 1 of the year before you start the M.I.S. or M.L.S., and contact the IU Office of International Services if you have any questions about this process.