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Freeing the Power of the Individual

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I start the MLIS right away?


You must apply to the graduate program and to the School of Library and Information Science. Admission is NOT automatic. See the Admissions section for details.

 

2. Where can I find information about taking the GRE?


To be considered for admission for graduate courses, you must submit GRE scores. You must take all three parts: verbal, quantitative, and writing. If you have never taken the GRE or would like to retake the GRE, you can visit the GRE website.

 

3. If I have already taken the GRE, do I have to take it again?


If you have previously taken the GRE, you may ask that the scores be sent to The University of Southern Mississippi, or you may choose to retake the GRE and have the new scores sent to Southern Miss. If you would like to have your scores sent to The University of Southern Mississippi call the GRE testing center at 1-888-473-7267.

 

4. If I already have a doctorate or a master's degree, do I still have to have GRE scores?


To be considered for admission to the graduate program and to the School of Library and Information Science, you must submit GRE scores.

 

5. Ok, I've turned in all of my information, now what do I do?


Your application will be reviewed by the admissions committee AFTER all your application materials are received in the school. If you are admitted, you will be notified by letter of your admission to the program, your adviser, and your starting semester.

 

6. Is the MLIS Program offered at your institution accredited?


We offer a Master of Library and Information Science degree accredited by the American Library Association. See Accreditation for more information.

 

7. What programs are offered at your institution?

All School endorsement and certification programs require a pre-existing teaching certificate in an area. Please visit our programs link for more information.

Only endorsement courses and master's courses are available online. LIS does not offer the undergraduate degree online. In dual programs only the MLIS is available online.

 

8. How many hours are required for the master's degree?


You must complete 39 credit hours, twenty-one (21) hours of required courses, fifteen (15) hours of electives and a three-hour master's project. Students seeking licensure must complete 39 credit hours of required courses.

 

9. What is your cost of attendance (tuition)?


For most current costs, check the Business Services web pages. Tuition and fee costs may change over time without notice. Currently, you do not have to pay the out-of-state tuition fee for entirely online courses. For additional information about current tuition rates, please contact Business Services, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5133, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, or 601-266-4137.

 

10. Does the program only start in the fall, or is it possible to enroll in the spring or summer?


At this time, you may apply during fall, spring or summer. However, we do have a limited number of seats available. Submitting an application does not guarantee admission.

 

11. I would like some information on the twenty-one-hour (21) endorsement program for the school library media specialist program. What do I need to do?


If you are seeking an undergraduate level endorsement and you are enrolled in our undergraduate program you should contact your adviser. If you are not officially enrolled as a LIS major at The University of Southern Mississippi in our undergraduate program, then you must first apply to the university's Admissions Office. Complete the Undergraduate Non Degree Enrollment Form and submit it via fax or U.S. Postal Service to the School of Library and Information Science. Completing and submitting the form does not guarantee your admission to the endorsement courses. You will be contacted by the school upon receipt of the application form.

 

12. Where do I go to find information about your dual-degree programs in MLIS/MA with Anthropology, MLIS/MA with History, and MLIS/MA withPolitical Science?


See Dual Master's Programs, or consult the most recent Graduate Bulletin for The University of Southern Mississippi. Note: only the MLIS portion of the dual degree is available online.

 

13. Is the Master's of Library and Information Science program available completely online?


Yes. The required courses and a number of elective courses are made available in rotation. All the courses are NOT offered online every semester. Courses are offered in a semester format, and start and end with the normal Southern Miss semester. All online courses require real-time chat participation.

 

14. What other programs do you offer online?


The School of Library and Information Science offers the MLIS program and the School Library Media Specialist Supplemental Endorsement program completely online. We do not offer an entirely online bachelor's degree, though some courses are offered via the Web.

 

15. Do I have to attend the Hattiesburg campus to fulfill my requirements for the online MLIS program?


The School of Library and Information Science does not currently require any on-site attendance to fulfill requirements to receive an MLIS online.

 

16. Will you consider accepting any courses from my previous master's program?


We will not accept credits used to obtain another degree. You may ask to transfer a maximum of 6 graduate credit hours from another accredited institution that have NOT been used to obtain another degree. Each transfer decision is individual. Do not assume a course will transfer. You will need to provide the syllabus and official transcript for the course(s) that you are requesting to transfer.

 

17. Can I get my master's degree in Library Science if I received my bachelor's in another discipline?


Yes, you can get your MLIS while having your undergraduate degree in another area.

 

18. Can I obtain my bachelor's in library science online?


We do not offer an entirely online bachelor's degree at this time.

 

19. Can I enroll for courses even if I am not interested in obtaining a master's degree from the School of Library and Information Science?


We will accommodate your request pending available seats. Contact the school to be advised as a non degree student.

 

20. How many classes can I take at a time?


We rotate the online courses in the schedule, which may limit how many courses are available online at a given time. We recommend taking no more than two courses at a time if you are working full time or have other high demand commitments.

 

21. How long will it take me to complete the MLIS degree if I only take two classes at a time?


You will need to complete 39 credit hours. If you attend all three semesters, fall, spring and summer, you could finish 18 hours in one year. This would total two years and one semester (for your master's project).

 

22. How come your class size is limited, I thought online courses could handle thousands?


Our classes involve students with faculty. There are real-time chats, weekly chat meetings, discussion board assignments, reading and writing assignments, basically a class taught in cyberspace. In order to properly serve our students, we limit the number of seats in our classes to ensure the faculty member can interact appropriately with the students. These are not correspondence courses. They are semester-length courses taught within a typical semester structure. The courses are NOT "come when you please and do what you like." If you are looking for a grade for enrolling, then do not apply to Southern Miss. You will have to earn a grade. It will require long hours on your part, just like face-to-face graduate classes.

 

23. I just want to take a couple of courses to see if this is what I want to do. Can I do that?


Contact the school to be advised as a nondegree student.

24. What if I cannot find the answer to my question here?


If you still have questions, please e-mail us at slis@usm.edu or call (601) 266-4228.