Information Studies Masters Degrees
The Department of Information Studies offers two master's degrees. One is the Master of Library and Information Science, and the other in the Master of Arts in Moving Image Archive Studies.
Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)
The Master of Library and Information Science program provides students with a blend of conceptual and theoretical knowledge and practical experience. In the classroom, students acquire a solid foundation in contemporary library and information science theory, information seeking and retrieval skills, and information technology expertise. The internship program then gives students the opportunity to apply their theoretical insights and practical skills in any of over 250 professional environments. Throughout, students are mentored for leadership in whatever field of information work they choose to enter. The program is accredited by the American Library Association and has three areas of specialization.
The Library Studies Specialization prepares students to meet libraries' societal mission to provide access to recorded information and knowledge in all of its formats. To accomplish this, students develop the knowledge, skills, and values to acquire materials in all forms; organize them for ease of access; educate library users in strategies for finding needed information; encourage reading for pleasure, education, information, and inspiration; and facilitate the creation of communities of readers. Students become strong advocates for all people's right to read and to inform themselves.
The Archival Studies Specialization covers traditional theory and practice and addresses the dramatic expansion of the field. It charts how accelerating technological developments have changed both the form of the record and the methods for its dissemination and preservation. It responds to shifting social and political conditions as well as the increased codification of archival practice through local and international standards development, and it actively engages debates about archival theory and societal roles in diverse archival and cultural jurisdictions.
The Informatics Specialization focuses on the emerging discipline that envisions information technology design and use in terms that include its larger institutional, social, cultural, and cognitive dimensions. Students with this specialization will be well equipped to design modern information services - including digital libraries and repositories, metadata services, user training and relations, technical information retrieval - in a wide variety of institutional contexts.
Master of Arts in Moving Image Archive Studies (MIAS)
The MA in Moving Image Archive Studies (MIAS) program is a two-year interdepartmental degree program offered by the Department of Information Studies and the Department of Film, Television, and Digital Media in collaboration with the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The future of the moving image heritage depends upon the skills of the archival professional. Over the past two decades, the technical and cultural challenges to preserving that heritage have steadily increased. MIAS was established in 2002 as the first systematic program for preparing a new generation of leading moving image archivists. The program links theory with practice and embraces hands-on training.
