Can the MIS lead to a Ph.D.?

The MIS degree is a 42 credit hour master's degree. Within the 42 graduate credits, you will take 21 credits of foundation courses — and 21 credits of electives. Meeting with your faculty advisor, you can shape these electives toward career goals.

One career goal is a Ph.D. in Information Science.

Many Ph.D. programs in the field require completion of a master's degree before admission. This enables to you define a research area.

SLIS offers a Ph.D. in Information Science. It is highly competitive, with about 40 students enrolled. The school is one of only about 30 Ph.D. programs in the U.S. and Canada listed with ALISE (Association for Library and Information Science Education) - that also offer accredited master's degrees. The MIS program, established in 1995, has been continuously accredited by the American Library Association. If you are interested in the SLIS Ph.D. program, you should consult with the Program Director early in your MIS degree.

Our faculty are ranked among the best in the country. They conduct cutting-edge research in information science, information systems, library science, and related topics. The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) ranked first among all information and library science programs in its review of papers published during 1999-2004. SLIS professors ranked #1 for research and productivity (Adkins, D., & Budd, J. 2006. Scholarly productivity of U.S. LIS faculty. Library & Information Science Research, 28, 374-389.). Our faculty continue to provide leadership and innovation. Working with these experienced researchers can prepare you for doctoral work.

Using the structure of the MIS curriculum, and working with SLIS faculty, a student can prepare for both a professional career and the Ph.D. application process. Ph.D. track students should (1) talk to faculty in their area of interest, (2) begin thinking about a research area, (3) take courses in research methods, (4) work on their writing skills, (5) become familiar with the literature in the field, and (6) learn about opportunities for publishing and conference participation.