Master’s in Library and Information Science | OnlineMaster’s in Library and Information Science | OnlineMaster’s in Library and Information Science | Online

Earn an ALA-Accredited MLIS Degree in As Few as 21 MonthsEarn an ALA-Accredited MLIS Degree in As Few as 21 MonthsEarn an ALA-Accredited MLIS Degree in As Few as 21 Months

  • Flexibility: The same curriculum and faculty as our on-campus program, but delivered online. Live classes and coursework are accessible anytime, anywhere.
  • Highly Engaged Faculty: One-on-one faculty support from top academic leaders and practitioners in the field who are dedicated to your success.
  • Start Now: No GRE required. We offer four start dates a year; graduate in as few as 21 months.

The ALA-Accredited Online Master’s in Library and Information Science

Access to information is one of the most powerful means by which communities, organizations and individuals evolve. Through MLIS@Denver, the online Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from the University of Denver’s Morgridge College of Education, you’ll develop the practical skills to understand, communicate and improve the connections between information, people and ideas.

Accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), the online master’s program will prepare you for careers in a variety of settings, including public, academic and specialized libraries, as well as business and corporate settings where managing information is essential to the work.

ALA-
Accredited Program

Finish in as Few as 21 Months

1:1 Mentorship from
Decorated Faculty

Archiving Focus Available

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Online Master’s in Library and Information Science Curriculum

The MLIS@Denver curriculum focuses on 21st-century information science and data management techniques, trends and application. As a student, you will build core theory and practice skills needed to manage and adapt to change, helping you carve out a role as an information leader in your community or organization.

Archiving Focus

As part of the online program, we also offer an optional three-course focus in archiving. This focus will allow you to deepen your understanding of how to:

Manage Records and Archives

Oversee Digitization Projects

Keep Digital
Collections

As a Morgridge College of Education student, you will also learn to see these skill sets through a social-justice-focused lens. Since the archivist profession can be practiced in many types of industries and fields, the archiving focus will help you stand out to effect positive change and serve as a steward of your community’s history.

Learn more about our archiving courses and the job outlook for archivists.

Learning Objectives

Throughout your time as a student in the MLIS@Denver program from Morgridge College, you will learn to identify and respond to the current information challenges and opportunities of your field. Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared to:

  • promote intellectual freedom in a variety of information access situations

  • apply the value of teaching, service, research and professional development to the advancement of the field and your own career plans

  • distinguish and apply emerging approaches to the organization of information

  • analyze the interaction of individuals and social factors within information settings

  • identify, evaluate, synthesize and disseminate information for a variety of communities and users

  • improve the interactions between information users and information resources
  • apply current theories and practices to the creation, administration, and assessment of services

  • demonstrate a thorough understanding of current information technologies

  • communicate professionally and incorporate respect for diversity into practice

  • characterize historical, current and emerging aspects of information organizations and information producers

  • critique and construct library, archive and information science research

  • defend library and information science professional ethics and values

Through group-based learning sessions, personal mentorship from dedicated faculty and guided real-world experiences, you will learn to effectively connect people to information and expand users’ understanding in community and global settings.

MLIS@Denver Course of Study

19 Courses | 21–27 Months to Complete | 1 Capstone or Internship Required

The curriculum consists of 19 courses totaling 58 quarter credit hours and can be completed in 21–27 months on a full- or part-time basis. You will have the choice to culminate your course of study with either a capstone experience demonstrating your ability to integrate and synthesize your master’s coursework, or a 75-hour guided internship applying theoretical classroom lessons in a supervised work environment.

You will also have the option to participate in two optional immersion experiences where you can meet classmates and professors face-to-face and engage in challenging experiential learning exercises.

View the full list of courses and course descriptions.

An ALA-Accredited Program

The online Master of Library and Information Science from Morgridge College is fully accredited by the American Library Association, the oldest and largest library association in the world.

Because many employers require an ALA-accredited master’s degree for professional level positions, and some states require an ALA-accredited degree to work as a professional librarian, graduating from an accredited program can offer greater career flexibility and mobility.[1]

The final deadline for the June 2024 cohort is April 12, 2024.

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Start building the skills to improve information access in your organization or community.
Connect with an admission counselor to get started.

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Promote positive change through the power of learning. Take the next step today.

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Careers With a Master’s in Library and Information Science

While librarianship is certainly one of the career paths available to MLIS@Denver graduates, it is by no means the only professional path you will be prepared to pursue upon graduation. With a focus on real-world application of data and information skills, MLIS@Denver prepares graduates to serve in library settings of all kinds, digital archive roles, community management positions, and business and corporate settings alike.

What Are the Career Paths for Library Science Graduates?

The MLIS degree is ideal for individuals from a wide range of fields who are interested in using information to connect with and empower individuals and communities. Some of the most common careers graduates pursue include:

  • Data curation expert
  • Digital library manager
  • Web designer
  • Digital archivist
  • Community outreach specialist
  • Information literacy architect
  • Librarian
  • Researcher
  • Museum archivist
  • Metadata analyst
  • Information broker
  • Business research specialist

For more detailed information, visit our Careers page.

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Job Outlook for Library Science Graduates

Graduates from Morgridge College’s on-campus MLIS program — which delivers the same curriculum as our online degree — have gone on to pursue positions in a variety of career settings:

28%

Academic Libraries

24%

Public Libraries

12%

Information Technology

8%

Archives

8%

Law Libraries

8%

Unknown

4%

Special Libraries

Source: Morgridge College of Education LIS Program Data

MLIS@Denver Admission Overview

At Morgridge College of Education, we seek curious and driven individuals who believe in the power of information to better the world around us. We offer start dates four times per year in January, March, June and September and accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Learn more about MLIS@Denver admission and application requirements.

Apply Now

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A Robust Online Learning Experience

One of the great benefits of earning your degree from Morgridge College of Education is its engaged community built on close relationships between faculty and students. MLIS@Denver takes advantage of a flipped classroom model in which you will complete video coursework taught by MCE’s leading faculty throughout the week and then meet in small online class sessions weekly to discuss the week’s material.

The Online Campus

Our online campus gives you access to coursework, resources, classmates and support 24/7 from any desktop or mobile device.

Live Class Technology

Live weekly classes are hosted via HD streaming video, which brings you face-to-face with faculty and peers in small collaborative groups.

Learn more about the experience of learning online at Morgridge College.

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Highly Engaged Faculty

MLIS@Denver faculty remain highly engaged with students and their communities, providing hands-on guidance to libraries and information resources. Professors care deeply about your short- and long-term success and will work with you one-on-one to support your development. You will learn from not only top academic leaders in the field but also current practitioners who are making an impact in their communities.

Meet our faculty and learn more about their backgrounds.

Access Your Application

Promote positive change through the power of learning. Take the next step today.

Apply Now

1American Library Association Accreditation FAQ ↑