Marshall School of Business
Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs
Master of Management in Library and Information Science
The Master of Management in Library and Information Science is designed to educate professional librarians for leadership from every level of the organization in academic, urban and corporate environments. Graduates will identify and analyze critical issues and leverage resources and expertise to build community assets.
The program provides a solid foundation of course work followed by elective options culminating in the capstone project. Each semester students enroll in LIM 591 Research and Professional Applications in which they investigate critical issues, connect with leaders, undertake research with faculty and otherwise extend their learning and understanding.
The capstone project provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning during the MMLIS experience and achievement of the core competencies for the program.
Courses are offered entirely online each fall and spring semester and during the summer. The program will be offered initially through small cohorts.
Application
To qualify for admission to the MMLIS program, prospective students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and have earned an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0. (Neither the GMAT nor the GRE is required for application/admission to this program.) International applicants are required to submit a TOEFL score and must have earned a score of at least 100, with at least 20 in each section. (Students who have completed their entire bachelor’s degree program at regionally accredited universities located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the official language of the country are exempt.) Proof of financial support is required of admitted international applicants.
Applicants will also submit a professional resume, a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation and transcripts from each institution of higher education attended.
For more information and pre-screening visit librarysciencedegree.usc.edu, write to MMLIS.Program@marshall.usc.edu or contact an enrollment adviser at (877) 830-8647.
Curriculum
The MMLIS degree requires 40 semester units — 28 units of required foundation courses, 9 units of electives, and 3 units of capstone. Foundation courses, other than LIM 591, must be completed prior to taking electives. The program allows for specialization by environment within courses.
Required Foundation Courses (28 units)
| Course | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GSBA 502 | Management Communication for Leaders | 3 |
| LIM 500 | Fundamentals of Library and Information Science | 3 |
| LIM 501 | Fundamentals of Library Leadership and Management | 3 |
| LIM 502 | Collection Development and Management | 3 |
| LIM 503 | Organization, Access and Retrieval of Information | 3 |
| LIM 504 | Research Methods in Library and Information Management | 3 |
| LIM 591 | Research and Professional Applications (2 units x five semesters) | 10 |
| Electives (9 units) |
Students may undertake a general program of study or may choose to specialize in academic environments (college/university libraries), urban environments (public libraries) or digitization and electronic records, including in the corporate/government environment, through both required and elective courses.
Recommended Specializations
| Academic Librarianship | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| LIM 510 | Academic Librarianship | 3 |
| LIM 511 | Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals | 3 |
| LIM 512 | Instructional Technologies for Educators | 3 |
| LIM 513 | Multicultural Information Perspectives | 3 |
| Educational Technology/Digital Librarianship | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| LIM 520 | Library Information Systems Analysis and Design | 3 |
| LIM 521 | Database Management Systems for Information Professionals | 3 |
| LIM 522 | Metadata and Taxonomies | 3 |
| LIM 523 | Information Delivery in the Digital Environment | 3 |
| Library Leadership | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| LIM 530 | Library Resource Management | 3 |
| LIM 531 | Global Perspectives in Librarianship | 3 |
| LIM 533 | Operations Research in Libraries | 3 |
| LIM 534 | Library Fundraising and Development | 3 |
| Capstone (3 units) | ||
| LIM 598 | Capstone in Library and Information Management | 3 |
Total units required for the degree: 40