Academic Qualifications and Selection Procedures
These regulations apply to both the full-time and part-time programs. Applicants to the full-time and part-time programs are evaluated based on the same standards and criteria. For information on how tro apply to the program, please visit the PhD LIS Application Procedure page.
Applicants must hold a four-year Honors degree or equivalent in an academic discipline, as well as a Master's degree in library and information science from an ALA accredited school or its equivalent. Those with a Master's degree or PhD degree in an allied field may be recognized as having the equivalent of an MLIS degree upon completion of at least five approved Master's level half-courses in Library or Information Science. These five courses may, with the permission of the Associate Dean, be taken concurrently with, but in addition to, their PhD course work.
Doctoral applicants who lack an MLIS degree from an ALA-accredited program (or equivalent) but otherwise are deemed acceptable may be admitted to the LIS PhD program but could be required to register for the fall term as a Probationary Student. During this term, the probationary student would be enrolled full-time and would be expected to take LIS 9809 and two of MLIS 9001, 9002 or 9003. While a probationary student, the student would be eligible to be considered for TA funding. To proceed into the full-time PhD program in the winter term, the student must achieve a minimum of 80% in each of the three courses taken in the fall. Once the student is formally admitted to the PhD program, credit would be given for LIS 9809. The student then would be required to take three more MLIS courses, including the remaining course from 9001, 9002 or 9003 not taken in the fall term, as well as the remaining PhD courses.
- English Proficiency
- Proficiency in English Scores (if applicable). Applicant must have testing service send score electronically to Western.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum score required: 107 Internet-based. Western's TOEFL ID is 0984.
- International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). Minimum score required: 8.
- In exceptional circumstances, a TOEFL/TWE waiver may be granted but it is up to the applicant to request this and to demonstrate sufficient grounds for consideration. A TOEFL/TWE waiver will be considered only in cases where the applicant has taken the majority of his/her undergraduate and graduate education in an English-speaking institution in programs where extensive essay writing in English is required (e.g., disciplines such as English literature, history, sociology, philosophy etc. but not mathematics, computer science, engineering, chemistry, etc.).