Meet the People
Faculty
Our faculty are leaders who have a variety of professional backgrounds and expertise.
In particular, we specialize in: librarianship in the 21st century, instruction, technology
in libraries, and information literacy.
Library Science and Information Services Faculty
Advisory Board
We have an active advisory board which is consulted frequently throughout the year.
The LSIS program engages alumni, library leaders, and current students to participate
in curriculum and program decisions. The advisory board convenes once a year.
Advisory Board Members
- Lorna Cassell, Principal, Martin Warren Elementary
- Kyle Constant, Assistant Director, Library Services, Trails Regional Library
- Norine Cruz Gaskill, Librarian and District Coordinator, Marshall High School and
UCM LIS adjunct
- Paula Erickson, School Librarian, Fort Osage High School and UCM LIS adjunct
- Elizabeth Ferguson, Library Media Specialist, North Kansas City Schools
- Odin Jurkowski, Director of Graduate Education & Research/former program faculty
- Maya Kucij, Assistant Director, University of Central Missouri JCK Library
- Traci Mattis, Librarian, Prairie View Elementary
- Lori Perdew, Branch Manager, Scenic Regional Library
- Kelly Pryde, Library Media Specialist, Warrensburg Middle School
- Kirsten Shaw, Library Media Specialist, Martin Warren Elementary
- Andrea Sumy, Director of District Libraries, Liberty Public Schools
- Lysha Thompson, Youth Services Consultant, Missouri State Library
- Angie Wiegers, Director of District Libraries, North Kansas City Public Schools
- SOLIS President and Vice President - student members
Find Your Career
Whether you want to advance your current career or prepare for a new one, our 94%
job placement rate* will get you where you want to be. Our graduates enjoy successful
careers in a variety of roles:
- School librarian
- Children’s librarian
- Library director
- Library media specialist
- Branch manager
Current employers of UCM LSIS program alumni include:
- Warrensburg Public Schools
- Marshall Public Schools
- Lee's Summit R-7 School District
- Camdenton R-III School District
- The Missouri State Library
Alumni continue to be involved in the UCM LSIS program by hosting practicum students,
working with faculty to conduct research or write for publications, serving on the
advisory board, participating in our online community, and guest speaking at student
events.
*2018-2019 data
Admissions, Costs, and Scholarships
Admissions
Acceptance into the program requires:
- undergraduate degree from an accredited institution
- 2.75 or higher cumulative undergraduate GPA
- completion of an online application through the Office of Graduate Studies
- completion of a personal interview
Conditional Admission
If you do not meet the overall grade point average, you may be classified as “a non-degree
seeking student” until you achieve a minimum 3.50 graduate GPA after completing the
following courses:
- LIS 5100 - Foundations of Librarianship (3)
- LIS 5250 - Developing and Managing Collections (3)
- LIS 5622 - Library Administration and Leadership (3)
- LIS 5322 - Information Sources and Services (3)
These courses must be taken and grades received prior to enrolling in other courses
required for the degree or reapplying for admission.
Application Dates and Deadlines
- Fall Semester Start - applications due July 31
- Spring Semester Start - applications due December 1
- Summer Semester Start - applications due April 15
Costs
The UCM LSIS program has been consistently ranked one of the most affordable LIS degrees in the United States by Learn.org.
Full information on tuition and costs for UCM Graduate Students is available on the
Student Financial Assistance page. You can use the UCM Cost Calculator to estimate the total tuition for your degree.
UCM supports students as they fund their degree. Each student is paired with a Financial
Aid advisor to work with throughout their program. Access the UCM Financial Aid page to learn more about financing your degree.
Scholarships
UCM offers several scholarships specifically for students in the LSIS program:
Suzanne Foster Scholarship in Library Science
The Suzanne Foster Scholarship in Library Science is available through the University
of Central Missouri Alumni Foundation for a graduate student pursuing a degree in
library science at UCM. This scholarship is made possible by way of gifts from family,
friends and royalties earned from the sale of the University of Central Missouri (UCM)
General Education course LIS 1600 University Library & Research Skills textbook: Information
Literacy for Undergraduates by Sandra Jenkins, UCM faculty member.
Beatrice Ricks Library Scholarship
The Beatrice Ricks Library Scholarship is available through the University of Central
Missouri Alumni Foundation for a graduate student pursuing a degree in library science.
This scholarship is made possible by way of a gift from Dr. Beatrice Ricks.
Dr. Aileen Helmick Memorial Scholarship in Library Science
The Dr. Aileen Helmick Scholarship in Library Science is available through the University
of Central Missouri Alumni Foundation for a graduate student pursuing a degree in
Library Science. This scholarship is made possible by way of a gift from family and
friends of Aileen Helmick, ‘76.
Use the UCM Scholarship Finder to learn more about and apply for scholarship opportunities.
Degree and Course Requirements
The LSIS Program offers five exciting options for students who are interested in earning
a graduate degree in the area of Library Science and Information Services.
Master of Science Options
Library Science and Information Services, MS
- 24 semester hours of library science electives
- 3 hours of practicum requirements
- 6 hours of research requirements
- A capstone project within an area of the student’s choice
Library Science and Information Services, MS with an emphasis in School Library
- 24 semester hours of library science electives
- 3 hours of practicum requirements
- 6 hours of research requirements
- A capstone project within an area of the student’s choice
Library Science and Information Services, MS with an emphasis in School Library + Education Specialist (EdS) in Initial Teacher
Certification:
- Approximately 17 semester hours of education courses (depending on previous coursework)
- 24 semester hours of library science electives
- 5 hours of practicum requirements
- 6 hours of research requirements
- 8 semester hours of internship experience (also referred to as “student teaching”)
Education Specialist Options
Professional Leadership, EdS - Librarianship Option
- 21 semester hours of electives
- 9 semester hours of research requirements
- A thesis requirement
Cooperative Bridge Program
This is a collaborative program in Library Science and Information Services between the University
of Central Missouri and Murray State University. Students can earn an Education Specialist (EdS) and a Doctorate in Education (EdD).
Admitted students must complete:
- EdS requirements at UCM: 30 credit hours
- 18 credits in LIS coursework
- 6 credits of research
- 6 credits of internship
- EdD requirements at Murray State: 30 credits
- 21 credits in core courses
- 9 credits of dissertation courses
Flexible and Active Learning
Our courses are 100% online and delivered in asynchronous format, designed using the
best-practices in online learning. All faculty are trained Quality Matters peer reviewers
and seek to design excellent online courses. In addition, faculty prioritize professional
development in library science pedagogy to ensure up-to-date instructional methods
are used in all courses.
Carefully designed, asynchronous, online courses allow you to have a positive learning
experience from any location. Our students are mix of local, regional, national and
international students. We encourage all students to share experiences and backgrounds
within a supportive and nurturing classroom environment. Class assignments and project
work are completed in the time frame that best suit your work and life schedule!
We believe that hands-on, active learning experience is ideal for graduate students.
Most courses include opportunities to design useful, practical projects that can be
implemented in a library. We also believe that librarians are leaders in the community
who must make data-driven decisions. The culmination of the program includes a choice
between completing a comprehensive literature review or an action research project.
Both options will lead you to becoming an expert in your topic of interest. Many students
publish their final capstone projects in journals or present on their topic at professional
conferences.
Graduation, Retention, and Placement Rates
Our current retention rate from our 2020-2021 cohort is 76%. Most students graduate
from the program in 2-3 years, but UCM allows up to 8 years. Our students are often
busy, working adults, and a majority are part-time students. Our most recent placement
rate from the Career Services office is 100%.
| Academic Year |
AY16-17 |
AY17-18 |
AY18-19 |
AY19-20 |
AY20-21 |
| Cohort Size |
33 |
33 |
49 |
39 |
43 |
| 1 year to grad |
6% |
9% |
12% |
8% |
7% |
| Cont to Year 2 |
75% |
81% |
71% |
69% |
76% |
| 2 years to Grad |
21% |
24% |
24% |
10% |
|
| Cont to Year 3 |
63% |
57% |
47% |
51% |
|
| 3 years to grad |
21% |
12% |
10% |
|
|
| Con. to year 4 |
30% |
21% |
18% |
|
|
| 4 years to grad |
3% |
3% |
|
|
|
| Cont to year 5 |
6% |
12% |
|
|
|
| 5 years to grad |
3% |
|
|
|
|
| Cont to Year 6 |
3% |
|
|
|
|
| 6 years to grad |
|
|
|
|
|
Source: UCM Academic Digital Innovations and Analytics
Accreditations
ALA Accreditation Precandidacy Status
The University of Central Missouri has been granted precandidacy status by the Committee
on Accreditation of the American Library Association (ALA) as of July 2021. Precandidacy
status is an indication that the MS in LIS at UCM has voluntarily committed to participate
in the ALA accreditation process and is actively seeking accreditation. Precandidacy
does not indicate that the program is accredited nor does it guarantee eventual accreditation
of the program by ALA.
Our program is CAEP-accredited and nationally recognized by AASL.
Our placement rate for graduates is 94%. Our graduates mainly work in school libraries,
followed by public libraries, with just a handful working in college libraries and
other types of agencies. We have a public library children's librarian from Pennsylvania,
a college librarian in California, and a public library branch manager in the St.
Louis, Missouri area who are recent graduates of the program.
Enrollment and Completion Rates
| |
2016-2017 |
2017-2018 |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
| Declared Majors (MS) |
95 |
98 |
94 |
99 |
92 |
| Degrees Awarded (MS) |
20 |
23 |
29 |
22 |
25 |
