About the Ph.D. Program
Ph.D. Admissions Critera
If you have a bachelor's degree, a lively intellectual curiosity, and a willingness to work hard, you are invited to apply to SLIS's Ph.D.program. This is a brief, informal description of our admissions criteria. Please see the Indiana University Bulletin of the School of Library and Information Science or contact SLIS's graduate office for a complete description.
If you are admitted and have a master's degree in a field of study closely related to information science from a recognized international program, or the equivalent, you can be enrolled in the doctoral program and can transfer up to 30 credits of recognized course work. You must submit official transcripts as proof of degree completion.
Ph.D. Admissions Requirements
We examine your application package to assess your potential for excellence in conducting research in information science, both in our doctoral program and in your subsequent career. Success in a doctoral program requires such characteristics as the ability to identify and conceptualize significant research problems, the ability to be insightful and express ideas clearly and overall potential for contributing new knowledge to the discipline. Admission to our doctoral program is highly competitive.We examine each applicant's record of academic accomplishment. You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college. Your undergraduate grade point average should be at least 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale). If you have taken graduate courses, you should have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) for this course work.
To review you for admission, we must have the following materials:
- A completed Indiana University Graduate Application for admission.
- Transcripts for all course work taken and degrees completed.
-
Personal statement. You must submit a 800-1000 word statement
of professional goals that explains your commitment to teaching and/or
research in information science. Your statement should attempt to answer the
following questions:
- Why do you seek the Ph.D. in Information Science?
- What areas of study in information science interest you, and why do you feel study in these areas will be of major importance to the field?
- Describe how your professional work has prepared you for study toward the Ph.D.
- Briefly describe one or two research problems in information science that you feel are significant, either from a theoretical or from an applied perspective.
- Three letters of recommendation. Your letters should come from persons in the professional and academic communities who can address your scholarly and analytical abilities and potential for doctoral study.
- Scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Please submit a recent score (within three years of application) on the Graduate Record Examination General (aptitude) Test as part of your admission credentials. Your scores on all three sections (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) will be considered. A minimum of (V=500, Q=500, A=4.5) is required, but since entry is competitive, higher scores are usually needed. IU Institutional Code: 1324 SLIS School Code: 0404 (Information Science)
- A TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score above 600 (on the paper test), 250 (on the computer test), or 100 (on the new Fall 2005 test). This is required for applicants for whom English is not a native language. In addition, university policy provides that all international students be retested on English language abilities upon arrival at Indiana University. IU Institutional Code: 1324, SLIS School Code (overall): 99
- A Résumé is required.
- A Chronology is required. In addition to the information requested on the Graduate School application, the Doctoral Admissions Committee of the School of Library and Information Science requires that each applicant supply a complete chronological list of their activities from high school graduation to the present. This record should be concise but thorough, including such items as educational institutions and degrees, part-time jobs, professional positions, and military service. The dates of each activity must be indicated and all periods of time must be accounted for. The chronology should be returned to the School of Library and Information Science with the other application materials. View a sample chronology.
- Writing Sample. We require a single-authored writing sample. A published article, a technical white paper, a grant proposal or a paper submitted to fulfill course requirements are examples of papers that are acceptable. Questions about the writing sample should be directed to the program director.
- Campus Visit. We strongly encourage you to visit our school.
Application Deadline: January 15 - for admission for the Fall Semester
SLIS Ph.D. students will only be admitted to begin the Fall Semester. The application deadline is also the deadline for SLIS financial aid consideration.
International student applications must be reviewed by the IU Office of International Admissions prior to review by the SLIS Doctoral Admissions Committee. Students need to allow processing time with International Admissions; sometimes several months are needed. Submit your online application by November 1 so that it can be forwarded to SLIS by January 15. International Admissions email address: intladm@indiana.edu
We encourage you to provide us with the most appropriate evidence regarding each of the admission criteria. GRE scores and college transcripts are usually sufficient to demonstrate your capability to work with abstract concepts in doctoral level courses and research. The essay portion of the application provides some indication of your commitment to research and to the field of information science. We recommended that you submit a sample or summary of previous work that is relevant to the admission criteria, such as academic papers or work-related projects.
We'd Like to Hear From You!
If you're interested in our doctoral program, we would like to hear from you. Our faculty's interests and research areas are listed on our website. We invite you to write, call, or send email to specific faculty whose interests are strongly related to yours to discuss our Ph.D. program in Information Science.
