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LIS General Inquiries [email protected]     519-661-4017 FIMS Graduate Student Services 519-661-4017

PhD in Library & Information Science (PhD LIS)

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UBC School of Information’s Doctor in Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies is a four-year funded program that combines coursework with focused independent study and research. Our students have ready access to faculty members and benefit from unique opportunities at a comprehensive, world-class, research-intensive university.

We designed our PhD program to provide advanced research education for outstanding and highly motivated students who have already obtained a Master of Archival Studies (MAS) degree, a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) or an equivalent related degree.

• Information seeking, retrieval and use
• Human-computer interaction and design
• Critical approaches to information systems and services
• Information appraisal, classification and organization
• Social computing
• Information ethics and information policy
• Personal archives, digital archives, and online communities
• Records and information management
• Data management and natural language processing
• Blockchain technologies, information trust and governance
• Digital cultural heritage and preservation
• Digital humanities

Program highlights

• Advanced education in information and archival studies
• Focus on scholarship and research, with strong support for interdisciplinary approaches
• State-of-the-art research and learning facilities at a world-class university

Identify a potential supervisor

The doctoral program is highly selective. The strongest applicants have research interests aligned with the faculty expertise in the School of Information. Identifying a faculty member who can support your application does not guarantee an offer of admission. Still, it can ensure that your application is read carefully in light of the limited number of positions available each year. The following paragraphs provide suggestions for reaching out to potential supervisors.

• Familiarize yourself with program requirements. You want to learn as much as possible from the information available before reaching out to a faculty member.

Focus your research

• Identify faculty members who are conducting research in your specific area of interest.
• Read up on the faculty members in the program and the research conducted in the department.
• Familiarize yourself with their work, and read their recent publications and past theses/dissertations they supervised. Be sure that their research is indeed what you are hoping to study.

Make a good impression

• Do not send mass emails to everyone in the department hoping for a match.
• Address the faculty members by name. Your contact should be genuine rather than generic.
• Include a brief outline of your academic background, why you are interested in working with the faculty member, and what experience you could bring to the department.
• Highlight your achievements and why you are a top student. Faculty members receive dozens of requests from prospective students, and you may have less than 30 seconds to pique someone's interest.
• Convey the specific ways you are a good fit for the program.
• Convey the specific ways the program/lab/faculty member is a good fit for the research you are interested in/are already conducting.
• Be enthusiastic, but don't overdo it.

Course requirements

Students entering the doctoral program with an approved master’s degree will be required to take a minimum of 24 credits of coursework before achieving candidacy.

Your advisor may recommend additional courses, and you may be required to take courses in the iSchool Master of Library and Information Studies program or the Master of Archival Studies program to provide sufficient background for your research focus.

In addition, we strongly encourage our doctoral students to take graduate-level courses from other UBC departments in their chosen area of research.

Program details

Upon entering the doctoral program, you will be assigned an adviser who will work with you to develop an appropriate coursework schedule relevant to your research plan. You will take advance study in the major and minor areas (LAIS 620 and 621) with your advisor or the faculty member(s) best aligned with your research focus.

The qualifying exams assess your knowledge of the relevant literature, analytic capacity, and skill in developing original written and oral presentations of ideas. Typically, your advisor becomes your dissertation supervisor through the qualifying examinations.

Upon successfully completing the qualifying examinations, you will enter the dissertation stage of the program. Working closely with your supervisor, you will assemble a dissertation committee of no fewer than two additional eligible faculty members; these may be the same faculty who assessed your qualifying exams.

You will develop and defend a dissertation proposal of not less than 30 pages following the guidelines in the Doctoral handbook of policies and procedures . The goal of the proposal is to ascertain your research readiness.

Upon the successful defence of the proposal, you are recommended for candidacy.

You will then undertake the research and writing to prepare the dissertation following the guidelines of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS). When the dissertation is completed and successfully defended, you will be recommended for your Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree.

Qualifying examinations

The qualifying exams for the School of Information PhD consist of coursework (LAIS 620 and LAIS 621) as well as a formal examination with written and oral components. This overview of the qualifying exam process is meant as a guide for students and faculty. While specific details of each student’s exam preparation, writing and defence will vary, there are consistent timelines, objectives and expectations of all doctoral students. This document sets out a process for preparing for, writing, and assessing the qualifying examination as a key milestone in a student’s progress toward degree.

Students receive course credit (and faculty receive teaching credit) for LAIS 620 and LAIS 621. As such, the policies related to student resources, academic concession, academic integrity, academic accommodation, and conflicting responsibilities that apply to all other coursework also apply to the qualifying examination. Students who have needs or concerns related to these policies can negotiate adjustments to the exam procedures with their advisor and the Doctoral Studies Chair. Details of the policies and how to access support are available here.

Upon completion of all other degree coursework requirements (See: degree requirements), a student is enrolled in LAIS 620 (Advanced Study in the Major Area) and LAIS 621 (Advanced Study in the Minor Area) by the Program Assistant. The courses are six credits each, and should be taken over the course of the Winter 1 & 2 terms of the second year of doctoral study. These courses represent the preparation for the qualifying exam (50%) as well as the exam itself (50%). The preparation portion of each course is satisfied through a directed study with the student’s advisor or potential committee member. The advisor may recommend additional coursework for credit course auditing, depending on the student’s background or intended topic of study.

Through the LAIS 620 and 621 coursework, the student provides evidence that they are able to:

• Identify and describe Major and Minor areas of focus that will frame the examination process;
•  Read for both depth and breadth in the areas of focus;
• Curate bibliographies of academic sources that represent key concepts, ideas, theories, or methods in the areas of focus;
• Develop research relevant questions that emerge from the reading;
• Connect the research focus area(s) with the broader discipline;
• Communicate clearly and effectively to academic audiences, in written and oral forms.

Key outputs from the LAIS 620/621 coursework are materials that guide the examination process, specifically:

• An overview document for the Major and Minor areas (length determined by the advisor, however 1500 to 3000 words is typical) that provides a fulsome description of the areas of focus, important concepts and definitions, and key questions that emerge from reading in these areas; and
• A guiding bibliography of 40-50 sources for each of the areas of focus.

The Major and Minor areas of focus are developed with the approval and consultation of the advisor and examination committee. The Major and Minor together should support the development of student thinking, but not encapsulate exhaustively the thinking within a discipline. The level of specificity and scope are important considerations. The Major and Minor areas should be complementary but not overlap. For example, the Major area may be the central focus of a student’s intended inquiry, with the Minor area a complementary theory or method, or a cognate area related to but not a subset of the Major.

The qualifying exam has two overarching objectives: 1) to assess the student’s knowledge of current trends, theories, and methods in the areas of focus; 2) to determine if the doctoral student is sufficiently prepared to design their dissertation project.

• Through the qualifying exam, the student provides evidence that they are able to:
• Identify and critically read relevant literature in the areas of focus;
• Comprehend and evaluate arguments in the areas of focus;
• Integrate and synthesize ideas within the areas of focus;
• Put their research focus area(s) in conversation with the broader discipline;

The student will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge, and critical analysis in the discipline through:

• Knowledge of the main issues or problems in the areas of focus;
• Incisive evaluation of current and past research;
• Rigorous analysis, organization and synthesis of information;
• Clear written, and oral communication of ideas, concepts and arguments.

Students are expected to read carefully and write to issues that are contained within these bibliographies, but cannot be expected to read or write outside them as part of the examination process.

The faculty member who advises a doctoral student through their course work and qualifying exams is known as an adviser. This is usually (but not always) the same person who supervises their work as they write their dissertation, the supervisor.

The student and their adviser will assemble an Examination Committee that will adjudicate the Major and Minor focus areas by setting the exam questions and assessing the answers. The Examination Committee will consist of the adviser and two or three additional faculty members. These are typically faculty who have served as instructors to the student, have supervised reading courses in one or more of the areas of study, or have expertise related to the focus areas. The student's adviser will chair the committee.

The Examination Committee will set the questions for both the Major and Minor area exams. The questions will be based on the Major and Minor focus area descriptions and accompanying bibliographies approved by the committee by the end of January of their second year. After committee approval, the scheduling of the written exam and oral defense can occur.

Structure of the examinations

• The qualifying examination occurs in the Winter 2 term of the student’s second year in the Doctoral Program, and must be completed within 24 months of starting the program, as required by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
• Writing of the Major and Minor areas will occur within a 30-day period, and the overall length of the examination should not exceed two months.
• The format for the written examination is a take-home examination to be completed during a 21-day writing period. The writing period must begin and end on a weekday. The dates can be negotiated, and a one-day extension granted if a statutory holiday, religious holiday or cultural observance falls within the writing period (see UBC policy on conflicting responsibilities).
• The examination is intended to be a sequestered writing period, during which the student should have minimal contact with other students and faculty. Peer editing and reviewing of draft answers is not permissible, nor should the student and advisor or examination committee consult on the questions once they are administered. Students who need accommodations such as an extended exam period or writing support should consult with their advisor and DSC Chair in advance of the examination scheduling.
• The examination will comprise two significant essays, one each for the Major and Minor focus areas. The essay prompts will be formulated by the committee, and reflect the depth and breadth of the Major and Minor. The major area essay prompt should be presented as an opportunity for the student to compose a “state of the field” review related to the student’s area of research focus. The Minor essay prompt should permit the student to focus on a theory, method or cognate area that complements the Major area, without being redundant. In terms of length, approximately 5,000 words (including references) would constitute a minimal answer for each essay, with 7-10,000 words judged more acceptable in most cases.
• An oral examination of not more than three hours will occur not more than two weeks following the completion of the writing period.
• The oral examination committee consists of at least three members of Examination Committee.
• The Chair of the DSC serves as examination chair, and there is no audience present.

Sample Exam Timeline (Actual dates negotiated among student, committee, and DSC Chair):

• Supervisor submits questions vetted and approved by the examining committee to the Program Assistant one week before the exam writing period begins (February 24).
• Student receives exam questions on Friday March 3 at 9am [21-day writing period begins].
• Student submits written answers to Program Assistant on Thursday March 23 at 5pm [Writing period ends].
• Committee has seven days to read and evaluate essays.
• Committee communicates to DSC Chair that oral exam will proceed on Thursday March 30.
• Oral exam occurs Friday March 31.

After a student submits the written qualifying exam essays, the examination committee will have no less than seven days to read and evaluate them prior to the oral examination. The committee should confer prior to the oral examination to confirm that the quality of the written essays is adequate to proceed. If the essays are adequate, the student will proceed to the oral examination. If the essays are deemed inadequate, the committee will recommend either a mark of FAIL, or Adjournment (see below). The committee’s agreement to proceed or not proceed to the oral examination should be a consensus decision sent to the DSC Chair at least one day prior to the oral examination.

The purpose of the oral examination is to allow the student to provide context for their written exam answers, to demonstrate additional depth and breadth of knowledge in the area, and to show their communicative competency. The questions of the oral examination will be related to the questions answered by the student in the written examination of the major and minor areas. Examiners' questions will be based on peripheral or related material that contributes to a complete answer to the questions posed.

The oral examination will be comprised of the following parts:

• Introductions and clarification of procedures by the DSC Chair or designate
• Student presentation (15 minutes maximum – see below)
• Examination of the Major Area: At least one round of questions from each examiner, until all examiners are satisfied.
• Examination of the Minor Area: At least one round of questions from each examiner, until all examiners are satisfied.
• In-camera session: The student is dismissed, and the examiners meet with the Chair to discuss the outcome, feedback, and mark for the examination.
• Feedback: The student returns to the exam session and the Chair or Advisor provide the outcome and next steps.

At the beginning of the oral exam the student may take the opportunity to expand on their answers to the written exam questions, amplifying the answers or outlining the key points. This speaking opportunity must take no longer than 15 minutes, and may be strictly oral or aided only by notes or a visual presentation (i.e., the student is not allowed to read a prepared paper). The student may bring into the oral examination only a copy of the written exam and the notes or software (e.g., PowerPoint) for the 15-minute presentation.

During the in-camera session of the examination, the faculty will evaluate the student’s written and oral performance on each of the Major and Minor areas of focus. The student will be given one of three marks for each the Major and Minor. Faculty will assess the written and oral examination for each area as a combined mark.

• Unconditional PASS : The student’s performance in the written and oral examination meets all the indicators. The examination milestone is considered met and a grade is assigned.
• Conditional PASS : The student’s performance in the written and oral examination meets most of the indicators, but may need additional writing or revision to satisfy the committee. A student who receives the mark of Conditional PASS must complete revisions under the direction of the Advisor within two weeks. The committee will assess the revised responses and either provide the mark of FAIL or Unconditional PASS. Further oral examination is not required.
• FAIL : The student’s performance in the written and oral examination does not meet the exam indicators above. A student who receives the mark of FAIL must withdraw from the program. UBC procedures for appeal of assigned academic standing are detailed in the Academic Regulations section of the UBC Calendar.

A student may receive a split decision for the Major and Minor areas; that is, the mark assigned may be different if the written or oral performance is inadequate in either area. If a student receives a Conditional PASS in either area, the numerical grade will be provided after the revision period. If a student receives a FAIL in either the Major or Minor area, the milestone is not met, and the student must withdraw from the program.

A student receives a grade for each of the Major (620) and Minor (621) area examinations. This grade is a score that reflects their combined written and oral performance. The examination grade constitutes 50% of the grade for the Major or Minor area, the other 50% being the score assigned for the exam preparation. The Advisor should bring the preparation scores to the in-camera session. The grades for preparation and examination are averaged and submitted to the Program Assistant using the grading form provided on the school’s internal website.

A student who receives the mark of Unconditional PASS should receive a grade that is appropriate to their level of achievement, i.e., in the A to A+ range (85-95). A student who shows weaker performance in either the oral or written components, but not to the point where revision is necessary, may receive a lower grade. However, all grades for an Unconditional PASS must be above the B level (74+).

In the event the examination committee is unable to reach consensus on either the mark or numerical grade in the in-camera session, the DSC Chair (or their designate as examination chair) will serve as arbiter.

An adjournment may occur when the examination process needs to be halted for additional preparation, or for personal reasons arising from the student’s situation. There are two conditions under which the exam process may be halted or adjourned.

• Faculty requested adjournment: If one or both examination essays are of an unacceptable quality, but there is confidence they can be improved with additional preparation, the chair of the examination committee may request an adjournment. This request should be made between the submission of the essays and the oral examination. The request should be made to the DSC Chair.
• Student requested adjournment: If the student experiences a personal situation that puts their ability to complete the examination in question (significant illness, unexpected life incident, or emergency), they may request an adjournment. This request should be made during the writing period to the advisor and DSC Chair.

If an adjournment is granted, the student will have six months to complete the examination process. The student may not proceed to the oral examination until the written essays are deemed of sufficient quality. If the student does not produce passable essays on the second try, the student will be given the mark of FAIL and must withdraw from the program. The student must be informed of the committee’s decision in writing, and will have the opportunity to appeal to the DSC Chair. A candidate will be permitted to re-write the examination only once. The student is responsible for scheduling the re-writing.

All students can appeal the examination mark or numerical grade if they feel that the process for administration or assessment was unfair or in error. To appeal, the student must send a written note of appeal, along with any evidence to support their claim, to the DSC Chair within one week of receiving their examination feedback. The Chair will review the written essays and chair report to identify if any redress is appropriate. The outcome of the appeal will be provided to the student in writing no more than 30 days after receipt of the appeal.

Career outcomes

Graduates of the School of Information Doctoral Program have held positions in academia, including tenure track faculty at some of the world's leading universities, the IT industry, and leadership roles in libraries, archives, and other public sector institutions.

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Library science and information studies

Parent category, sub-categories, graduate degree programs in library science and information studies.

Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD)

UBC iSchool’s Ph.D. program is a four-year funded program that combines coursework with independent study and research. Students have access to faculty members and advisors and benefit from unique opportunities at a research-intensive university. The Ph.D. program is designed to provide advanced...

Master of Archival Studies (MAS)

With an international reputation for intellectual leadership and strong local connections with communities and professionals, the MAS program provides an inspiring space to study archival science and develop professional skills. Records and archives play a vital role in society and students in...

Master of Archival Studies and Master of Library and Information Studies (MASLIS)

This program is an interdisciplinary, high-demand educational experience in which students complete two graduate degrees within an accelerated timeframe. MAS/LIS students gain rich expertise suited to hybrid library/archives and senior records management roles, and cultural institutions, giving...

Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS)

The MLIS program prepares professionals to exercise creativity, integrity and leadership in designing, implementing and promoting programs and systems for the creation, organization, management, preservation and effective use of information and collections. Graduates of the MLIS program go on to...

UBC Researchers conducting research in Library science and information studies

Bullard, julia, school of information, faculty of arts.

Faculty (G+PS eligible/member)

Organization of information and knowledge resources; Library science and information studies; classification systems; Cultural Institutions (Museums, Libraries, etc.); Information Systems; metadata; values-in-design

Kwakkel, Erik

Archival, repository and related studies; Library science and information studies; Codicology; History of Libraries; History of the Book; Medieval Manuscripts; Paleography; History of Reading

Lemieux, Victoria

Archival, repository and related studies; Library science and information studies; Blockchain technology; information visualization and visual analytics; International development; Records and information management; Risk management; Transparency and the public interest (in public sector and financial contexts); Trustworthy records

Sinnamon, Luanne Silvia

Archival, repository and related studies; Library science and information studies; human information interaction; Information Systems; information retrieval; New Technology and Social Impacts

Turner, Hannah

Archival, repository and related studies; Library science and information studies; cataloguing and classification; Cultural Institutions (Museums, Libraries, etc.); Impacts of New Information Technologies; information practice; museum anthropology; Science and technology studies

Student & Alumni Stories in Library science and information studies

Darra Hofman

More Zeros, Less Ones: Digital Storage Management, Big Data, and Climate Change

Bonnie Tulloch

Do the ends justify the memes? Exploring the relationship between youth, internet memes, and digital citizenship

Saguna Shankar

Caring for Information Practices: An Inquiry into Visions of Data, Digital Technologies, and Migration

Expanding the catalog: renaming and redescribing indigenous, Black, Queer, Disabled and communities of color in Galleries, Libraries, Achieves, Museums, and Special Collections (GLAMS)

Andrea Kampen

Information sharing practice of artist-researchers

Hoda Amal Hamouda

Incorporating the view of archival diplomatics into the authentication practices of citizen journalists videos captured during historically significant events

Michelle Kaczmarek

Fixing for Change: Stories of Information and Aspiration in Community Repair Initiatives

Program Specializations in Library science and information studies

Archival studies, archival studies and library information studies, library and information studies, academic units in library science and information studies, school of information, french name, french description, explore our wide range of course-based and research-based program options.

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PhD in Information Studies

The PhD in Information Studies provides an opportunity for exceptional candidates to study interdisciplinary research topics at the doctoral level.

The program aims to ensure that its graduates will be able to develop knowledge and critical awareness of relevant theories, principles and methods in information studies and to acquire the expertise to conduct and promote scholarly research in the context of information studies.

The PhD program:

• prepares graduates for research, teaching, and senior administrative positions in Quebec, Canada, and internationally
• contributes to the development of knowledge and to teaching/learning in information studies
• builds national and international visibility of information studies from a research perspective

Students develop expertise in the broad research area of human-information interaction and the core research areas human-computer interaction, information behaviour & services, and information & knowledge management, while also developing an awareness of the research areas' interconnections.

Students begin with a set of common core courses and proceed to specialization through advanced course work and dissertation topics focused on areas of expertise supported by research interests of faculty members. View the School's Research page for more information on faculty research areas, facilities, and publications. For research areas of current PhD students, visit the PhD Students page. For completed theses, visit the PhD Theses page.

Research Seminars

Canadian and international guest speakers present  research seminars  throughout the year. The series offers a valuable opportunity for PhD students to learn about current research topics and developments in the field of library and information studies.

Current students

View our current PhD students here . Information for current students can be found on the Student Resources pages, where you'll find information on student groups, financial awards and aid, specialized library services, services for new students, and more.

Further information, including links to general university information and regulations, may be found on the McGill eCalendar PhD in Information Studies page.

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64 Best universities for Library and Information science in Canada

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in Canada ranked based on their research performance in Library and Information science. A graph of 1.16M citations received by 66.7K academic papers made by 64 universities in Canada was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Toronto

For Library and Information science

2. University of British Columbia

3. McGill University

4. University of Alberta

5. McMaster University

6. University of Calgary

7. Western University

8. University of Ottawa

9. University of Montreal

10. University of Waterloo

11. University of Manitoba

12. Simon Fraser University

13. Dalhousie University

14. Queen's University

15. York University

16. University of Saskatchewan

17. University of Guelph

18. Laval University

19. Carleton University

20. University of Victoria

21. University of Quebec in Montreal

22. Memorial University of Newfoundland

23. University of Sherbrooke

24. Concordia University

25. University of New Brunswick

26. Brock University

27. Wilfrid Laurier University

28. University of Windsor

29. Polytechnic School of Montreal

30. Lakehead University

31. University of Lethbridge

32. University of Regina

33. Laurentian University

34. Ryerson University

35. University of Winnipeg

36. Trent University

37. Royal Military College of Canada

38. St. Francis Xavier University

39. Acadia University

40. Saint Mary's University

41. University of Prince Edward Island

42. University of Moncton

43. Mount Allison University

44. University of Northern British Columbia

45. Mount Royal University

46. HEC Montreal

47. Ontario Tech University

48. University of Quebec at Chicoutimi

49. Brandon University

50. University of Quebec, Trois-Rivieres

51. Royal Roads University

52. Bishop's University

53. Quest University Canada

54. Vancouver Island University

55. Mount Saint Vincent University

56. Thompson Rivers University

57. Kwantlen Polytechnic University

58. Kings University in Canada

59. School of Higher Technology - University of Quebec

60. MacEwan University

61. University of Quebec

62. Nipissing University

63. Trinity Western University

64. Cape Breton University

The best cities to study Library and Information science in Canada based on the number of universities and their ranks are Toronto , Vancouver , Montreal , and Edmonton .

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Library & Information Sciences (LIS)

| arm: archives & records management | c&t: culture & technology | cips: critical information policy studies | hcds: human centered data science |   isd: information systems & design | kmim: knowledge management & information management | lis: library & information science | uxd: user experience design |, lis concentration liaison: prof. jenna hartel, lis concentration overview |   requirements | suggested electives | careers in library & information sciences |.

Library and information professionals have expertise in accessing, analyzing, organizing, evaluating, preserving, researching and presenting information found in all types of formats.

They are no longer solely concerned with books, as they are responsible for managing digital data and various new modes of information.

While academic librarians work in academic institutions and public librarians are employed at public libraries, other information professionals are working in corporations, law firms, and government institutions in a variety of roles. For example, prospect researchers are working in development or advancement offices on researching and identifying donor prospects, who are individuals, corporations or foundations. Information professionals are the experts we need in the information age.

Concentration features

• Our program has been continuously accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) since 1937 – the North American standard for professional practice in the field.
• Focus on the fundamentals of the field through required courses. Become versed in the myriad of issues related to the information life cycle: creation, representation, organization, management, dissemination and preservation and its interplay with social, economic, political, and technological forces.
• Delve into more specialized elective courses that focus either on a type of library audience, such as public or academic; or engage with important contemporary topics, such as information and digital literacy, the evolution of reading practices, or outreach and advocacy.

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Concentration requirements.

Year 1 required courses

• INF1005H — Information Workshop I (0.25 CR)
• INF1006H — Information Workshops II (0.25 CR)
• INF1321H — Representing, Documenting, and Accessing the Cultural Record (0.5 CR)
• INF1322H — Communities and Values (0.5 CR)
• INF1323H — The Information Experience (0.5 CR)
• INF1324H — Critical Infrastructures (0.5 CR)

Year 2 required courses

• Elective courses,  co-op option ,  thesis option , or  collaborative specialization  (5.5 credit)
• Take a look at our suggested electives

Students are required to complete a total of 8.0 credits for their MI degree.

Students are able to take their Year 1 required courses in Year 2. It is not a must to complete all Year 1 required courses in Year 1. It is, however, recommended that you complete your Year 1 required courses in Year 1 as they provide foundational knowledge. For students thinking about Co-op, you should complete all Year 1 required courses in Year 1.

Students interested in the cross section of information and museum studies may wish to apply for the Combined Degree Program (CDP) to explore areas such as digital cultural heritage, cultural information policy, the intersection of cultural memory institutions (libraries, archives and museums), digital curation, among other interests. The CDP allows students to complete both MI + MMSt degrees in three years.

Quick links to resources:

• Course descriptions
• Course timetables

Careers in Library & Information Sciences

Students looking to engage in hands-on experience, widen their professional network and engage in professional development should connect with our Careers Services . The Faculty of Information offers a variety of work-integrated learning opportunities such as:  MI Co-op option , practicum , Toronto Academic Libraries Internship Program ( TALint ),  job shadowing , and  ask-an-alum .

We encourage our students to engage widely in various professional circles and broaden your horizons beyond disciplinary boundaries. Our students, alumni and faculty are members of many professional associations. Our strong ties, built over many years, with these institutions keep us all abreast of the latest trends in the industries. Throughout the year, you may find representatives and members of these associations taking active roles in assisting our students by providing relevant industry insights and networking opportunities. Examples of these include:

• CLA –  Canadian Library Association  |  Toronto Student Chapter
• LWB –   Librarians Without Borders  |  UofT Student Chapter
• SLA –  Special Libraries Association  |   Toronto Student Group

Please visit our Student Experience & Life page on student councils, clubs and associations that our students engage and participate actively in.

Who hires our LIS graduates?

LIS graduates are needed in both traditional and new, non-traditional roles as information professionals. Since job titles vary, the key is to look beyond the titles and into the work involved. Our alumni work in a wide range of organizations and industries, including: financial services, technology, health care, law, government, marketing and communications, non-profit and more.

Sample employers include: 

Academic Libraries: American Univ. of Sharjah, UAE; Business Information Centre, Rotman School of Management, UofT; Florida University; Gerstein Science Information Centre, UofT; McGill University; New York Univ., Division of Libraries; Osgoode Hall Law School Library; Thomas Fisher Rare Book, UofT; Toronto District School Board; University of Oxford.

Public Libraries: Calgary Public Library; Hamilton Public Library; Kingston-Frontenac Public Library; Saskatoon Public Library; Toronto Public Library (TPL); Vancouver Public Library.

Government/Advocacy: Canadian Security Intelligence Service; CNIB; International Development Research Centre; Library of Parliament; Ministry of the Attorney General; The Legislative Assembly of Ontario; Ontario Media Development Corporation; United Nations; United Way Toronto

Culture & Media: Bell Media, Canadian Music Centre; CBC Radio Canada; CTV News; DHX Media; Folger Shakespeare Library; Royal Ontario Museum; The Royal Conservatory; TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival); Toronto Botanical Garden; Totem; TV Ontario

Finance: CPP Investment Board; Deloitte; International Monetary Fund; Manulife Financial; PwC Canada; TD Bank Financial Group, Towers Watson.

Law: Bennett Jones LLP; Canadian Environmental Law Association; Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP; McMillan LLP;

Health: CAMH Foundation; Canadian Partnership Against Cancer; Epilepsy Toronto; Health Quality Ontario; Mount Sinai Hospital; Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; University Health Network

Sample roles include:

Suggested Electives

Faculty of information elective courses, academic librarianship electives.

• INF1325H — Online Information Retrieval
• INF2110H — Design and Evaluation of Information Literacy Programs
• INF2115H — Data Librarianship
• INF2120H — Conservation and Preservation of Recorded Information
• INF2127H — Collection Development, Evaluation and Management
• INF2128H — Serials Management
• INF2136H — Government Information and Publications
• INF2137H — International Organizations: Their Documents and Publications
• INF2145H — Creation and Organization of Bibliographic Records
• INF2159H — Analytical and Historical Bibliography
• INF2162H — Rare Books and Manuscripts
• INF2331H — The Future of the Book

Public Librarianship Elective Courses

• INF2126H — Public Library Services to Culturally Diverse Communities
• INF2143H — Issues in Children’s and Young Adults’ Services
• INF2152H — Advocacy and Library Issues
• INF2155H — The Public Library in the Community: Developing a Critical Practice
• INF2157H — Theory and Practice of Intellectual Freedom
• INF2172H — Readers’ Advisory: Reference Work and Resources

Special Librarianship Elective Courses

• INF2040H — Project Management
• INF2133H — Legal Literature and Librarianship
• INF2134H — Business Information Resources
• INF2135H — Health Sciences Information Resources
• INF2158H — Management of Corporate and other Special Information Centres>
• INF2173H — Information Professional Practicum
• INF2175H — Managing Organizational Records
• INF2181H — Information Policy, Regulation and Law
• INF2186H — Metadata Schemas and Applications
• INF2311H — Managing AudioVisual Material
• INF2312H — Art Librarianship in Theory and Practice
• MSL2240H — The Photographic Record

Government Documents Elective Courses

Organization of information elective courses.

• INF1331H — Archival Description and Arrangement
• INF1343H — Data Modeling and Database Design
• INF2174H — History of Records and Archives

Information Resources and Collections Elective Courses

External courses.

For MI students that may be interested in picking electives from outside their degree program (i.e. non-INF courses): Please review the external course guide for details on how to do so.

Concentration Requirements Prior to Fall 2017

Students who enrolled in the LIS concentration prior to September 2017 have the option of completing under the old set of required courses, as follows (not available to students enrolled in September 2017 and after; all students must follow one set of requirements or the other, and cannot mix and match):

• INF1230H — Management of Information Organizations (0.5 CR)
• INF1240H — Research Methods (0.5 CR)
• INF1300H — Foundations in Library and Information Science (0.5 CR)
• INF1310H — Introduction to Reference (0.5 CR)
• INF1320H — Knowledge Organization (0.5 CR)
• Elective courses, co-op option, thesis option, or other program option (5.0 CR)
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Library and Information Science, PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science program, in the Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship (ICDS), prepares students for careers in research, education, and professional practice. The primary purpose of the PhD program is to develop an understanding of library and information science beyond the master’s degree, with particular emphasis on the conduct of original research, the production of significant research findings, and the contribution of such findings to public knowledge.

This is a research-driven program where you will work closely with professors who are experts in their fields. Opportunities for our PhD students include:

• Archives and Information Science: For doctoral students interested in pursuing academic careers in the archives area, with a focus on digital preservation or curation and archival ethics, accountability, and appraisal issues.
• Information Behavior: For doctoral students who seek to understand how people plot a course through complex information ecologies including digital environments, and how such ecologies can respond to their ways of thinking, feeling, and valuing. A special emphasis is placed on behaviors of children and youth.
• Health Information Behavior and Health Education Interventions: For doctoral students who wish to investigate the information practices and behaviors of health professionals, patients, caregivers, and consumers.
• Social Information Systems: For doctoral students who will investigate issues related to the design and use of social information systems, focusing on the impact of social media on people’s information behavior.
• Web-based Information Systems: For doctoral students interested in studying, designing, and implementing web-based systems for representing, retrieving, extracting, and disseminating relevant information.
• School Librarianship: For doctoral students interested in teaching, research, and administrative experience in a top-ranked, competency-based School Library Certification Program designed for school librarians and school library supervisors.

Degree Requirements

This PhD degree requires a minimum of 54 credits beyond the master’s degree with a total credit minimum of 72. A minimum of 36 credits must be taken in advanced course work. The student must receive a letter grade in each course taken in this 36-credit requirement, except for the teaching practicum course.  

An additional 18 credits are required, which must be applied to dissertation research and writing; however, regardless of the number of credits taken, no more than 18 credits for dissertation research and writing may be applied toward graduation. The grade for these credits will appear as an “S” on the student’s transcript. In order to register for, and successfully complete, dissertation credits, students must show evidence of work toward the dissertation by completing the Dissertation Credit Tracking Checklist and updating it at the end of the term.  

The minimum of 36 credits of course work, all of which must be on the graduate level, must be distributed as follows: 

• 3 credits: LIS 3000 Introduction to Doctoral Studies
• 9 credits: 3000-level doctoral seminars offered by SCI
• 3 credits: LIS 3950 Teaching Practicum or FACDEV 2200 Practicum on University Teaching
• 6 credits: Courses in research methodology and statistics
• 6 credits: Courses in cognate field
• 3000-level independent studies or doctoral seminars offered by SCI (maximum of 6 credits)
• Additional 3000-level doctoral seminars offered by SCI
• Additional cognate courses (up to 6 credits)
• Additional research methodology courses
• 2000-level courses in SCI (subject to approval by the students’ advisor)

For full degree requirement details, visit the Library and Information Science course catalog .

Admissions Requirements

Home > FACULTIES > Information & Media Studies (FIMS) > LIS-ETD

Library and Information Science Theses and Dissertations

This collection contains theses and dissertations from the Department of Library and Information Science, collected from the Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Recreational nastiness or playful mischief? Contrasting perspectives on internet trolling between news media and avid internet users , Yimin Chen

Discourse, Power Dynamics, and Risk Amplification in Disaster Risk Management in Canada , Martins Oluwole Olu-Omotayo

Folk Theories, Recommender Systems, and Human-Centered Explainable Artificial Intelligence (HCXAI) , Michael Ridley

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Exploiting Semantic Similarity Between Citation Contexts For Direct Citation Weighting And Residual Citation , Toluwase Victor Asubiaro

The Use of Intimate Partner Violence Websites: Website Awareness, Visibility, Information Quality, Perceived Usefulness, and Frequency of Use , Sze Hang Lee

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The General Artificial Intellect , Ramon S. Diab

The Public Library as Past Become Space , Greg Nightingale

Making Sense of Online Public Health Debates with Visual Analytics Systems , Anton Ninkov

Information, Employment, and Settlement of Immigrants: Exploring the Role of Information Behaviour in the Settlement of Bangladesh Immigrants in Canada , Nafiz Zaman Shuva

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Accessibility And Academic Libraries: A Comparative Case Study , Claire Burrows

The Information Practices of New Kadampa Buddhists: From "Dharma of Scripture" to "Dharma of Insight" , Roger Chabot

Narratives of Sexuality in the Lives of Young Women Readers , Davin L. Helkenberg

Strategic and Subversive: The Case of the Disappearing Diaphragm and Women’s Information Practices , Sherilyn M. Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Informing care: Mapping the social organization of families’ information work in an aging in place climate , Nicole K. Dalmer

A Study of Six Nations Public Library: Rights and Access to Information , Alison Frayne

Information Freedoms and the Case for Anonymous Community , Rachel Melis

Academic Librarians and the Space/Time of Information Literacy, the Neoliberal University, and the Global Knowledge Economy , Karen P. Nicholson

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Expertise, Mediation, and Technological Surrogacy: A Mixed Method Critical Analysis of a Point of Care Evidence Resource , Selinda Adelle Berg

The E-Writing Experiences of Literary Authors , Kathleen Schreurs

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Understanding Collaborative Sensemaking for System Design — An Investigation of Musicians' Practice , Nadia Conroy

Laying the Foundation for Copyright Policy and Practice in Canadian Universities , Lisa Di Valentino

Towards Evidence-Informed Agriculture Policy Making: Investigating the Knowledge Translation Practices of Researchers in the National Agriculture Research Institutes in Nigeria , Isioma N. Elueze

Different Approaches for Different Folks , Alexandre Fortier

Creating Context from Curiosity: The Role of Serendipity in the Research Process of Historians in Physical and Digital Environments , Kim Martin

Alternate Academy: Investigating the Use of Open Educational Resources by Students at the University of Lagos in Nigeria , Daniel Onaifo

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Contentious information: Accounts of knowledge production, circulation and consumption in transitional Egypt , Ahmad Kamal

Multilingual Information Access: Practices and Perceptions of Bi/multilingual Academic Users , Peggy I. Nzomo

Words to Live By: How Experience Shapes our Information World at Work, Play and in Everyday Life , Angela Pollak

Watching Storytelling: Visual Information in Oral Narratives , James Ripley

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Africa: Investigating Information Access and Use of Information and Communication Technologies by Women-Owned Enterprises in Zambia , Daniel Mumba

Young adults reflect on the experience of reading comics in contemporary society: Overcoming the commonplace and recognizing complexity , Lucia Cederia Serantes

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Space, Power and the Public Library: A Multicase Examination of the Public Library as Organization Space , Matthew R. Griffis

Knowledge Organization Practices in Everyday Life: Divergent Constructions of Healthy Eating , Jill R. McTavish

Semantics-based Automated Quality Assessment of Depression Treatment Web Documents , Yanjun Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Making Sense of Document Collections with Map-Based Visualizations , Olga Buchel

A Critical Historical Analysis of the Public Performance Right , Louis J. D'Alton

Intellectual Property and Its Alternatives: Incentives, Innovation and Ideology , Michael B. McNally

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Information Practices of People Living with Depression: Constructing Credibility and Authority , Tami Oliphant

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©1878 - 2016 Western University

Ph.D. in Information and Library Science

This doctoral program provides an environment that enables creative and energetic students to become innovative thinkers and leaders. Through coordination of student and faculty interests and activities, the program offers opportunities for research, teaching, and leadership in a variety of settings.

Information and library science research leaders must be able to identify problems that are significant for our future as an information society, carry out rigorous studies and draw valid conclusions from them, and communicate those findings to stakeholders who can act on them. The SILS doctoral program provides intensive, but highly flexible and customizable, preparation for careers in academia and research.

The Ph.D. in Information and Library Science is designated as a STEM program, which allows eligible international graduates to apply for a 24-month OPT extension.

After successfully defending their dissertations, SILS’ graduates have accepted positions as tenure-track faculty in information schools, research scientists in corporate and government labs, and chief information officers in a myriad of organizations and businesses. With a degree from our doctoral program, our graduates are making a difference.

• Kimberly Hirsh, 2021, Consulting Scholar-Librarian
• Sandeep Avula, 2020, Research Scientist, Amazon
• Eliot Hauser, 2020, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
• Colin Post, 2020, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Jonathan Crabtree, 2020, Assistant Director of Research Data Information Systems, Odum Institute, UNC-CH
• Emily Roscoe, 2020, Adjunct Instructor, School of Government, UNC-CH
• Megan Threats, 2020, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University
• Heather Barnes, 2020, Digital Curation Librarian, Wake Forest University
• Yinglong Zhang, 2020, Research Scientist, Google
• Shenmeng Xu, 2020, Scholarly Communications Librarian, Vanderbilt University
• Sarah Beth Nelson, 2019, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
• Anita Crescenzi, 2019, Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, UNC-CH
• Kathleen Brennan, 2018, Senior Researcher, Google
• Samantha Kaplan, 2018, Research and Education Librarian, Duke University
• Ericka Patillo, 2018, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Grace Shin, 2018, Sookmyung Women’s University, Korea, Adjunct Professor at SILS.
• Leslie Thomson, 2018, Postdoctoral Fellow, UNC-CH

Other notable graduates in recent years:

• Jay Dominick, 2005 , Vice President and CIO at Princeton University
• Meredith Evans, Ph.D.  2006 , Director, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum & 74th President of the Society of American Archivists
• Meredith Weiss, 2010 , Vice President for Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University
• Fred Stutzman, 2011 , CEO, Freedom

Financial Support

SILS typically provides support for full-time doctoral students during their first five years of study. Prospective doctoral students must apply by December 10 to receive full consideration for financial aid.

Learn more from our Financial Information page.

SILS seeks PhD students who:

• Aim to be information leaders in the 21 st century.
• Are attracted to information and library science as a field that incorporates diverse theoretical perspectives and a wide range of research methods.
• Possess the discipline and will to be independent investigators, and the vision and communication skills to be influential leaders in the field.
• Are committed to a life of research and scholarly inquiry addressing critical questions.
• Enjoy intellectual challenges and demonstrate analytical and critical thinking.

Admission to the doctoral program is competitive and based upon the strength of the applicant’s educational background and standardized test scores, work experience, statement of research, and personal interview. In reviewing applicants for admission, the school will consider past academic record and scholarly potential of an applicant, as well as the match of the candidate’s research interests with those of the school’s faculty. One or more faculty must be willing to assume the advisory role for the student.

Doctoral and Special Programs Coordinator

[email protected] or 919-962-0182

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News from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Several UWM programs land high in U.S. News graduate school rankings

Two programs at UWM landed in the top 30 nationwide in the latest rankings of graduate schools by U.S. News & World Report .

UWM’s library and information science graduate program ranked No. 14, while its occupational therapy graduate program is at No. 27.

Several other graduate programs at UWM ranked in the top 100 nationwide, including:

• Clinical psychology
• Nursing – master’s
• Nursing – doctor of nursing practice
• Health care management
• Physical therapy
• Political science
• Public health
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• Speech-language pathology

In all, more than 2,000 graduate programs from more than 1,200 universities were considered.

The rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinion about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students, and students’ post-graduate outcomes.

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• Several UWM programs land high in U.S. News graduate school rankings By John Schumacher April 12, 2024
• Eyes on the skies: UWM hosts a solar eclipse event By John Schumacher April 12, 2024
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USF School of Information MLIS Program Ranks in Top 50 U.S. Library and Information Studies Graduate Programs

• April 10, 2024
• iSchool News

The School of Information is proud to announce that our M.A. in Library and Information Science program was ranked as the 27th best Library and Information Studies program by U.S. News & World Report ! What an incredible recognition to our university, school, faculty, staff, & students.

The University of South Florida is home to nearly two dozen graduate programs considered among the best in America, according to new rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report. USF features 23 graduate programs ranked inside the top 100 among all public and private institutions, including 11 ranked in the top 50.

“We are thrilled that many University of South Florida graduate programs are included among the nation’s best in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings,” USF President Rhea Law said. “This recognition underscores the commitment of our faculty and staff, who continue to provide high-quality programs that empower our students to enhance their skills, expand their knowledge and progress in their careers by earning an advanced degree.”

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School of Information students, alumni, and faculty can submit news of accomplishments and events for our News section. We welcome announcements of publications, works presented, jobs procured, awards garnered, scholarships awarded, graduate school placements, and upcoming events.