MLIS DEGREE PLANNING

 
 
To aid in the planning of degree programs, we have created recommended course plans for the completion of MLIS core courses. We recommend you complete your core courses via the following degree plan, depending on your program mode. Also take note of the following:
 
  • Complete your core early in the program: do not wait to fulfill a core course until your final quarter in the program.
  • When your schedule is not filled up with core courses, you should be working on fulfilling elective requirements.
  • We do not guarantee spots in courses; all students should be diligent in registration. 
  • Following your recommend course plan will increase the likelihood that you will graduate on time for your program mode.
  • If at any point you diverge from your recommended course plan, it is up to you to design your own alternative plan.   
  • Information on when registration begins each quarter may be found in the UW Academic Calendar. Click on the appropriate year, then refer to the Period I, II, and III registration dates.
 
Residential MLIS Degree PlanIt typically takes two calendar years to complete the Residential MLIS degree. The average course load per quarter is three to four classes (average of 10 credits per quarter). 

Quarter
1st Year Residential
2nd Year Residential
Autumn
LIS 500, 510, 520 required
Your choice between LIS 560, 570, info tech core, or electives
Winter
LIS 530, 550 required
Your choice of info tech core or an elective
Your choice between LIS 570, 580, info tech core, or electives
Spring
Your choice between LIS 560, 580, info tech core, or electives
All core should be completed before your final quarter in the program
Summer
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings

  

Online MLIS Degree Plan: It typicallytakes three calendar years to complete the Online MLIS degree. The average course load per quarter is two to three classes (average of 6-8 credits per quarter). 

Quarter
1st Year Online
2nd Year Online
3rd Year Online
Autumn
LIS 500, 510 required
Your choice of info tech prep courses (optional)
Your choice between LIS 550, info tech core, or electives
Your choice between LIS 550, info tech core, or electives
Winter
LIS 520 required
Your choice of LIS 560, 570, 580, info tech core, or an elective
Your choice between LIS 560, 570, 580, info tech core, or electives
Your choice between LIS 560, 570, 580, info tech core, or electives
Spring
LIS 530 required
Your choice between LIS 550, 560, 570, 580, info tech core, or an elective
Your choice between LIS 550, 560, 570, 580, info tech core, or electives
All core should be completed before your final quarter in the program
Summer
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings

  

Residential MLIS – Tuition Exempt Degree Plan: It typicallytakes three calendar years for students using tuition-exemption to complete the Residential MLIS degree. The average course load per quarter is one to two classes (average of 6 credits per quarter). 

Quarter
1st Year Tuition Exempt
2nd Year Tuition Exempt
3rd Year Tuition Exempt
Autumn
LIS 500, 510 required
 
LIS 520 required
Your choice between LIS 560, 570, info tech core, or an elective
Your choice between LIS 560, 570, info tech core, or electives
Winter
LIS 530 required
Your choice of LIS 550, info tech core, or an elective
LIS 550 (if not taken in 1st year)
Your choice between LIS 570, 580, info tech core, or an elective
Your choice between LIS 570, 580, info tech core, or electives
Spring
Your choice between LIS 560, 580, info tech core, or electives
Your choice between LIS 560, 580, info tech core, or electives
All core should be completed before your final quarter in the program
Summer
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings

 

Law MLIS Degree Plan: It typicallytakes four quarters (one calendar year) to complete the Law MLIS degree. The average course load per quarter is approximately 12 credits per quarter. 
 
  • Note that LIS 595 is taken each autumn, winter, and spring quarter. You will register for a total of 4 LIS 595 credits = 1 credit in the fall, 1 credit in the winter, and 2 credits in the spring. You will receive a grade for LIS 595 at the end of spring quarter once all 4 credits have been earned.
  • For the information technology core requirement, Law MLIS students are slated to take LIS 587 during winter quarter. Law MLIS students are also welcome to take any of the other information technology core courses available from the Information School. 
  • LIS 550 is the one required course that will be taken online instead of on-campus. 
Quarter
1st Year Law Librarianship  (note all are required in this sequence)
Autumn
LIS 500, 510, 520, 591, 595
Winter
LIS 530, 587, 592, 595
Spring
LIS 550 (online), 593, 595
Summer
LIS 594, 590
 

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA ENDORSEMENT


MLIS degree seeking students who are interested in pursuing careers as teacher librarians typically fall into one of three categories: MLIS students who have a teaching certificate, MLIS students who do not have a teaching certificate but plan to get one in the future, MLIS students who do not have a teaching certificate and do not plan to get one in the future. An outline of specific courses required/suggested is found online. Note that students seeking the library media endorsement are required to complete a Directed Fieldwork (LIS 590) practicum course in a K-12 school library. 
 
Suggested degree plans (core and electives) for those pursuing library media coursework are as follows:
 
Residential MLIS – School Library Media Endorsement Degree Plan:

Quarter
1st Year Residential - SLM
2nd Year Residential - SLM
Autumn
LIS 500, 510, 520 required
LIS 522, LIS 561, LIS 570
Winter
LIS 530, 550 required
Your choice of info tech core or an elective
Your choice between LIS 580, 590 (DFW), info tech core, or an elective
Spring
LIS 560, 565
Your choice between LIS 580, 566, 568, info tech core or an elective
All core should be completed before your final quarter in the program
Your choice between LIS 566, 568, 590 (DFW), or an elective
Summer
LIS 585
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings

  

Online MLIS – School Library Media Endorsement Degree Plan:

Quarter
1st Year Online - SLM
2nd Year Online - SLM
3rd Year Online - SLM
Autumn
LIS 500, 510 required
Your choice of info tech prep courses (optional)
Your choice between LIS 550, 565, 568, info tech core, or electives
Your choice between LIS 550, 565, 568, info tech core, or electives
Winter
LIS 520 required
LIS 560
Your choice between LIS 570, 580, 566, the info tech core, or electives
Your choice between LIS 570, 580, 566, info tech core, or electives
Spring
LIS 530 required
Your choice between LIS 550, 570, 580, 522, 561, info tech core, or an elective
Your choice between LIS 570, 580, 522, 561, info tech core, or electives
All core should be completed before your final quarter in the program
Summer
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings
LIS 585
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings

 

Residential MLIS Tuition Exempt – School Library Media Endorsement Degree Plan:

Quarter
1st Year Tuition Exempt - SLM
2nd Year Tuition Exempt - SLM
3rd Year Tuition Exempt - SLM
Autumn
LIS 500, 510 required
 
LIS 520 required
Your choice between LIS 570, 522, 561, info tech core, or an elective
Your choice between LIS 570, 522, 561, 590 (DFW), info tech core, or an elective
Winter
LIS 530 required
Your choice of LIS 550, info tech core, or an elective
LIS 550 (if not taken in 1st year)
Your choice between LIS 570, 580, info tech core, or electives
Your choice between LIS 570, 580, 590 (DFW), info tech core, or electives
Spring
LIS 560
Your choice between LIS 580, 565, 566, 568, info tech core, or electives
Your choice between LIS 580, 565, 566, 568, info tech core, or electives
All core should be completed before your final quarter in the program
Summer
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings
LIS 585
Optional quarter w/ limited course offerings